ST. PETERSBURG — Philadelphia is known as “The City of Brotherly Love.”
John and Paul Hazakis have brought their own brand of brotherly love — honed in diners across Philadelphia and Pennsylvania — to Hot Spot Diner, 4045 Tyrone Blvd.
Hot Spot opened in February, replacing First Watch. Having worked with their father, George, at diners that were open around the clock, John and Paul are equally comfortable serving breakfast dishes at lunchtime and lunch fare for breakfast. They may soon earn a reputation for comfort cuisine.
Hot Spot Diner is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
While Paul, a former restaurant owner, has lived in the St. Petersburg area for 11 years, John, the current owner, recently moved here after running eight diners over the past 40 years, mainly in Pennsylvania cities such as Nazareth, Pottsville, Bloomsburg, Reading, Springfield and West Newtown, just outside Philadelphia.
“My brother lives here,” John said. “And he came to me and said, ‘If you open a restaurant here, I’ll be your chef.’”
The brothers moved with their family from Greece to the United States 47 years ago, but their menu goes well beyond Greek food. In a matter of minutes, they served a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries and coleslaw; a chef salad with a generous portion of ham; a double catch of two pieces of fried fish and shrimp; and chicken, cheese and onion in a toasted wrap.
Specials included a BLT with one egg and a side, and a garden scrambler with eggs, spinach, tomato, onion, mushroom, cheddar cheese and toast. Soup of the day: lemon chicken orzo.
A kids’ breakfast menu includes a one- or two-egg plate, a Mickey Mouse pancake and French toast.
“When I was in Pennsylvania, a lot of Greeks did family restaurants,” Paul said. “We learned and did what we know best.
“In Pottsville, we had a 24-hour restaurant. Back then, drinking was not as strict as now. At 2:30 in the morning, it was packed.”
Paul knows a thing or two about running a restaurant on his own. He took over a Denny’s on 34th Street and turned it into Skyway Diner, running it for five years before selling the business.
The key to a good operation, he said, is knowing every aspect of the job.
“If somebody leaves, if somebody can’t cook that day, you can jump right in,” he said.
This isn’t just a brother-run business — it’s a family one. Paul’s wife, Diane, and daughter Ava help out, and John’s wife, Angie, and daughters Gianna and Alexa will “eventually move here.”
John said if things go well, he’ll expand hours and build out the Greek menu, which now includes omelets, gyros and spinach pie.
If you go
Hot Spot Diner
Where: 4045 Tyrone Blvd, St. Petersburg
Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Owners: John and Paul Hazakis
More info: hotspotdinerstpete.com
