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Hellenic cuisine carries on its back a longstanding historical tradition, and has always been and will always be the kingdom of rural simplicity whose only desire is to leave an unforgettable mark on those who come to its door. This is a culinary world whose materials are made from the geographical character of Greece and no less from the character and lifestyle of its residents.
Walking through the streets of Athens, just steps away from the well-worn tourist track, can touch, taste and experience a variety of hospitality styles and flavors that cultural and culinary tradition unites together around a small table in a neighborhood tavern.
In ancient Greece, a good meal was called a "symposium," meaning "drink together." It was a banquet that included entertainment, but mostly heartfelt tastings and uninhibited drinking. Food connects people, family, friends and strangers. And in Greece he brings with him the aromas of grass and vegetable from the mountainous growing fields, the cheeses from the pastures, the fish from the seashores and the meat from the fertile valleys.
And what is all this wonderful food worth, if you do not place next to it a narrow transparent glass glass with ouzo or chiporo, which will lift the spirit and soul of man and turn the meal into a feast that is all brotherly Sabbath together.
Before embarking on our culinary journey, let's get acquainted with the styles of urban and rural Greek hospitality. The tavern (tavern = restaurant) serves Greek cuisine and spirits, and is a symbol of Greek culture and folklore that occupies a central place in social life. The taverna goes to eat, and the music is just accompaniment (if there is music - usually there isn't). The Ozeria – as its name suggests, is a place to sip ouzo and enjoy fellowship with a small plate of meze that calms the stomach until the next meal.
And now let's go.
The taverna is the symbol of Greek culture and folklore. I Palia Fava Tavern in Athens (Photo: Walla! Editorial Board, Amnon Gofer)
In Dina's Kitchen - Tavern I Palia Fava in Nea Smirni neighborhood
A nice façade and potted plants, an old-style wooden sign, a Greek flag to strengthen nationalism and a sleepy Greek street - that's what you'll get when you come to the tavern. The wooden tables are covered with checkered tablecloths, the smell of stews wafts through the air and on the walls are old pictures, newspaper clippings, naïve paintings and ornaments that came out of an old Greek movie, musical instruments, iron temptations, barrels and more.
Experience teaches us that good Greek food should come out from under the hands of a Greek mother who spent most of her years between the kitchen pots with passion and love for cooking, with bright eyes waiting for the diner's feeling of satiety. Such is Dina the mother of "Palia fava", born in Poros, married the man from Santorini and moved to Nea Smirni - the immigrant neighborhood of the "catastrophe" - which is also the refuge of other wanderers.
I met Dina in the kitchen, moving me from pot to pot, from a rising lid to the cloud of the heavy smell of homemade stew, to the trays of pastries, moussaka, meatballs, stuffed vine leaves, beans and chicken drowning in a deep sauce of vegetables.
And now for the food. I started with the well-known trio - Greek salad, tzatziki and a bottle of ouzo, along with them came a basket of coarse and delicious Greek white bread. Then came my dish - the chicken stew dipped in its own sauce, with tomatoes and potatoes. I wanted more, but I couldn't anymore.
And what about the last dish? There are usually no last dishes in Greek cuisine, but this time I got the most delicious last dish I've eaten in recent times - strawberries in heavy yogurt swimming in sweet, thick sugar water. That's it, that's where the dream ends.
Address: Nea Smirni neighborhood / Palaio Faliro - 38 Ahaion Street.
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Dina with the chicken stew dipped in his own sauce at I Palia Fava Tavern (Photo: Walla! Editorial Board, Amnon Gofer)
I Palia Fava Tavern in Athens (Photo: Walla! Editorial Board, Amnon Gofer)
Taverna Gazohori - between Asia Minor and Peloponnese
An endless number of taverns, cafes and clubs surround Keramykos Square, the walls are decorated with the best Athenian graffiti and the sidewalks are teeming with constant local traffic. In a corner of the square surrounding the metro station, I found a culinary rest called Gazohori.
Taverna Gazohori gives Greek cuisine a stage, ranging from Asia Minor in the northeast to Kalamata in the southwest. There's no pretending on a frying pan, on a shared tin tray, or on a plate – the dishes come generously and with elaborate simplicity. I ate everything here and you can eat everything here - stews, fish, meats, seafood and mini house pastries. Everything comes fast, fresh and good-looking. Cheaper prices than the Athens market, and tourists? Don't look because there are none there, just you.
