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What better way to convey the Mediterranean “joy of life” than with the concept of “meze”? Dating back likely to ancient Greece, the word is said to come from the Persian “mazze”, meaning taste or snack. Right from inception, meze’s purpose was to be shared, and of course, to accompany alcohol (in particular, ouzo and tsipouro). To the uninitiated, a meze session usually amounts to numerous small portions of low cost, easy to assemble food, served in saucers: a sort of mouth entertainment, if you like, that keeps you in the moment and symbolises abundance. Fried fish, grilled octopus, battered vegetables, all sorts of creams, olives and bread are expected at the table. Declaring “one of each” to the waiter is the simplest order ever! Nowadays, meze is enjoying a big revival in Athens. Experienced chefs are revamping the genre from the ground up, with exceptional ingredients and unpredictable results. Follow us through some unmissable new Greek meze stops.
Gastone
The Greek diner has landed. A team of five renowned chefs, behind some of the city’s top restaurants (Cookoovaya and Basegrill), decided to share some post-quarantine cosiness by setting up an easy-going, all day haunt. Inspired by international street food trends, the meat-oriented menu upends traditional Greek meze by using local products to recreate flavours from around the world. Set under tall plane trees at the locus of four typical Athenian streets in the city heart, Gastone is all about the “casual dining” concept: high quality cuisine served in a relaxed space (though prices are a notch above usual diner fare). While waiting for your order of regional cheese & charcuterie, or black pig and indigenous cow meatballs, visit the inside of this lofty 19th-century building to browse the transparent wine cellar and window-fridges filled with PDO products.
Courtesy: Gastone
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Cherchez La Femme
Located in a central pedestrian square on Mitropoleos Street, just a stone's throw from the brand new Maria Callas Museum, Cherchez La Femme is one of the few true all-day spots in Athens. A cross between a European bistro and a Greek kafenion (here, Greek coffee is served with a bite of Turkish delight), this place starts early with breakfast and moves on to dinner, with coffee and lunch in between. From the freshly cut flowers in vases on the bar to the vintage décor and, of course, the carefully selected dishes, the atmosphere here feels very much eclectic. Rising Greek chef Stavriani Zervakakou has created a delicious menu with a strong regional touch, such as wild roe venison in tomato sauce with Greek pasta and kaniaki cheese from Kastoria in northern Greece, or our personal favourite, a baked melichloro cheese from the island of Lemnos with homemade carrot marmalade. Melichloro is a PDO cheese made from sheep's and goat's milk, a rich, hard cheese whose flavour is perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the carrot marmalade. For dessert, don't miss the Kok, the Greek version of a profiterole, a cream puff covered in a shiny chocolate glaze. Yum!
Reviewed by Despina Trivolis
Mystikos Kipos
The name means “Secret Garden” but this place is on everybody’s lips. The northern suburb of Chalandri is known for its vibey bars and vibrant restaurants. This spot, though, would elude most without insider intel. A simple façade does little to prepare you for what’s coming: there’s an open kitchen full of intoxicating smells; then, your final destination; a magical small terrace reminiscent of chilled summer moments on the islands. Chefs Dimitris and Sirios are two expert hands who have created a range of contemporary meze dishes that are reeling in the regulars, such as their “crunchy savoury pastry filled with Greek pastrami”. Other popular examples of their creative meze-based cuisine include fried sea bass with smoked mussels and fresh clams; and fried giant beans in tomato-garlic paste. The menu changes often, so surprises are in store for most visits. Be sure to book. Tables are few and fill up fast.
Courtesy: Mystikos Kipos
Dopios
Dopios is another newcomer that makes you feel like you’ve been spirited off elsewhere: this time, to a quaint Greek village. Set behind the 11th century church of Agios Theodoros, this wonderful eaterie dishes up some of the finest meze in town—including cracking veggie and vegan options. Top chef Christophoros Peskias (of Balthazar and 48 The Restaurant fame) has created a hotspot where classic cuisine meets contemporary global gastronomy trends—and where some of the tastiest traditional products on your plate can be purchased to take home. Go native and order a flight of small plates such as the hummus with chickpeas from Lemnos island; the spicy cheese mousse with sour cherry jam; the smoked eel from the city of Arta with beetroot puree; and the pulled chicken from Ioannina. Under the shade of the centuries-old plane tree, accompany your meal with a Greek tipple like tsikoudia from Crete or smoked tsipouro, and close strong with the sweet and salty milk-pie called “tres-leches”.
Courtesy: Dopios
Dirty Mani
A short walk from the Acropolis Museum, you may spot a bright blue cube, surrounded by yellow stools and a retro Mini Cooper the colour of sunshine parked out front like a pop art installation. This “dirty” spot is the little sibling of the lauded Athenian restaurant Mani Mani, showcasing the gastronomy of the South Peloponnese. Fifteen years after the original, the truck version has arrived to serve souvlaki made exclusively with products from Mani: meat, oil, cheese, salt—all straight from the motherland. Do not miss the “pita pockets”: small pouches made of pita bread hiding tasty treasures. Available in six variations, we suggest the moussaka variety; their star dish with cured pork and fig puree; or for more adventurous palates, the veal tail pocket. Typical souvlaki sauce, tzatziki, has been swapped for a spicy yoghurt sauce with chives. Don't miss the sous vide pancetta with ginger, honey vinegar, coriander, cabbage and mint yoghurt. The kitchen is open plan so you can watch and learn while you wait.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis