Let’s talk about clichés. In particular, Greek food clichés. Which, let's face it, were reinforced by compulsive viewing of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where all the protagonists eat spit-roast meat, drink retsina wine and shout “opa” every three seconds. Or the “typical” tourist taverna meal of moussaka, Greek salad and fried slabs of industrial–looking cheese.
These images only tell part of the story. It has a lot to do with how Greek restaurants abroad until the 1990s (mainly low-budget diners or tavernas) depicted our cuisine and how, in our part of the world, traditional Greek dishes became the watered down poster children in order to accommodate the first waves of mass tourism to the country in the 1980s.
Fortunately, however, things have evolved. A new generation of chefs has been exploring the true potential of contemporary Greek cuisine with refreshing and playful intentions. This new wave of cooking focuses on the key advantages of Greek produce: seasonality and regionality. Cheeses and rusks of Crete, olive oil from the Peloponnese and beans and charcuterie from Northern Greece are finally earning their rightful place in the country's culinary landscape. The restaurants mentioned in this story are places that embrace seasonality, with menus that change daily according to what they can source from local fish, meat and farmers' markets, while also experimenting with borrowed ingredients to offer innovative takes on classic Greek dishes.
Below are some of our favourite spots to sample the variety of contemporary and creative Greek cooking.
Contemporary Greek cuisine in motion.
Photo: Thomas Gravanis
Tsiftis
Tucked away in an unassuming pedestrian street in the Ilisia neighbourhood, Tsiftis Gastrokoutouki was an instant success from the moment it opened its doors in July 2022. Offering what could be described as "refined Greek comfort food", the attention to detail is evident throughout. From the daily changing menu to the attentive service and carefully designed décor. We especially liked two of Tsiftis' bestsellers: the hearty dish of rooster meat with wild mushrooms in a red wine sauce, topped with graviera (hard yellow sheep's cheese) from the island of Naxos is the perfect winter dish, homely and tender. The comfort factor is also high with the linguine with tuna, garlic and mussels in a chilli and garlic sauce. But the crowning glory of this place is the twisted portokalopita. Portokalopita, which means orange pie in Greek, is a syrupy, orangey cake made of layers of phyllo dough often served in your run-of-the-mill Greek taverna. Tsiftis' portokalopita resembles a sticky toffee pudding with orange, meringue and a generous helping of tangerine and orange sorbet. To enjoy all this and more, you'll definitely need to book in advance, as this place gets packed, especially on weekends.
Akra
The first thing you notice when you enter Akra is the space; the kitchen, complete with open wood-fired oven, the 'laboratory' and the dining area are all part of one large, bright room. This was exactly what the restaurant's two co-founders, star chef Giannis Loukakis and acclaimed patissier Spyros Pediaditakis, had envisioned when they joined forces to create an exclusive dining experience combining fine patisserie and gastro-bistro fare. Like most of the places on this list, the menu changes daily depending on supply, but what is interesting here is that there are no starters or mains, as each dish can be ordered as a half-portion. We tried the chickpea and wild mushroom ragu, a warm, melt-in-the-mouth moment, and the chub mackerel fillet on a bed of spicy cabbage salad, a spectacular balance between spicy (the cabbage tastes almost like Korean kimchi) and sweetness. The desserts, courtesy of Spyros Pediaditakis, whose last stint as pastry chef at Michelin-starred Spondi cemented his reputation as a dessert virtuoso, are heavenly: a caramelised milk tart with honey and cream ice cream is the bestseller, and rightly so. Akra is also open for brunch and breakfast from 10am to 1pm and also offers take-away. Last but not least, Akra's very reasonable prices deserve a special mention.
