Aplós Simple Mediterranean -Restaurant Review

By: Kelsei Brianna

I have been hearing so much about Aplós Simple Mediterranean - or just Aplós - since I have been a more frequent visitor to Ridgeland, Miss. The Ridgeland location, nestled right in the Highland Colony Parkway Shopping Center was opened earlier this fall. However, the "flagship" location is in the heart of Jackson in the Highland Village courtyard. Prior to trying Aplós, I had heard reviews from a few acquaintances. Aplós food selections are casual dishes derived from Italy, Greece, and the Middle East. I have tried mediterranean food in the past and I was not the biggest fan but the reviews were so good I could not not try it. For this food and restaurant review, I ate at the Aplós located in Highland Colony Parkway.

Aplós entrance in Ridgeland, Ms. welcomed in visitors with open doors. (Kelsei Brianna/2023)

From the exterior Aplós is an attractive building with simple aesthetics. Many neutral colors such as black, white, and beige can be seen throughout the restaurant. This location has gorgeous patio with a seating area for guests. Entering the restaurant the decor and vibe is minimalistic yet eye catching. There are portraits, books, and cookbooks highlighting different subjects related to the countries the cuisines originate from. I enjoyed this touch of origin in the restaurant. It brings the history to the restaurant.

Decor in Aplós nod to the Mediterranean roots of the restaurant. (Kelsei Brianna/2023)

Aplós menu is a good variety to choose from pizza, salad, and gyros. The service at this location is pretty general. You have to also take into consideration that I place to go orders and did not dine in. It is a busy location, especially on the weekends, so there are a lot of workers there. There is also a bar in the restaurant. I have not had an alcoholic beverage from here just yet though. Aplós Ridgeland is in a high end mall so be prepared for the prices. I visited Aplós about three times to try a few items from the menu. For each meal it was about $16.00 - $20.00.

The items I ate were the steak gyro, Italian sausage pizza, and frozen greek yogurt. Given the price point, the more food, the more the expense. I would continue to eat at Aplós but not very often because of the price. Then the question arises: is it worth it? The steak gyro was pretty good! The meat was tender and well done which can be a little too much if it is too tough. The bread that the gyro is wrapped in tastes similar to pizza crust.

Aplós Italian Sausage Pizza. (Kelsei Brianna/2023)

The Italian sausage pizza was decent. It really is a basic pizza with sliced tomatoes as a topping instead of a tomato sauce under the pizza which is not terrible but if you are not a big tomato lover then you may not want that as a topping. Personally, I tried to eat a bite with sausage in it if I bit into a tomato. To wash it all down I made an Arnold Palmer (sweet tea and lemonade). I have to rave about this drink for a second. I rarely drink sweet tea by itself but Aplós' sweet tea! It is VERY delectable and adding lemonade to it makes it even more sweet. Lastly, I tried the frozen greek yogurt as dessert. I was hesitant to try it and I did end up liking it. It is literally frozen greek yogurt. Like, it tastes just like greek yogurt... but frozen. I was actually expecting it to taste exactly like frozen greek yogurt but then I remembered fro-yo was a thing and decided to try it. Looking back I should have sampled it before making a purchase but hey!

Aplós Arnold Palmer, mix of sweet tea and lemonade. (Kelsei Brianna/2023)

Overall, I give Aplós a 7.5/10! I enjoy the food and the atmosphere but I think that at this price point I can get more food similar to this cuisine from somewhere else. However, I can imagine going to this restaurant when I want to feel an upscale vibe or this can be an option for a date night considering the entire aesthetic of the mall. If you are ever in the Ridgeland, Miss. area or are looking for a new restaurant to try, I recommend the steak gyros with a sweet tea or Arnold Palmer from Aplós!