Old Tavernas

The magazine that comes with the Kathimerini newspaper on a Sunday had a feature of tavernas that have been around for years and still thrive. We decided to try and explore. We managed to go to four this time, but will keep on sampling more next time we go to Greece because we loved it. The atmosphere was great, but mainly, because the food was just so good: real traditional Greek food, beautifully cooked. In most cases, anyway.

Phillipou, in Kolonaki, has just had its 100th birthday. This taverna is not new to us - it is one of our regular haunts and furthermore, I have been going for years.  Kolonaki is a middle-class area of Athens and most of its patrons are local. It's also patronised by staff and users of the American School of Classical Studies and the British School of Classical Studies, both of which are situated nearby. I worked in the American School for 4 years in my early twenties, and this is when I found out about Phillipou. 

A lot  of the food (stews, soups, oven dishes like mousaka) is displayed like this and it makes it easy to know what the dishes of the day are - you have a look then you go to your table, and order. 

The food consists of all the Greek classics, fasolakia (green beans in tomato sauce), pastitsio (pasta and mince with thick white sauce), mousaka, arakas (peas in tomato sauce), bamies (okra in tomato sauce), aginares (artichokes in egg + lemon sauce), various meat stews, Greek dips - basically all the Greek classics. 

There are menus too of course, where a lot of other available dishes are listed.

A lot of people come to take food home, and there is also a number of delivery guys who are constantly busy - all a testament to how good the food is.

This poster commemorates the taverna's 100th birthday.

There is a tiny area for sitting outside and weather permitting, we tend to sit here, even though the interior is very cosy.

The Old Fisherman's Tavern is situated in Plaka and again, has been around for ages. We had not been here before and we managed to come here twice because the food is extremely good. The stifado and the baklavas are the best I've ever had. It is a bit pricey through:  prices being higher than your average taverna.

There is a large outdoor area for sitting down, mostly on the street, and on the steps (good for people watching)

there is also a large balcony for sitting outdoors - you can just about see it in this photograph

The taverna consists of three buildings, the one above, the one a few photographs up 

and this one. My guess is that it's absolutely packed out in the summer which is when Plaka flourishes

Interesting interior, but all rooms, and there are so many, were empty when we visited as both times the weather was good and everyone sat outside

I Saita, situated in Plaka again, is in a basement

but there is plenty of outdoor space

in a pedestrianised street, so it's very quiet and again, good for people watching

So came for lunch quite early, but by the time we left there were no free tables left.

The food is excellent. I had lahanodolmades (rice and mince wrapped in cabbage parcels in an egg and lemon sauce) and they were delicious. Ken's sausage was outstanding: homemade from a mountain village, we guessed.

Interesting interior, and I can guess how cosy it would be in a cold winter's evening

The wine barrels that every taverna used go have

and interesting murals/paintings on the wall,

mainly depicting ealy 20th century Athenian life

A good find.

Diporto is situated in a basement in an abandoned old building which is full of graffitti. It's in the Omonia area, near the Athens market which is on Athinas Street.  There is no sign outside, you just had to get the address right and then find the steps that lead you down to the taverna. 

There are two entrances, both similar steps, hence the name Diporto which means 'two entrances'.

Down the steps we went

It's a tiny space and it was packed but we managed to get a table straight away

Later, one of the entrances was completely blocked because of all the people queuing, waiting for a table

We got a table by the barrels, a table for two which is just as well, because the policy is that every chair has to be taken so people are made to share a table with people they don't know

The menu is very limited, just four dishes. We ordered beans in tomato sauce, fava and fried fish. There was just one more dish on the day's menu and that was chickpea stew. We did not order wine, but we were served wine.

The place is basically a dump. We thought that a limited menu would mean good quality but it was anything but. I love fava but did not rate this one at all. The fish was greasy and so salty I could not eat it and aftert one bite, we left it. Ken's beans were more like a soup, rather than the delicious thick stew they normally are.

Fava comes with raw onions but I always ask for those to come separately as only Ken will eat raw onions. In Diporto they came on a piece of paper, as came the bread. There were no paper napkins, just more of the same paper, and even though I asked for some water it never came. 

The rule seems to be easy, basic  cooking which you just dump on the customers, minimal washing up, fill the place up and get them out as soon as you can. We stayed for 25 minutes and were relieved to leave. I stopped on the way home and bought some chocolate so as to get the taste of the food out of my mouth.

Yet, the place was packed. Some Greek people, but mainly foreigners. My guess is it's in some guide urging people to go there for the 'authentic Greek experience' - well, it is not authentic at all, it's just a dump. To be avoided.