Athens’ rich arsenal of antiquities needs little introduction, but there are some classic eats to devour too, writes Mike Yardley.
From the emblematic glories of the Acropolis to the ancient neighbourhood of Plaka, history hangs heavy in the Athenian air. But it’s the Greek capital’s culinary treasures that captured my attention on my latest swing through Athens. Epic finds await the curious foodie and an in-the-know walking tour through central Athens unlocks a treasury of tastes to savour. I embarked on a four-hour urban exploratory with Athenian Tours. Their guides are like seasoned connoisseurs of the city and its culinary secrets, spanning signature Greek delicacies and Athenian street classics. We grazed from popular local eateries and felt generously immersed in the vibrant food scene, noshing heartily on the essence of Athens.
Start early and go hungry! After admiring the marching precision of the ceremonial Evzone guards keeping watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, beneath the Greek Parliament, my walking tour began in Syntagma Square. Order a koulouri, a specialty pretzel dipped in sesame seeds, from one of the ever-present street stands, just as most Athenians do every morning.
Jutting off the square is Voulis St, home to one of Athens’ favourite bakery shops, Ariston. Greece has a prized tradition in pie-making and Ariston beckons like a 0savoury pie kingdom. This shop has been in the same spot since 1910 and is still owned by the family that opened it, the Lobotesis family. The place is a go-to for pies of all varieties, usually encased in filo pastry, which in Greek translates as leaf.
The Greek word for pie is pita — not to be confused with pita bread. An extra word is typically added in front of pita, so you get tyropita (cheese-pie) or spanakopita (spinach and feta pie.) You’ll definitely want to sink your teeth into some of these pies, followed up by one of my favourite new Athenian treats, bougatsa. This traditional filo pastry pie is filled with cream custard and topped with icing sugar. They are deliriously good — best served warm. Another specialty that woos the crowds to Ariston are kourou pies — which are placed inside a large, rectangular, glass incubator like delicate premature babies. With a hearty feta filling, they have an almost yellow glow, because the dough is butter-rich.
Happily filled with pies, why not add some doughnuts to the belly? Most European cultures pump out their own doughnuts, but the Greek version, "loukoumades" would have to be the most sinful. If you’re going to indulge then you might as well have the best. Head to Krinos Cafetaria in Aiolou St, where their delectable, fluffy balls of dough are made in front of you, lavishly topped with honey syrup, cinnamon and crushed nuts. Krinos is housed in an elegant neo-classical building that was once Athens’ first pharmacy. They’ve been serving their special recipe of loukoumades here for nearly a century.
Wash these tasty morsels down with a cup of Greek coffee. That sludgy little shot of caffeine was actually called Turkish coffee in Athens, until the Turks invaded Cyprus in 1974. Since then, a surge of rekindled nationalism has kept the brew renamed Ellinikos kafes, or Greek coffee. Like the Turkish, Greek coffee is traditionally heated over a low fire in a small copper pot, called a briki. The size and colour might resemble an espresso, but the similarities end there. Greek coffee is meant to be sipped leisurely, not downed in one gulp, as there is a thick blob of gunky residue at its base. Greek coffee can be served sketos (black), metrios (medium sugar) or glykos (sweet). Even if you like your coffee black, add a little sugar, because the flavour is bitingly bitter.
The tree of life, the olive tree, is as old as Greek civilisation. The olive branch appeared on classical Athenian coins and was used in the crowns of victory at the Olympic Games. Athenians still revere the olive tree as a gift from their patron goddess, Athena. The world’s oldest known olive tree is the tree in Vouves, Crete — confirmed to be at least 2000 years old based on tree ring analysis. And it’s still producing olives! No visit to Athens would be complete without sampling a wide array of olives and extra virgin olive oil. In the heart of Athens’ market district, there are many shops selling just one thing, from ropes to shoelaces, eggs or flour or olives. Ariana is a storied shop, over a century old, that sells almost nothing but olives.
