House of Stefas opens in Millbrook with bold style and Greek cuisine

Paul Stefanopoulos, left, and John Stefanopoulos on the second floor in the cocktail lounge of House of Stefas in Millbrook.
Photo by Aly Morrissey
Paul Stefanopoulos, left, and John Stefanopoulos on the second floor in the cocktail lounge of House of Stefas in Millbrook.
MILLBROOK — John and Paul Stefanopoulos are scheduled to open the doors to their latest culinary venture on Wednesday, June 4, in downtown Millbrook. House of Stefas, a Greek-inspired restaurant, blends secret family recipes with bold interior design layered with nods to their heritage and culture.
But don’t call it a restaurant. “It’s more of a sanctuary for what we call philoxenia,” says John, referencing the ancient Greek value of hospitality and generosity toward strangers. “Everyone here is loved and taken care of in the ancient Greek way.”
The interior features distinct zoned identities and styles. Photo by Aly Morrissey
The brothers say the spirit of the business was born during college, when they hosted dinner parties under the name 97 Garden, where as many as 50 people — often from vastly different social circles — would gather for the now-storied meals.
“The food was good, but it was more about the community,” says John. “Before we had the name and concept, we knew we wanted to build something that lifts people up, that makes people feel better, that makes them feel like aristocrats and gods.”
As the youngest generation of the Four Brothers Pizza Inn dynasty, hospitality is in their blood — and now they’re proudly putting a fresh spin on it with a space of their own. What they describe as a labor of love has been in the works for more than a year, though you could argue they’ve been preparing for this their entire lives.
“It’s a multidimensional space that’s actually characteristic of our personalities,” John explains. “There’s a side of us that’s artsy, a side that’s straight business, and a side that’s really fun. We wanted that to come through — so people could experience different parts of our heritage and our lives, broken up into pieces.”
The space is divided into distinct zones, each with its own identity and style — but always rooted in Greek mythology, symbolism and the occasional inside joke that may never reveal itself to the public.
In the Verand Room, guests can enjoy espresso, cappuccino, cocktails, and small bites. Then there’s the cocktail lounge, a rooftop patio, raw bar, main dining room, multiple bars and private rooms.
No matter what you’re in search of, House of Stefas invites guests into an immersive, evolving narrative.
Of course, at the heart of every restaurant lies one essential question: How’s the food?
To lead the kitchen, the brothers brought in executive chef Roel Alcudia — an industry veteran with experience at top establishments in Miami, Berlin, Istanbul and Barcelona. When asked about the menu, Alcudia gently corrects any suggestion that the cuisine is broadly Mediterranean.
The restaurant's interior decor is divided into distinct zones — the Verand room, a cocktail lounge, a rooftop patio, raw bar, a main dining room, multiple bars and private rooms — each with a unique identity.Photo by Aly Morrissey
“It’s Greek. Freestyle Greek,” he says with a smile. “There’s a very clear vision here, and I just have to match their intensity, their personalities, and their character,” he says, nodding toward the brothers.
“Chef Roel understands the culture and the philosophy,” says Paul. “He’s a multidimensional person who can realize the potential of this place. It’s one thing to cook — it’s another to know how and why you’re doing it.” John adds, “It’s not about the recipe. It’s about how and why things are being done.”
“We’re honoring the traditional Greek style because it’s who we are as people,” Paul says. “But we’re also looking toward the future. We’re well-traveled, we have a deep appreciation for food and culture and we wanted that worldly influence to be reflected.”
With what they describe as a “feminine approach” to their culinary philosophy, John and Paul credit their mother, Katina, as a major force behind their vision.
“Our parents came from a small village in Greece. Our mom has always been cooking, taking care of the family — that’s how she expresses herself,” says John. Many of her recipes will appear on the menu.
“We couldn’t have done this without her — or our father, William,” he adds.
There simply isn’t another place like House of Stefas. It is the very specific brainchild of John and Paul Stefanopoulos: their taste, their travels, their history and their unapologetically bold aesthetic and sense of humor. It’s a one-of-a-kind concept that feels destined to draw people from far beyond Millbrook.
The result is something distinctly Greek — but also cosmopolitan, forward-looking and deeply personal. In a small town in upstate New York, the Stefanopoulos brothers have managed to build something that feels both ancient and new — rooted and exploratory. And never boring.
This is a developing story. Updates will be made as more information becomes available.
MILLERTON — Northern Dutchess Paramedics, the private emergency medical service provider contracted by North East, Amenia and Dover, is set to be acquired by Empress EMS, Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said at a special workshop meeting of the town board on Tuesday evening, Aug. 26.
Kennan shared what he called “breaking news” shortly after calling the meeting to order.
“We just learned that Northern Dutchess Paramedics has entered into a sales agreement with Empress, which serves most of Dutchess County,” he announced at the start of the meeting, which was originally scheduled to fine-tune zoning language for the town's commercial district.
