ChI Eats
Restaurants – where to lunch, where to dine

Kolonaki, Gazi, and Thisseio are all very different localities where you can find really good food.  Plaka is for tourists.

For a taste of old-style Athens, once again in Kolonaki, with superb food served by elderly professional waiters (not the student-earning-the rent stuff), eat at Filippou’s, open since 1923, at 19 Xenocratos St, opposite the steps up Lykabettos from Ploutarchiou St.

Try out Kuzina in Monastiraki, where the inside décor is slightly reminiscent of Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy, in London because of the bottles on the glass shelves all the way up the bar wall.  Next to the Theission, and the rail tracks of the rather Disney-esque little train that takes Americans round the area - (no one else seems to ever be on it)

Or opt for Prosopa in Gazi (near the old gas factory) by the railway tracks, which serves great food. You can sit at a table on the pavement next to the tracks and watch the trains rush by as you enjoy your meal.

Also in Gazi, check out Villa Mercedes, which has a wonderful garden, Hoxton, Nipiagogo, or Fantaseed, which has one of the best bars in Athens.

Or, Chryssa, located at 4 Artemisia & Kerameikon Streets; and for a meat lovers paradise, Butcher Shop at 19 Persephone St.  Thalatta is great for seafood, on 5 Vitonos St.

For a taste of Kithira cuisine (one of the best in Greece) in Athens, try Tsirigo 36 Iakchou St in Gazi, 

Pecora Nero in Ambelokipi (which is fairly central) is really nice, classy, not stuffy, and not “obvious”. Owned by some star or other…. It’s got fab music, a bar (but a restaurant-bar as opposed to a bar-bar) inside, and they even have live music sometimes. Nice food too. 

Spondi is a 2 Michelin-star low-profile restaurant close to central Athens, in Pagrati, which serves French cuisine, has an excellent wine list, and is well worth the money!  5 Pyronos Street, Pagrati Tel. 210 7520658

Ouzadiko  A serious taverna restaurant that attracts the slightly older crowd from Kolonaki (including many politicians!) but also anyone who knows the area well enough to find it. All the Greek classics are on offer, as well as some Turkish-influenced dishes. The owner, Stella is there very hands-on, to make sure everyone is happy. Located at the lower ground floor of the Lemos shopping center – between Alopekis and Karneadou streets in Kolonaki. Tel. 210 7295484. Closed Sundays.

Mamacas - the first of the modern tavernas. Opened ten years ago in the (then) up and coming area of Gazi (it’s almost arrived now!), the owners’ mothers cook Greek classics wih a twist, in a minimalist bar-restaurant that is always open (even around the 15th of August – the Feast of the Virgin Mary when almost all Greece seems to close down except for the islands). On Persefonis street, Gazi

Image Courtesy of www.whatsonwhen.com

Ratka is the ‘hippest’ cross-generational restaurant in Athens!  It was THE place to go twenty years ago and it still is.  Fathers n sons, mothers n daughters, and all generations in between have loved this place for its fantastic food (from sushi to filet steak) and great atmosphere.  But booking ahead is an absolute MUST.  On Haritos street, Kolonaki.

Katsourbos Takeaway in Pagrati specializes in “Slow Food delivery”, and has a mean souvlaki which, ironically, usually arrives in double-quick time.  Tel 210 7222 167-8.  No 38 on Monocle’s Quality of Life Index October 2007. www.monocle.com

In restaurants, tipping, unlike the rest of Europe, really is voluntary – (though watch it for the few places that have caught onto the “12% on the bill” thing).  Usually people just leave “the rest” – so on a bill of eg 28 euros, you’d leave the other two to make it 30.

Food-wise, apart from the “clean” alcohol issue, seek out white taramasalata (the pink’s usually dyed), which is far nicer.

For truly home-style food in central Athens at lunchtime, try Melilotos on Xenofonos 15 (inside the lobby on the left of a commercial building, on Syntagma Square) open only from Monday to Thursday (not open in the evenings). Ignore the décor – concentrate on the food.  Konstantinos and Despina Siodopidis specialize in dishes using organic products from farmers (many of them friends or relatives) across Greece.  These include olive oil from Kythira and grape leaves from Macedonia.  Look out for the salty kefalotiri (cheese).  Open from 11am – 7pm (Fridays till 6pm).

Eating after a Night Out

This is a very Greek ChI pastime – people consume vast amounts of alcohol but also recognize you need food to soak it up.  And that doesn’t mean “going for a curry” a l’anglaise! 

Greeks call the food canteens that open up after hours ‘dirty’ – they love to eat it in specialist joints after a night out drinking; they just also realise it’s not for anyone too picky about the cleanliness of their meat.

Check out the aptly-named ‘’Dirty’ at Mavili Square, interestingly located next to the US Embassy on Mavli Square.  So if you’re up for it try either the souvlaki special (meaning a hot bun with two pork skewers and lots of sauce and veg), or ChI’s personal favourite - the sausage with mustard, ketchup and french fries!!!! To die for

 

Out of Town Eating

A couple of hours down the road by car, or a short hop from Athens by boat, in Galaxidi, Maritsa’s fabulous seafront restaurant (the seafood risotto is a must, and after a hard night’s eating and gossiping into the small hours, the saganaki tiri served piping hot with yet more wine, is a bonus!) And her wines are great.  Not to mention Agis’s divine espresso pannacotta.

Along with the grilled fish from Tasso’s, it’s easy to see why Galaxidi is a favourite Athenian getaway spot (but apart from Maritsa’s, bring your own wine if you want to be sure….)  Tel. +30 22650 41059, 42000.

Check out the Albatross, in the backstreets of Galaxidi near the church, where the outside tables are lit with fairy lights along the walls and in the trees, for lovely home-style delicacies, particularly the marinated octopus, and the meaty dishes.  Not for fish.

 

“Keep an extra bathing suit in your car.  The sea is always closer than you think”. 

Seen in Carouzos men and women’s clothing – lots of lovely linen stuff - on Joachim, in Kolonaki.