Although this was my first trip to Athens, I already had really warm feelings about Greece because of a holiday Jools and I had taken on the island of Crete. It was our first holiday together and we had a wonderful time, thanks to the people. This trip was no different: the people I met were outrageously friendly, sociable, happy and, most of all, so proud to be Greek!
A great way to sample their culture is to hit a restaurant and order a few plates of mezze. These are similar in principle to Spanish tapas and were introduced to the country by the Turks centuries ago. They are there to be shared and picked at while you have a glass of ouzo or wine with your mates and let the world pass you by. You’ll get meat dishes, little bowls of veggies or octopus, some cheese… basically lots of different tastes, colours and textures that are delicious, fun and exciting!
Where Jamie went
Kentriki Agora
I had a great time looking around this market. The way the meat stalls are set up is slightly different to anything I’ve seen before because instead of loads of stalls selling bits of everything, you’ve got rows of stalls run by guys who each specialise in doing one thing really well: so one guy sells lamb, another sells beef, and another sells offal... it’s a real experience and food in its rawest form! Even if you don’t plan on buying anything it’s a great way to rub shoulders with the locals and experience a slice of Greek life.
Athinas Street, Athens
Bahar
This is a wonderful little shop where you can buy all kinds of herbs, spices and traditional Greek mountain tea.
31 Evripidou Street, Athens, tel + 210 321 5150
Thanasis
I think souvlaki is one of the best fast foods around – it can be messy to eat, but who cares! These boys showed me a thing or two about making the ultimate souvlaki, and even challenged me to a race to see if I could assemble one as fast as them. I didn’t win, but I wasn’t far off!
Thanasis, just off the northeast corner of Monastiraki Square, Monastiraki, tel + 210-324-4705
Greek Tavernas
Athens is full of fantastic little tavernas and you’ll find that most of them have great big pots of homemade stews ticking away in the corner and little plates of mezze for you to pick at. Order a glass of ouzo and settle in with little bowls of grilled octopus, meat dishes, hunks of cheese and beautiful veggies – there’s always plenty to keep everyone happy. These were a couple of my favourites but there are so many to choose from I say be adventurous and just wander into any that look interesting:
Vlassis
This place serves some of the best taverna food in the city so you might need to queue if you haven’t booked. They serve a suckling pig dish that melts-in the-mouth and the slow cooked vegetables are just to die for. 8 Paster Street, Ambelokopi, off Mavili Square, tel +210 646 3060Baba Yani Taverna
Baba Yani is a traditional taverna that often has musicians playing, beautiful wine by the barrel and wonderful pots of stifado (stew) and fassoulada (bean soup) on the go. Delicious!
94 Em Benaki Street, Exarchia
Agnanti Estiatorio
This family-run place is a real gem and one of my mate Andy Harris’s favourite spots to eat on the island of Skopelos. The Stamatakis family have been serving traditional dishes like hirino me damaskino (pork and prune stew) and hortokeftedes (wild herb fritters) to the locals since 1953. The taverna has fantastic views towards the mountains of Evvia Island and is one of the most idyllic spots to enjoy a meal.
Glossa, Skopelos, +30 24240 33606, www.agnanti-rest.gr.
The Island of Aegina
A city like Athens is full of surprises but if you want to visit the real Greece then an island like Aegina is exactly where it’s at. It’s only hour away from Athens by boat but what a difference – the lifestyle is extremely laid back and having a leisurely 3-hour lunch is completely normal (I could definitely get used to that!). Obviously they’ve got constant access to phenomenal seafood, not to mention beautiful olives for oil, grapes for wine and goat’s for cheese... heaven!
