Three Generations Of A Georgia Family Have Owned And Operated The Legendary Luigi's
By Lisa Sammons|Published April 25, 2022
×
Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
It seems like there’s a new restaurant in Georgia opening up every week. Places come, places go: it can be tough to find long-standing restaurants that have been in the same family for generations. One spot that bucks that trend is Luigi’s Restaurant in Augusta. This place has been in the same family for three generations. It’s the oldest family-run restaurant in the state and has been delighting diners since 1949. Its charming decor, delicious menu, and delightful jukebox have made it a long-time favorite spot for many Georgians.
Luigi's Restaurant isn't very spacious, but it's certainly big on character. The restaurant feels like it's been in Augusta for forever (which it practically has).
You won't find a much more welcoming place than this. The atmosphere feels so familial, even if it's your first time visiting.
The restaurant was founded by an immigrant who first lived in New England before moving to the South. "Papou Nick" Ballas opened Luigi's Restaurant up in 1949, several decades after moving to the U.S.
Though he was from the Greek island of Lesbos, Ballas knew that few in the United States were familiar with Greek food at this time. He decided to serve up Italian food, which was well on its way to becoming quite popular.
Advertisement
Nearly 75 years later, Luigi's is still serving up the Italian dishes that the eatery first became known for. There's traditional favorites like spaghetti.