We travel to Athens to explore the food and drinks scene. We will be visiting two different high-end bars and one great traditional restaurant.
Later on we will take a look at the big fish market in Athens and visit the beach to cool down.
As always, you can find our YouTube video at the end of the post. Check it out!
Athens is historical city with great sights and traditions. The changing of the guards takes place every hour and is spectacular to watch. What a precision and attention to detail.
Athens has also become a trendy city with lots of great restaurants and bars. But before we visit them, we stop by a traditional man selling koulori. A very tasty ring-shaped sesame bread.
Koulouri, a circular bread ring adorned with sesame seeds, has deep historical roots, with some historians tracing its origins to antiquity. It is believed to have evolved from the ancient “kollyra,” a type of round bread served to slaves. Street food, in which koulouri played a prominent role, has been a tradition for thousands of years as a means of offering affordable food options to the general population. During the Byzantine Empire, the streets of Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, teemed with street food vendors who catered to both locals and travelers. Today, koulouri (or “simit” in Turkish) remains a beloved staple in the culinary culture of Greece and Turkey. Although Thessaloniki is often credited as its place of origin, this delightful bread ring is now enjoyed throughout both countries, serving as a favored snack or a quick breakfast for people of all ages.
1. The Traditional
We were looking for a good traditional restaurant that used charcoal for cooking and we found it. Our first stop tonight is at the restaurant The Traditional.
We ordered their chicken skewer plate with potatoes, a Greek salad, tyrokafteri, grilled bread and beer. And man, was it good. Perfectly grilled on the charcoal.
The bill came to 26 euros. Very affordable for such quality food.
2. Baba Au Rum
Next up we head to a bar called Baba au Rum. It’s been awarded many years in a row, as a top 50 best bar in the world. Service is impeccable and the drinks are close to perfection.
We ordered their best-seller Spicy Baba, made of 7 years old Don Q Reserva from Puerto Rico mixed with ginger, sweet berries and sour lime.
We also tried a classic negroni. Superb drinks, world class. Thanks to the team at Baba au Rum, always super friendly.
3. The Bar in Front of the Bar
Our final stop for the night is at a new trendy bar called The Bar in Front of the Bar.
Bar in front of the bar started life as a pavement pop-up with just a few stools on Petraki, a pedestrianised alley below Syntagma Square. The plan was to move on when the regular bar-in-the-making behind it opens. But now, its runaway success is making the owners rethink.
After working for years in London in various drinking dens, the founders Alex and Konstantinos, along with partner Simeon, wanted to create something wholly unexpected: a cocktail bar that switches up its menu daily. Everything (from gins to bitters; juices and jams) is made from scratch by the trio themselves in their backstage lab.
4. Varvakios Fish Market
It’s a new day and we have just arrived to the big fish market in Athens. Here you can buy basically anything from the sea. It’s a lively and bustling market, loud and entertaining.
Sea bream, octopus, shrimp and crabs. Multiplied by 20.
The Varvakios central market in Athens, situated along Athinas Street, which serves as a vital link between Monastiraki and Omonia, stands as a testament to the richness of Greek culinary offerings. Here, an astonishing array of food items changes hands, making it a hub for all things edible.
Varvakios captures the essence of traditional Greek daily life, commencing in the early morning hours and continuing well into the late afternoon. In this bustling, cacophonous, aromatic, and vibrant setting, one can procure virtually any fundamental source of protein, culinary essential, or exotic delicacy their heart desires.
This sprawling market encompasses a meat market, known as “kreatagorá,” a fish market, referred to as “psaragorá,” and an open-air fruit and vegetable market, known as “lachanagorá.”
Nevertheless, it’s the fish market that reigns supreme, with nearly a hundred fishmongers occupying the heart of the market complex. Meats, on the other hand, are available in a separate hall.
5. Bolivar Beach Bar
It another hot day in Athens, so we are heading to the beach. If you take the tram from Syntagma Square you can go to Bolivar Beach Bar.
The best beach close to Athens centre. Make sure to get there latest by 12 as it can get very busy in the summer time.
That was all from Athens this time. Click on the video link below to see our YouTube video from Athens.
