From his childhood days in Rochester, Jim Evangelos had always dreamed of having his own restaurant. This past April, Evangelos’s dream was finally realized, as Pelville opened its doors on the corner of Lincoln and Fifth Avenue. “I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid,” said the owner and chef of Pelville, Jim Evangelos. “I’ve always wanted to have my own place.”

Evangelos found the space while looking through craigslist. “It was the perfect sized space,” said Evangelos. “I just wanted to have a place with four or five tables.”

Evangelos’s New England heritage has inspired his interior decorating style. Evangelos did most of the interior work at Pelville by himself. “The green colored wallpaper represents from my kitchen when I was kid,” said Evangelos.

Evangelos’ cooking also stems from his childhood life. “A lot of the stuff I make is inspired by my dad,” said Evangelos. “He used to get up and make breakfast when we were kids, and I’ve always loved cooking breakfast.”

Evangelos and his business partner, Robert De Jes, have worked alongside each other for many years. De Jes is the leading baker at Pelville, while Evangelos handles most of the cooking. De Jes and Evangelos make everything from scratch in house daily. “We’re very passionate in what we do,” said De Jes. “We’re very grateful that we’re here.”

The staff at Pelville is unique. “All of the people who work here are people who came in looking for jobs,” said Evangelos. Many employees are locals who live around the area.

Evangelos used to work at the Wholefoods in Greenwich. Commuting from Manhattan, Evangelos used to take the train through Pelham. “I always though Pelham looked like such a unique town,” said Evangelos. “It looked like a pretty New England town.” Evangelos is now working in Pelham six days a week, and is planning to move to Pelham in the coming months.

“The business has been great,” said Evangelos. “I never thought we’d be doing what we’re doing right off the bat.” Pelville’s name has predominately spread via word of mouth and through groups such as “Moms of Pelham”. Evangelos understands that it takes time for the word to get out. “They say it takes two years for the word to really spread,” said Evangelos. “We haven’t been aggressive with any advertising, and its only been nine weeks.”

“People want to go somewhere to eat that is as nice or even nicer than where they live,” said Evangelos. “I thought it was important to make the shop clean and comfortable.” Although Pelville can be regarded as “upscale dining,” the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. “When you walk in it feels old school, but there is still a modernist [style] to it as well,” said Evangelos. “I don’t know if there’s any place in town where you can have fresh baked goods, a waffle, pancakes and avocado toast.”

Evangelos compared the intimacy of the pastry shop to the Pelham community as a whole. “It feels warm and comfortable here,” said Evangelos. “Everyone has been telling me that Pelham has been dying for a place like this. It is unusual to find a place that is upscale and serves breakfast…I think that’s why people appreciate it.”

Evangelos doesn’t see the shop changing or expanding drastically in the future. “We may add something like a shrimp cocktail to the menu, and we’ll start doing a few specials,” said Evangelos. “It’s a small space, and we want to keep it intimate.”

Evangelos, De Jes, and the rest of the Pelville staff is pleased to be a part of the Pelham community. “We’re really happy to be in Pelham and be a part of the community,” said Evangelos. “I was all about fixing up this space and making it into something the community wanted, and hopefully we’ve achieved that.”

The Reporter’s Review:

Chicken Cobb Salad– I was very impressed by Pelville’s signature Cobb Salad. The cobb salad is a great choice if you are looking to eat something that is both filling and has great nutritional value. For a price around ten dollars, it is a great deal. The only thing that one may argue is missing in the salad are diced hard boiled eggs. However, I don’t believe that they were necessary for Pelville’s unique Cobb salad. It is easily a top Cobb Salad in Westchester.

Rating: 8.5/10

Grilled Reuben Sandwich– Don’t get me wrong, the Cobb Salad was great, but the Reuben Sandwich really blew me away. The combination of fresh reuben, a flavorful Russian dressing, and freshly baked bread makes this sandwich a necessary order at Pelville. I wouldn’t be surprised if the grilled reuben sandwich becomes Pelville’s most popular lunch option in the near future.

Rating: 9/10

New York Style Cheesecake– As a New Yorker, you have to love NY style cheesecake. Every New Yorker has ordered cheesecake for dessert at a restaurant, but Pelville’s scratch-made cheesecake will blow any restaurant-made cheesecake away. The cheesecake was a perfect portion, with a lot of flavor.

Rating: 8/10

Strawberry and Cream Gelato– Mouthwatering, flavorful, and pure are a few words that describe the freshly imported gelato Pelville sells. The gelato is a great add on to an afternoon coffee, or can be used to cleanse your palette after a delicious lunch.

Rating: 8.5/10

For more information about Pelville’s hours, story, staff, and menu, visit pelvillepastry.com and follow Pelville on Instagram and Facebook.