Published: July 17, 2008 09:08 am            

Dino-Mite!

Dino’s Italian Restaurant and Lounge now open in Corbin

By Bobbie Poynter / Community Editor

Dino Alexiou, 45, and his partner, Dimitri Lolis, brought their combined experience in the restaurant business from Knoxville, Tenn. to Corbin with the June 16 opening of Dino’s Italian Restaurant and Lounge at 1895 Cumberland Falls Hwy at the I-75 Exit 25.

Dino Alexiou, eldest of two children, was born in Karditsa, a small town outside of Athens, Greece, where his father owned and ran a newspaper. Dino first came to the United States when he was 15 years old as a foreign exchange student, and, to this day, remains the best of friends with his Virginia family. His sister, Christina, who also came to the United States, has since returned to her native home in Greece.

Alexiou knows the restaurant business inside-out. He worked his way through college at Wayne State University in Detroit by working at a Greek restaurant. Before he had graduated with his bachelors of economics, Dino had worked his way through the ranks as a dishwasher, bus boy, waiter and cook.

Since then, Alexiou has been a driving force behind several restaurants throughout the southeast. Dino’s Restaurant is the first to bear its owner’s name, and Alexiou is happy with his decision to open it here in Corbin.

“We liked the building and its location, and the fact that there is no competition at present for this type of restaurant,” said Alexiou. “Part of the decision to expand was based on how impressed we were with how quickly Corbin is growing, what with the new Expo Center going up and all the franchise restaurants moving to the area.”

However, aside from the instant success of his new restaurant, Alexiou has decided to make Corbin his home and plans to settle down in the area. After experiencing the natural beauty of Cumberland Falls, Alexiou said he is looking forward to seeing a lot more of Kentucky, once the restaurant settles down.

First things first, although the restaurant owner expected to sell a lot of sandwiches, to his surprise local residents and visitors alike have been trying all of the dinner plates, with the Alfredo and Italian combo dishes being the most popular.

Dino’s recipes are all its own. All of the sauces and doughs for its dinners and pizzas are made from scratch at the restaurant.

“We’ve been using these same recipes for the last 28 years,” said Alexiou, “so we know we are using recipes that have already been proven tried and true.”

Dino’s gives its patrons the option of dining in or carry out. Orders to go can be called in at 523-0600 or faxed to 526-1509. The doors open at 11 a.m. daily seven days a week.

        

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