Pharaoh
The news of Pharaoh's opening was all that local foodies could talk about for weeks in late 2022. In fact, the green velvet draped entrance to the new restaurant on Solomou Street sparked the season's hottest buzz even before the curtains were drawn. The main reason was the people behind it. Pharaoh is the brainchild of celebrated Chef Manolis Papoutsakis, world traveller and flavour hunter Fotis Vallatos, wine expert Perry Panagiotakopoulos, and true-Verdi baritone Dimitris Platanias. A quick glance at the menu and the inclusion of Pharaoh in this story about modern Greek cuisine may seem odd. The menu includes classics such as lahanodolmades (stuffed cabbage leaves), horta (boiled leafy greens), roast lamb with potatoes, taramosalata and pastitsio, and even the cooking method is traditional, with Chef Papoutsakis opting for the smokiness of wood-fired cooking in this graffiti-covered pocket of Exarchia.
But this is where modernity steps into the picture with subtle touches that help transform (grand)motherly Greek dishes into elevated comfort food. The menu follows the seasons, ingredients are carefully sourced from selected producers and with an emphasis on natural varieties there are more than 400 wine labels to choose from. But perhaps what makes Pharaoh so appealing is its ambience; a polished industrial setting that fuses key elements and fine details of Greek kafenia, French brasseries and Japanese bars. The open kitchen extends into an impressive bar and DJ booth, adorned by a huge wall-mounted library stacked with records and firewood, where Athens' elite selectors present their audiophile offerings every night. The bar is also ideal for singles or couples looking for a date night in Athens. Pharaoh operates strictly on slot seating, so make sure to book well in advance.
Reviewed by Paul Pervanas
FITA
An instant hit from the moment it opened its doors in June 2019, FITA’s location is rather unexpected. Situated in the off-radar neighbourhood of Neos Kosmos, right behind Syngrou Avenue, the restaurant is bound to be a welcome addition for the residents of the many hotels situated nearby. The two chef-patrons, Fotis Fotinoglou (formerly of Seychelles) and Thodoris Kassavetes, have created an unpretentious gem of a restaurant, where the daily-changing menu is reasonably priced and full of surprises. The finest ingredients are sourced daily from different Greek producers to deliver a unique but simple menu with an emphasis on fish and seafood. A dish of gently cooked calamari on a bed of aromatic couscous, a simply dressed salad of ripest tomatoes and steamed almyra (a wild, seaside herb, similar to samphire), and sardines wrapped in vine leaves are but an appetiser of what you can taste here. The décor—bare walls, simple wooden chairs and tables, and an open kitchen with a few stools at the marble counter—is charming in its simplicity. It’s especially atmospheric at night, with metal tables spilling onto the tree-lined pavement beside the tramlines.
Rakor
In a city where the restaurant business is notoriously fickle, with restos closing and opening left, right and centre, it speaks volumes about Rakor's appeal that it has been around for 13 years. With plenty of outdoor tables along one of the many quaint pedestrian alleys of Metaxourgio, this easy-going modern taverna has built up a loyal following over the years with its solid Mediterranean menu that boasts a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes. The pea hummus with lemon, mint, tahini, feta and sumac has been on the menu for years, and for good reason. The same goes for the excellent vegetarian itsli kiofte dish; stuffed vegetable 'meatballs' in a groats crust, served with a spicy tomato sauce and onion pickles. We also recommend the regional cheese platter, which varies according to season and availability; nibble on sweet Syros graviera, Lesvos ladotyri (a hard, slightly spicy PDO made from sheep's milk) or a peppery, buttery kasseri from Kozani, all served with homemade sourdough bread and giant green olives. With its reliably good food and relaxed atmosphere, we hope Rakor will be around for many years to come.
Mani Mani
Occupying a neoclassical building in Koukaki, close to the Acropolis Museum, Mani Mani has been a hit with travellers for several years and one of the pioneers in its category. The menu, inspired by the rugged cuisine of Mani in the Peloponnese, offers a range of regional favourites such as travihtes (fried dough balls with hard, salty kefalotiri cheese) or the green salad with sour apple, celery, fennel and lalangia (fried thin strands of dough served at religious festivals in the Peloponnese). But the star dish here is the rooster, a traditional speciality in Greece usually reserved for big celebrations. Here, the rooster is stuffed with mushrooms and a salty pecorino cheese from Amfilochia, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a smoked pork and leek sauce. The attentive service is an added bonus. The only downside is the lack of outdoor seating—we Greeks do love to dine alfresco.
