ZIKI: New fusion cuisine for Dripping Springs

A new food truck took up residence in Dripping Springs this spring, bringing the novel flavor of Greek-Mexican fusion to the area.

Ziki, an Austinbased brand of food trailers and modular kitchens, is far from the typical food truck. Born out of founder and CEO Nick Nanakos’s vision, Ziki offers a health-conscious alternative without the use of seed oils, canola oils or vegetable oils. Its food is also completely soy-free, according to the brand’s website.

“Many restaurants and grocery stores are poisoning you with toxic ingredients that your body simply cannot process,” the website explains. “This results in inflammation, illness, depression, hormonal imbalance, weight volatility, and many more. Certain diseases exist today which once did not, and we believe much of it has to do with your diet. We are prioritizing your health at our expense — while others are prioritizing saving money at the expense of your health.”

Ziki’s Dripping Springs location at 12024 US Highway 290 aims to expand this mission throughout the Greater Austin area, bringing an increased awareness to food industry practices.

“Our hope in establishing ourselves within the Dripping Springs community is to make both delicious and health conscious choices more accessible to people as a fast-casual restaurant,” said Dia Magoulis, head of marketing at Ziki.

Ziki’s menu is sourced from local Texas farms and includes fusion items such as the “Falafel Zurrito” and the “Quezzadilla.”

“Many of our current recipes have strongly been inspired by [Nanakos’s] mother’s recipes and the traditional Greek cuisine,” Magoulis explained. “After moving to Texas, the love of Mexican food and bold flavors, combined with his Greek heritage, sparked the idea to bring together the best of both worlds and do something that had never been done before.”

Nanakos has a family history in the restaurant business. His mother owned and operated a series of Greek restaurants in New York — named “Tzatziki” after the Greek cucumber dip — and his grandfather started out as a hot dog vendor, working his way up into diners and restaurants.

However, it was his father’s career that inspired the business side of Ziki, Magoulis said.

“His father owned a construction company that embodied strong building principles,” she said. “This unique influence inspired him to factory-produce modular restaurants, known as Ziki, and unlocked a massive vision to become the most significant company to ever exist in food.”

In the midst of a swift expansion, it would seem that vision is well underway. Ziki quickly grew from one trailer on South Congress Avenue in Austin to now 10 locations around the Austin area. Having raised millions in seed funding from investors — including venture capital firm Gigafund — the brand is looking to continue that expansion out of state.

“We have plans to plant roots in the city of Miami next while we continue to nurture our home base of Austin,” Magoulis said.

Nicknamed “the Tesla of food,” Ziki has also expanded and improved its technology, recently acquiring a kitchen robotics startup that is expected to triple its output, as discussed by Nanakos on the Why We Strive podcast.

For the latest on Ziki and its mission, menu and expansion, visit ziki.kitchen.