My wife, Doris, and I moved from Ormond Beach to Tampa, Florida in 1988. Nicko’s Dinner was at the end of our street, just minutes from downtown Tampa on Florida Avenue. It was an authentic 50s Deco dinner which had been moved from New Jersey to its present location.

It was family run with Nick’s mother and dad working in the kitchen preparing food up into their deaths, a few years back. They were all Greeks and the menu reflected their heritage. The fine food pulled in a real cross section of Tampa’s inhabitants. You could be easily sitting in the next booth to Tampa’s mayor. Or, if you were alive in 1956, you could have witnessed Elvis Presley enjoying an early mourning breakfast (named Ayres Dinner then) after his performance at Tampa’s Amory. Elvis’ booth was so noted with surrounding memorabilia.

Once a year, Nick would bring in Elvis impersonators to perform. It caught me and my guest (a preacher) by surprise when we were in the middle of eating and discussing important matters. My preacher exclaimed that he was set up. I pleaded not guilty, your honor.

Nick took advantage of his captive audience and was unrelenting in entertaining his clientele with his card tricks. The place was always crowded, but Nick sold out anyway a couple of years ago. It’s now a chop shop. I just can’t bring myself to enter knowing it will never be the same. You might be able to take Nicko out of the dinner, but you’ll lose something invaluable by doing so!