Empress EMS is part of PatientCare EMS Solutions, a provider of emergency medical services that operates throughout the country under several brands, including Sunstar Paramedics, Med Fleet Ambulance, FleetPlus and School of EMS. PatientCare is owned by A+M Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, which provides the company with financial backing and corporate oversight.
Kennan said he received a call from NDP owner Ed Murray with the news on Friday.
In a phone call with The News on Wednesday morning, Aug. 27, NDP Chief Operating Officer Mark Browne confirmed that while the acquisition “is on-schedule to happen,” the paperwork is not yet final.
While a potential shift in ownership could bring a variety of changes to North East and Millerton, including EMS response time, cost and the health and safety of the community, Supervisor Kennan said he received a verbal indication that Empress would honor the town’s existing contract with NDP, which was renewed for three years in December.
In 2025, the town is paying $511,558 for contracted services with NDP and the cost is expected to increase to $746,345 by 2027.
“In the short term, we should not be impacted by this change,” Kennan said. He added that the current contract with NDP has a stipulation that any new owner must honor the existing contract.
The news comes after Kennan and other towns have criticized the high costs of emergency medical services, which makes up a sizable chunk of the town’s budget and burdens taxpayers. Along with the Association of Towns, Kennan has urged New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that has passed in the Senate and the Assembly and would exempt EMS services from the state’s property tax cap, giving local governments more flexibility to manage costs and sustain their EMS programs.
The bill would allow municipalities to better respond to EMS price hikes in their budgets, but it otherwise does not address those rising costs or poorer-than-typical service in rural communities like North East, Amenia and Dover.
Based in Yonkers, Empress EMS has a hub in Poughkeepsie and operates in Dutchess, Westchester, Rockland, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Orange counties, as well as the Bronx. The company’s acquisition of NDP marks its continued expansion north – in 2021 Empress purchased EMStar and Mobile Life, pushing its way deeper into the Hudson Valley.
In January, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino announced that Empress won the bid to become the primary provider of supplemental EMS services, a move made by the county in an effort to address long wait times for 911 calls. While successful in more densely populated areas, rural areas like North East, Amenia and Dover saw no visits from the supplemental services in quarter two of 2025.
According to the 2025 second quarter EMS report published by Dutchess County, all but one town in the county is serviced by either NDP or Empress. The merger would make Empress the sole EMS provider in the county except for the City of Beacon.
While there is no confirmed timeframe for the transition of ownership, Kennan said NDP owner Ed Murray indicated it was “moving quickly.”
While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?
As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.
In the summer of 2024, over 25,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk!. The festival is free to the public, provides a big boost to local businesses, and spectators can tip performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers or via busking festivals. Artists like The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers, and Old Crow Medicine Show have all cut their teeth performing on the street.
General Manager Carli Scolforo is a Berkshire native with a love of music and writing. She can often be seen roaming the streets of Great Barrington, making sure everything’s in order, and serves as the festival’s face on social media.
“This year is the fifth anniversary of Berkshire Busk!, and it’s been an amazing summer,” said Scolforo. “We were able to welcome back a lot of our favorite performers, and bring in some new experiences as well. After getting rained out last year, we were able to host our first outdoor movie night in partnership with The Triplex Cinema and the Boondocks Film Society.”
Scolforo added, “This summer, we also introduced our first Open Mic Night, hosted by local recording artist and music producer Jackson Whalan. We were really pleased with the turnout of talent. The sheer amount of talent that’s hidden within an hour or so drive of Great Barrington always astounds us.”
Local businesses sponsor various busking spots, like the Berkshire Money Management Stage in the parking lot between the Triplex Cinema and Mama Lo’s BBQ. Typically, buskers bring their own amplification, while there are few spots — such as Berkshire Mountain Distillery in Sheffield — provide power.
Berkshire Busk! will end its season with a fireworks display on its last night on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Berkshire Busk! is endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington and is entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations, individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
It operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and participates in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program — in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations — by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
For more information, visit: berkshirebusk.com
What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.
Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.
Directed by Colin Hanlon, this production balances elements of comedy and emotional depth. Gurney’s script may be filled with laughs but at its core, “Sylvia” explores loyalty, companionship, and how love sometimes arrives in unexpected forms. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1995 and has since become an audience favorite for its wit, warmth, and originality.
Rounding out the cast is Sienna Brann, taking on a trio of roles that highlight the play’s comic versatility. The design team includes Christopher and Justin Swader (scenic), Kathleen DeAngelis (costumes), Bobbie Zlotnik (wigs), Wheeler Moon (lighting), and Graham Stone (sound), ensuring the story is grounded in a fully realized world, albeit one occasionally seen from a dog’s point of view.
Performances run through Sept. 7 at the Sharon Playhouse. For tickets and more information, visit sharonplayhouse.org.