It’s hard to recommend Mavros Gatos (The Black Cat) for either its food or its ambience. Yet there’s something compelling about this taverna that has kept its clientele coming back for decades. Its charm may be in its insistence on remaining humble in both its menu—classic Greek casserole dishes and grilled meats—and its setting. Especially in the face of flashier, more fashionable offerings available just metres away at Mavro Provato, a popular modern mezedopoleio. But it’s homey and has a rare history: the whimsical murals of can-can dancers and, yes, a black cat in tux and top hat are the work of Doris (Mihalis Papageorgiou), a noted caricature artist and painter whose fluid style reflects 1930s Paris, where he paid for his meals with his art.

From workman’s taverna in the 1920s to trendsetters’ haunt in the 1990s, the celebrated Vassilenas has moved from its original Piraeus location to downtown Athens. A pioneer of creative Greek cuisine, it’s a symbol of Greece’s rebound from recession. The sleek black décor sets the tone for the stylised ‘traditional’ fare with a focus on fish and seafood: shrimp tartare, tomato risotto topped with sea urchin, pan-fried red mullet with a rosemary glaze. The wine menu has pride of place, with bottles arrayed in a massive rack that occupies almost an entire wall. Vassilenas is pricey, but upscale restaurants are as much a part of Pangrati as its old-time tavernas.