Temple Goddess is in its soft-opening phase, serving customers at its new location at 1978 N. Farwell Ave.
Behind the concept are owners Gregory Climi and Eve Savva who have brought their respective backgrounds to the cuisine they serve.
“I grew up in an Italian/Sicilian restaurant family," says Climi, noting that he grew up in a restaurant family. "My best friends as a child were Turkish and Indian, so from an early age, we’d play in their kitchen. So, I have been playing with fusion cuisine for a very long time. Eve’s background is Cyprian, so our menu is focused on those cuisines.”
The decor in the 18-seat restaurant is also reflective of those cultures and cuisines. From wall hangings made from Indian sari to spiritual statues, symbols and a tapestry that many have identified as the same as that which hung in Abu's Jerusalem of Gold years ago.
"Ever since we opened in Crossroads, many people have seen the tapestry and asked us if we were associated with Abu’s," says Climi. "It's something that Eve acquired while she was studying dance in New York, but we love that it brings back a nostalgic feeling for people here. It brings us full circle."
Climi says that they're currently adjusting to the new space, which is quite a bit smaller than their vendor stalls at Crossroads Collective. But they are happy to have begun their new journey in their own space and are working with Alderman Alex Brower to install planter-style bollards along the sidewalk, where multiple accidents have occurred in the past, calling the safety of the corner into question.
“I’d like to plant herbs in them,” says Climi. “It would help to enhance the appearance outside as well as the safety for our customers.”
“We’re happy to be here, and we look forward to being able to present our concept to a wider audience," he says. "The fact that this space has been home to other plant-based restaurants including LaFayette Place, Celesta, Jownai Fouquet and Abu's makes it like a homecoming in many ways. We feel as if the torch has been been passed."
On the menu
“One of the biggest things we try to embody is balance, and that’s what we do with all of our recipes,” notes Climi. “Our menu incorporates organic and non-GMO foods and we focus on minimally processed foods. Eve’s goal has always been for our customers to be nourished both physically and spiritually, and everything here is an homage to that.”
Currently, Temple Goddess is observing their soft opening and offering lunch and dinner. Beginning in July, they will be open at 8 a.m. daily (closed on Wednesdays) and will introduce breakfast service. Offerings will include fresh bagels from New York that will be finished on premise, along with vegan pancakes, uttapam (savory Indian pancakes), breakfast sandwiches and breakfast bowls.
Currently, appetizers include Choban, a chopped salad with cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, onion, lemon, parsley, mint and flatbread ($9); Three Graces (hummus, baba ghanoush, bruscetta served with pitas, $12); Punjabi style samosa with a choice of chutney ($5.75); or Pita Points and Hummus (with a wide choice of flavors from kalamata olive and fire roasted pepper to sun dried tomato and basil ($8).
Sandwiches and wraps, including the Acanthis seasoned “chicken” salad; Themis vegan BLT; falafal wrap; and takes on shawarma and gyros (priced $12-$15). A variety of entrée-sized salads are also available.
Signature dishes include Pasticcio Stella featuring long ziti layered with seasoned Beyond Ground Beef and tomato sauce, topped with bechamel and baked ($18); and their popular Middle Eastern Platter featuring a choice of mushroom shawarma, kofte shish kebab or falafel served over lemon mint fried rice and served with dolma, classic hummus, radish and cucumber salad, pickles and toasted flatbread ($18).
American fusion options by Adonis Burger Co. are also available and include the Adonis Burger (Beyond Burger with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, ketchup, $13); Chicken Adonis featuring a fried chicken patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and Aleppo mayo ($13); The Wild Boar (their version of pulled pork made with jackfruit and soy curls, sweet and savory BBQ sauce, Mediterranean slaw, Aleppo mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles ($13).
Macaroni and cheese is also available (16 ounces for $9) with additional toppings available from broccoli or grilled onions to Beyond beef, gyro meat and more.
Beverages include Anodyne Coffee, teas, soda, housemade lemonade (in flavors including rose and cucumber basil) and a variety of smoothies.
Before you go
Temple Goddess is currently open Sunday through Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Carry-out, delivery and catering are available. View their full menu online. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.
Beginning in July, Temple Goddess will be open beginning at 8 a.m. and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day but Wednesday.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
