The hit film Mamma Mia! has not only boosted cinema audiences this year. Set on an idyllic Greek island, the Abba-inspired feelgood movie has also sent people flocking to eat at Greek restaurant The Olive Tree.

George Psarias, co-owner of the restaurant in Rodley says: “Customers said that coming here after the film was evocative of the scenes they had just watched.”

Holidays have the same effect, he says, with people returning from Greece or Cyprus coming to the restaurant to revive the atmosphere of the sun-kissed isles.

“They say the food brings their holiday memories alive again. They want to relive the experience.”

In the traditionally Greek surroundings of The Olive Tree, it’s not hard to think of the Mediterranean.

There’s a vast choice of Greek and Cypriot dishes, and traditional entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights sees bouzouki player George Kontargyris taking to the floor, with customers encouraged to dance.

The Olive Tree is one of three restaurants owned by George and his wife Vasoulla, the others being in Leeds.

Housed in a handsome former mill-owner’s home, it has been sympathetically restored and renovated, while retaining original features such as ornate fireplaces and mosaic tiled floors.

Traditional Greek and Cypriot fare “with a twist” includes the Cyprus speciality kelftiko – a joint of lamb slowly cooked in the oven with oregano and garlic; the fresh chargrilled salmon dish solomos; kota Hydra – chicken fillet cooked with white wine and fresh cream, a traditional favourite on the holiday island. Vegetarian options include moussaka and the oven-baked spinach and feta cheese dish spanakopitta.

Greek Cypriot George left Cyprus aged 16 when his family moved to London. In 1969 he travelled to the north of England to study material science at the University of Bradford, intending to return to London after graduating.

What he didn’t reckon on was meeting his future wife. Vasoulla, also a Greek Cypriot, was a fellow student, studying sociology and politics. Her parents had emigrated to England, establishing themselves in the catering trade.

They opened their first restaurant in Ilkley in 1982. Four years later, they moved to the Rodley site. A self-taught chef, George’s love of food shines through as he describes good, wholesome Greek cuisine.

“It has become fashionable to say your food is sourced locally, but we have been using food from this area since we first started out. We have used lamb and beef from a supplier in Ilkley, with animals reared within 20 miles of Skipton. Vegetables come from a farm in Pudsey.”

The Olive Tree has won numerous awards and accolades. Top restaurant critic AA Gill placed it in the top four Greek restaurants in the country.

“This year we were the only Greek restaurant in the country in Which? Good Food Guide,” says George.

Vasoulla, described by George as “the brains behind the whole operation”, is a skilled cook herself, specialising in desserts. She has an input into the menu, but mainly works front-of-house.