It’s been a going concern for many generations of the Kalothanasis family. This is the ultimate place to graze from the 23 large free-standing barrels, in addition to the smaller containers poised on the shelves. It doubles as an olive cafe, where you enjoy a tasting plate of olives and oils. Athenians love the big oval green ones from Amphissa, the famous olive grove below Delphi. They are rated by size; jumbo, colossal and mammoth. Like wine, it’s the terroir — the land, soil and climate that dictates the subtle taste differences. I also noshed on tiny Cretan olives, tear-shaped, purple-hued Kalamata olives and some more big green boys from Mt Athos, which are pricey and wildly popular. Don’t miss Ariana on Theatrou St — it’s olive heaven.
Just around the corner on Athinas St, Varvakios Agora — the central market of Athens, brimming with spices, fresh fruit, cured meats, nuts and cheeses. They are all appetisers before the main dish — the full-throated blood and guts theatre of the cavernous meat and fish market, engaging all your senses! This is literally the Grand Central Station of food, where people from all walks of life haggle with gusto, from celebrity chefs to neighbourhood grocery store owners. Fish reigns supreme, with 150 fishmongers located in the heart of the building, while meat is sold in a separate hall from 100 butcher’s stalls, where swinging carcasses and every imaginable body part provide a constant source of sordid fascination. It’s estimated that 30,000 locals shop here every day.
Greeks are besotted with souvlaki and gryos, the most fabled street food in Athens and beyond. Souvlaki is a dish of chunks of grilled meat, generally cooked on skewers, served with a side of vegetables, fried potatoes, tzatziki and pita bread. And it can be served as a wrap. Gyros is made by thinly slicing meat grilled on a vertical rotisserie. Pork is the most popular choice, although chicken, lamb or beef also feature on most menus. Gyros are typically served in pita bread as a wrap, with chips, vegetables, tzatziki, and lemon. I could live on them.
For a smash-hit gyros wrap that comes with a side-serving of celebrity, head to Hoocut in glorious Monastiraki. The buzzing gyros eatery was showcased on
Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip and the crowds have never stopped flocking to Hoocut for their modern variations on gyros. Order up Hoocut’s lamb gyros pita, which features their house-made spiced sauce, tzatziki, white cabbage, tomato, red onion, and paprika. The slivers of lamb were succulent and it’s a gyros with plenty of kick. But the crowning glory is the pita bread. Hoocut has its own bakery and their pita is as light as a feather, fluffy and so tasty.
Grab your fill of snaps in lively Monastiraki Square, where so many layers of the city’s history intersect. Translating from Greek as "little monastery", the square is named after a monastic compound that once occupied the site. Today, all that’s left is the small 10th-century Pantanassa basilica on the square, with its terracotta-tiled dome. Strolling up to the evocative laneways of Plaka, add Brettos Bar (pronounced Vrettos) to your bingo card. With its walls of colourful glass bottles, this charming little bar, which looks more like a medieval apothecary is the oldest distillery in Athens. There are 36 different liqueurs at your disposal, but where better to sample Greece’s signature anise-flavoured drop, ouzo? Their gold label ouzo contains 42% alcohol, it is double-distilled and will power you up for the night ahead. Plaka’s dining scene drifts deep into the night. The sheer range of options is head-swirling, but my two favourite places, particularly for souvlaki, are Ionos and Kosmikon, in the heart of Plaka.
For the view of views, head up Lycabettus Hill. Just 20 minutes walk from Plaka, this is the highest summit in the city (higher than Acropolis hill), and the summit serves up the most sublime panorama of the mighty metropolis. If you want to test your endurance, there is a walking trail to the top, but sizzling in the heat is a grind compared with the trusty funicular that will zip you to the summit lookout. Trek up here at twilight and catch a sunset over the Aegean, while the lights come on at the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium and the Ancient Agora. Salute the glories of Athens with a cocktail in hand from Orziontes Restaurant. Yamas!
