Known as a new foodie haven, Kerameikos is home to unique restaurants, interesting neo-tavernas, and ethnic hangouts. Greece Is explores the neighborhood for food lovers and shares the best places to eat and relax.

Aleria is now the home of modern Greek cuisine and is based on the triptych of good ingredients, high technology and modern ideas. You can select the food based on the wine you like – the wine list is long and the staff is knowledgeable. Try the beef tartare with yogurt, wasabi cream and ouzo jelly.

Address: 57 M. Alexandrou

Telephone: 210 522 2633

The salon for the winter has 50 seats, while the outer space accommodates twice as many. The food is modern Greek cuisine with a traditional base. The menu changes twice a month. It’s small, with about 12 appetizers and salads and seven mains. They make their own bread daily and their food has a nice Greek character.

Address: 15 Plateon

Telephone: 210 346 2983

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Photo Credit: Greece Is

Located near the old Fix brewery in Neos Kosmos at 43 Frantzi, 43 Sarantatrio was recommended by a friend of Culinary Backstreets and so they went to see what the restaurant is all about. What they found was a pleasant surprise of, “brightly painted tables and posters that created such a cheerful atmosphere, while the courtyard made us gasp with surprise – it looked more like an island farmhouse than an urban outdoor space.”

“The various design choices, both big and small, made it feel as though we had stepped into a parallel universe: The two tall trees that provide shade in the center, complemented by bushes and even a fig tree leaning over a white-washed wall; the gray wooden chairs with rush seats; the benches covered by rag rugs; and white gravel underfoot.”

“We decided to go for a mix of the unfamiliar and the familiar: The aforementioned Pontic Carrot, a shredded carrot salad that came shaped like a fez and seasoned with coriander and something to give it a touch of heat; the aliada, a garlic dipping sauce made with crushed pistachios (instead of the more traditional mashed potatoes, bread or even walnuts); green fava (puree of green peas); saganaki, fried cheese from Ios topped with two cherry tomatoes preserved in syrup…”

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These restaurants are where the locals go and Greece Is is here to share their secrets!

A truly Athenian experience, Ama Lachei is set in a neoclassical building that was formerly a school and offers straightforward, tasty food with a friendly service. Try the couscous with chicken and follow it with an exceptional dessert. Grab a spot under the grape trellis in the garden.

Address: 69 Kallidromiou, Exarchia

Telephone: 210 384 5978

A quiet little sidewalk spot on both sides of an inclined pedestrian walkway that seems miles from bustling Kolonaki, this is where locals hang out for coffee and beer. Ideal for a visit before or after a movie at the nearby outdoor cinema.

Address: Dexamenis Square, Kolonaki

Telephone: 210 722 4609

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Born and raised on Schinoussa island, Antonis Kovaios came to Athens when he was 12 years old, returning to Schinoussa every year for holidays. After opening a successful beach bar in 1995 on Schinoussa, Antonis expanded his culinary dreams into Athens, and in 2005 opened Mikres Kyklades (Small Cyclades) in Ilioupoli. Culinary Backstreets tells Antonis’ story of how he incorporated his island upbringing to his Small Cyclades-inspired taverna in the city.

“Just like the seafood tavernas on the islands, Mikres Kyklades is small, warm and simple. Besides the white tablecloths (you’ll find disposable table covers at most island tavernas), the only other sign that you’re not on an island is the restaurant’s location on a quiet, residential street – nowhere near the sea.”

“Antonis is almost always there, with an islander’s smile on his face and a permanent suntan, making sure everything runs smoothly. In the kitchen, you’ll find Stavros Spanelis in charge; another inspired islander (this time from Lesvos), Stavros shares Antonis’s obsession with high-quality and fresh ingredients.”

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Photo Credit: Culinary Backstreets

The last time Culinary Backstreets visited Pipería in Neo Psychiko was five years ago until just recently, they made their way back to this unchanged restaurant owned by Yannis Galaktopoulos.

 

“I’m not a chef, just a cook,” Yannis said, as he originally wanted to be an architect (and in fact still harbors a dream of becoming one). He only got involved in the food business after his father bought a beach resort in Glyfada, one of Athens’ southern suburbs, in 1993. It was in the resort’s restaurant that he learned his way around a kitchen.

He opened Piperiá in 2001 with a friend, the well-known chef Panagiotis Papanikolaou, who designed most of the menu. “When I bought Piperiá, which had been a café, we conceived it as a mezedopoleio [a meze restaurant], but we quickly changed the focus to seafood and fish,” he explained. “The name, which means pepper, the vegetable not the spice, already existed, and it sounds more like a meat place, but we decided to keep it, as it was becoming known.”