How to get there: Keramikos. One train stop from Monastiraki Square and on foot a matter of 6 minutes.
Address:Dekeleon 50, Gazi neighborhood - <> meters from the metro entrance.
The portions come generously and with elaborate simplicity. Taverna Gazohori (Photo: Walla!, Amnon Gofer)
You can eat everything here - stews, fish, meats, seafood and mini house pastries. Taverna Gazohori (Photo: Walla!, Amnon Gofer)
Taverna Tráta - only fish and seafood
The summer breeze blew among the citrus leaves in Kesariani Square. From the church opposite, the worshippers emerged like a river flowing straight into the large square, choosing the place for themselves for the family Sunday dinner. Taverna Tráta on Caesareani Square is one of the oldest in the neighborhood, the blue chairs will already attract you to it.
This is a family restaurant (the whole family works - three generations) that was established 35 years ago and is considered the most sought-after and well-known fish tavern in the area (about a 15-minute taxi ride from the center). In the menu and kitchen you will find everything the sea gives, fish, soups, lobsters, grilled squid and more. Tráta has no products other than sea products, except of course the good Greek salads, the excellent pastries, the simple and good wine and of course the feeling of home and calm.
Prices are popular: €30-7 and the full meal includes alcohol and treats.
Location: Imperial Square. Pl. Anagenniseos 21, Kesariani Phone 0729 1533 <>
The blue chairs will already draw you to her. Taverna Tráta (Photo: Walla! Editorial Board, Amnon Gofer)
You will find almost no non-sea foods there. Taverna Tráta (Photo: Walla! Editorial Board, Amnon Gofer)
Invitation to get an appetite - eat 'meze' in Ozaria
The dish is called "mezet" in oriental Hebrew, "meza" in Greek and appetizer in the dictionary. Greek meze is a type of dish served as an appetizer for a meal and also as a dish in itself to soothe the appetite and deepen the fellowship. It is common to eat the meze accompanied by a glass of ouzo, or beer or any other strong drink, and it is best to do it with a friend or two and share the dish together.
With merchants in the market - Aggelos Stavros Ouzeri
in a narrow corridor between the fish market and the meat market in Athens, hides a small ozeria with no seating tables except for a narrow counter and barrels to sit on, where you can order from this in two options - sea or land - and since the tavern is located between the fish market and the meat market, it is easy to deliver.
I ordered "dry meze" and received a bed of Greek bread dipped in oil, on which were placed two hot beef patties, a small square of fried saganaki cheese, a small pork sausage, a hard-boiled egg, a lightly spicy pepper and slices of tomato. I didn't give up on the glass of ouzo and spent time with one of the market workers who stood next to me and enjoyed every moment, no less than I did.
Location: Between the meat market and the fish market (in the corridor).
Greeks sitting on mezes in the Athens market (Photo: Walla!, Amnon Gofer)
"Take my picture," he requested. Thasos from Agistri Island at Kafeneio-Ouzeri Tavern (Photo: Walla!, Amnon Gofer)
Mezes. It is customary to eat the meze accompanied by a glass of ouzo, or beer or any other strong drink (Photo: Walla!, Amnon Gofer)
Tavern of yesteryear - "Oikonomo"
Petralona was a classic working-class neighborhood, two stops from the center of Athens. In recent years, new residents, young people, bohemians and middle-class families have begun to arrive in the neighborhood who love the calm, the orange trees along the streets, the squares surrounded by cafes and the proximity to the city center.
But none of this will change the traditional character of the Oikonomou tavern, which hardly changes its menu, relies on fresh products and mainly 20 pot dishes that are replenished daily, and you can take a peek at "what's hidden under the lid".
Kostas Diamantis, the owner, and Yorgos his son, along with Gripelia, are responsible for the delicacies, serving and menu. The place fills with locals from the neighborhood in the afternoon, along with intellectuals and hairdressers, intellectuals, lawyers and artists. The amount of food is generous and fresh and you will find meat soup, excellent pies, lamb and pork stews, rabbit meat and fatty steaks along with the excellent Greek mezes and salads of Greek cuisine. On the walls are pictures of Greek celebrities who ate at the restaurant and still come to taste Mechmania, and you are welcome to come, eat and share with friends.
Address: Toron 41 - Ano Petralona
neighborhood is open daily from morning to 13pm and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to midnight.
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