Food and drink

Celebrating the best of small Greek producers is the mission of chefs Spyros Pediaditakis and Giannis Loukakis, who opened restaurant and bakery Akra in 2023. The two met when Pediaditakis was working as a pastry chef at two Michelin-starred eatery Spondi. Three years after their introduction, the duo set up Akra around the corner in the Pagrati neighbourhood in a narrow, white-washed space with an open kitchen where diners can see legs of lamb from the island of Kimolos and pork from the northern city of Drama roasted over a wood fire. “We find our fruit and vegetables at the local organic market,” says Pediaditakis. “And we update the menu daily, according to what we pick up there.”

With its moody lighting, raw concrete surfaces and vinyl-spinning DJ booth, Pharaoh feels more like a slick New York eatery than your average Athenian restaurant. The menu, however, is distinctly Greek with hearty cuts of wild boar and braised beef roasted over a wood flame. The menu, put together by acclaimed chef and Pharaoh co-founder Manolis Papoutsakis, changes daily depending on what’s available at the market, but one menu mainstay is the galaktoboureko (a traditional, filo-topped custard pie) which is steadily gaining a cult following. There’s also an extensive natural wine list, with more than 400 labels curated by Paisley Tara Kennett who previously worked at London’s Noble Rot.

Housed in a former residence on Avdi Square, this bustling restaurant features mismatched furniture, brightly coloured walls and an open kitchen. Ask to sit outside and enjoy recipes and ingredients from all over Greece: black-eyed pea salad with smoked eel; slow-cooked octopus with pickled okra; or pappardelle with kavourmas (sautéed meat) from Komotini. All this plus lots of local cheese – a tasty accompaniment to a bottle of Greek red.

With its yellow-painted frontage and bright-blue awning, Tigre isn’t hard to spot from the street. Its colourful interiors are the work of architect Ioanna Volakis, who opened the cafe in late 2022 alongside friends Michalis Sias and Lefteris Mathioudakis. It’s since become a busy neighbourhood watering hole. In the mornings it’s a bustling breakfast spot serving smooth cups of coffee made using blends from local roastery Cafeistas. Come evening, Tigre transforms into a popular aperitivo spot serving an array of cocktails and Greek natural wines alongside charcuterie sourced largely from small, island producers.

A pared-back space with pale wooden furniture and chalkboard walls, Mavro Provato (Black Sheep) is a modern take on the taverna. For starters, try the melintzanosalata (aubergine dip), the grilled halloumi and the petite pastries filled with pastourma (spicy cured meat). Next, opt for the meze dishes to share, including the sautéed pork, sausages and homemade mustard, and keftedakia (meatballs). Book ahead to avoid disappointment.