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If your New Year's resolution is to start eating better, then look no further than these places Greece Is recommends for healthy eating. Whether you're a vegetarian, vegan, or you simply want to add more nutrition to your meals, these restaurants in Athens will have you covered.

Jars filled with spices, herbs, superfruits, oats and seeds line the walls in this health store, which doubles as a juice bar.

Address: Ermou & 17 Aiolou

Hours: Mon-Sat 8:00-23:00, Sun 9:30-23:00

Holy Greens, located in an office building in the northeastern suburb of Marousi, follows a Swedish concept of healthy but filling salads to give you energy throughout the day; perfect for a quick bite in between meetings.

Address: 3A Fragoklisias, Marousi

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-19.00, Sat 10:00-16:00

Juices you could live on as well as raw soups and smoothies made with homemade almond milk.

Address: 6 Athanasiou Diakou & Porinou

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00

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In the basement of a 150-year-old neoclassical building in the center of Athens, is a traditional Greek taverna. It's called Diporto, although there's no sign, and taverna looks like it could be from 1950. 

There are two doors, which lead to a vintage cellar, no menu, and just a few dishes that remain unchanged. Menu items include a horiatiki, a Greek salad, buttery gigantes or large white beans, vrasto, a boiled goat, pork or beef dish, and a fried fish.

Diporto is near the Varvakeios market, a large fish and meat market. All sorts of people visit the taverna for a good meal, including butchers and fishermen, businessmen, lawyers, artists, migrants, and tourists, often filling the place up. 

Address: Platia Theatrou, Socratous 9

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

 

Photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

Located in Glyfáda, NAMI Sushi is fairly new on the Athens scene, opening in April 2017, but there's already buzz surrounding this Japanese Sushi Bar. NAMI has gotten rave reviews about the amazing flavors they offer, the freshness of their sushi, and the spectacularly clean and friendly environment. While they are regularly open for dinner at 19:00, they also host events with live jazz and a lively atmosphere.

The menu is large with appetizers, salads, and many kinds of sushi, including Temaki, Hosomaki, Urumaki, Gunkan, Nigiri, etc. For non-sushi lovers, there's a choice of egg, buckwheat, or ramen noodles, as well as main dishes like Salmon teriyaki and shrimp and vegetable tempura. For the adult beverages, Nami has the basics covered with wines (white, red, and rose), a selection of spirits, and of course, Sake. Where they really stand out is with their collection of speciality cocktails with names like Jazzmine, a bombay gin infused green tea with jasmine flowers or the Hattori Hanzo, another bombay gin with fresh kumquat and quarto. So whether you like sushi or not, NAMI Sushi has something for everyone.

Website
Address: Kyprou 65, Glyfáda
Telephone: 210 898 5555
Hours: 19:00-00:30

Photo Credit: NAMI Sushi

Rakaki, a modern Cretan tavern, is located in an area of Athens called Kesariani, near Mount Hymettos. The area is known for its culinary delights, particularly seafood says Culinary Backstreets. What makes the area so appealing are the relaxed, "nothing too fancy" meze houses or other types of eateries. "It’s a feeling that permeates the entire neighborhood, where old houses built by Greek refugees from Smyrna (or Izmir) still stand next to modern apartment blocks.

Rakaki is a  "small, cozy spot – there are only ten tables inside and another ten outside on the sidewalk." When CB visited for the first time, the place was packed and regulars were calling the waiters by their first name. The place opened in 2007 by brothers Marios and Kostas Petropoulos, getting their inspiration from their mother Despina, who is from Crete and knows how to cook well.

"The restaurant stays true to this familial inspiration, beginning with its name, which is the diminutive of raki, a strong spirit distilled from the residue of crushed grapes in Crete."

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Photo credit: TripAdvisor

Located in Glyfada on Kyprou street, Oh Mama is a laid-back brunch spot that seems to always be poppin' according to Athens Coast. With its cool decor, like those love-seat velvet bar stools, and its industrial flare, Oh Mama is definitely a brunch spot to check out this summer!

Oh Mama’s brunch is the real deal. Some menu items include chicken and waffles, fried eggs, hash browns, and of course, pancakes! The brunch menu is served from 10am-6pm, and then they switch to a dinner menu.

The prices are reasonable by Glyfada standards and the staff is attentive and friendly. Summer evenings here are perfect! But don’t be deterred to hit up Oh Mama in the cooler months, they enclose the patio area and there is a party going on inside all year long, with DJs performing on weekends.

Address: Kyprou 48

Telephone: 210 898 6049

To read this article in full, please visit: Athens Coast