Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
so that you can point to the ones that you fancy. Especially
good are the flaming sausages,
bouréki
(thin pastry filled
with ham and cheese) and grilled aubergine. The house red
wine is also palatable and cheap. All-inclusive deals at €14
a head.
Daily 11am-2am.
PLÁKA
RESTAURANTS
Brettos Ouzerí
Angélou Yéronda 9 on Platía
Filomoússou Eterías
T
210 321 6981; map p.66.
A spin-
off from the famous
Brettos
(see p.66), this new ouzerí has
a great people-watching position on the square. You can
have anything from drinks to full meals, but the best bet is
probably the own-brand ouzo with a shared meze plate -
€15 for two people, €19.50 for four.
10am-1am daily.
Byzantino
Kydhathinéon 18 on Platía Filomoússou
Eterías
T
210 322 7368; map p.66.
Reliable, traditional
taverna that still attracts locals on this busy, touristy
square. Take a look in the kitchen at the moderately priced
daily specials, such as stuffed tomatoes (€7.50) or
youvétsi
(
€9.90).
Daily Lunch & dinner.
Damingos
(Ta Bakaliarakia)
Kydhathinéon 41
T
210
323 5084; map p.66.
Open since 1865 and tucked away in
a basement, this place has dour service, but the old-
fashioned style (hefty barrels in the back room filled with
the family's home vintages, including a memorable
retsina), and the excellent
bakaliáro skordhaliá
(deep-fried
cod with garlic sauce) for which it is famed (and named)
make up for it. Best in winter.
Dinner only; closed mid-
July to end Aug.
Elaia/Palia Taverna tou Psarrá
Erekhthéos 16 at
Erotókritou
T
210 324 9512/321 8733; map p.66.
Though they appear to be separate restaurants, these two
actually share a menu and kitchen; given that, the best
place to sit is on the roof terrace at Elaia, with wonderful
views; there are also plenty of tables below, both inside
and on a tree-shaded and bougainvillea-draped pedestrian
crossroads. You're best making a meal of the mezédhes
(€6-9) which include humble standards as well as seafood
and fish concoctions.
Live Music Thurs-Sat eves, open
lunchtime till late.
Paradosiako
Voulís 44a
T
210 321 4121; map p.66.
Small place on a busy street serving excellent,
unpretentious, reasonably priced, fresh Greek food. Just
three or four tables on the pavement, and a similar number
inside.
Mon-Sat lunch & dinner.
Platanos
Dhioyénous 4
T
210 322 0666; map p.66.
Established 1932, and it feels like there's been little
change to staff or menu at this taverna since, with no
concessions to pretension or presentation. There's outdoor
summer seating in a quiet square under the plane tree
from which it takes its name, and reasonably priced
traditional dishes such as roast lamb with artichokes or
with spinach and potatoes (all €9.50), washed down with
cloudy wine from vast barrels.
Noon-4.30pm &
7.30pm-midnight.
Ì
Skholarhio
Tripódhon 14
T
210 324 7605; map
p.66.
Attractive, split-level ouzerí with a perennially
popular summer terrace, sheltered from the street. It has a
great selection of mezédhes (all €3-6) brought out on trays
CAFÉS AND BARS
Brettos
Kydhathinéon 41; map p.66.
Brettos
was
originally a store selling the products of their own family
distillery, a simple, unpretentious place with barrels along
one wall and a huge range of bottles, backlit at night, along
another. They still sell bottles, but now the main business is
as a bar, open all day for ouzo and meze.
Café Pláka
Tripódhon 1; map p.66.
Touristy but
convenient and elegantly refurbished - offers crêpes
(€6.50-8), sandwiches, ice cream, free wi-fi and a roof
terrace on which to enjoy them.
Daily till late.
Dhioskouri
Dhioskoúron, cnr Mitröon; map p.66.
Café
right on the edge of Pláka with great views over the ancient
Agora. Simple food as well as the inevitable frappés and
cappuccinos.
Daily 9am-7pm.
Yiasemi
Mnisikléous 23; map p.66.
A café-bistro on a
steep, stepped street,
Yiasemi
offers a warm interior in
winter for soup and hot chocolate, or tables outside for
fresh juices and inexpensive lunchtime specials (omelettes
or salads €5).
Daily mid-morning to midnight.
MONASTIRÁKI AND PSYRRÍ
RESTAURANTS
Ì
Baïraktaris
Mitropóleos 88, cnr Platía
Monastirakíou
T
210 321 3036; map p.66.
Over a
century old, this lively restaurant occupies two buildings
whose walls are lined with wine barrels and photos of local
celebrities. Some tables are set on the bustling pedestrian
street, but for a cosier atmosphere, eat inside with the
Greek regulars where there's often some impromptu live
traditional music. The menu includes
souvláki
,
yíros
and
oven dishes such as
soutzoukákia
(meatballs in tomato
sauce); best to stick to the simple basics.
Daily lunchtime
to the early hours.
Ì
Café Abysinia
Kynétou 7, Platía Avysinnías
T
210
321 7047,
W
avissinia.gr; map p.66.
With two floors and
a delicious, modern take on traditional Greek cooking (wild
boar meatballs, €15, for example, or mussel pilaf for
€10.50),
Café Abysinia
is always busy, with a local
alternative crowd. Though more expensive than many, it's
decent value, and there's live music most weekday
evenings and weekend lunchtimes.
Tues-Sat 11am-1am,
Sun 11am-7pm.
Elihrison
Ayíon Anaryíron 6
T
210 321 5156; map
p.66.
Huge place at the heart of Psyrrí in a tastefully
restored old building with tables on several levels,
including a roof garden and an internal courtyard. Pricier
than most (mains around €15), but classier too, with live
