These shops that have two functions make your outing a little bit different. On the one hand you can grab a light bite or have a proper meal, on the other you can peruse their shelves and discover great products from Greek producers and get provisions for your home. So here are 6 ideas if you’re about to head towards the centre.

14

Ergon House

The heart of this delicious space created by Ergon, on Mitropoleos street, certainly beats at its “agora” where you’ll find a fishmonger’s, a butcher shop, a greengrocer’s with its own vertical vegetable garden, a coffee roasting shop, a bakery, a wine cellar and of course the deli selling all of the products of this popular brand, made in collaboration with select Greek producers. The smells reach the sunny garden where you can sit for breakfast and brunch or have a modern Greek meal, like “gyros” made of smoked sardines in traditional pita bread from Rhodes, and fried calamari in a lime crust.00

23 Mitropoleos street, Centre, 210 0109090, Website, Facebook

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Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani/ Photo: Restaurant’s Facebook

Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani

A visit at this shop, housed in a restored neoclassical building on the corner of Sokratous and Evripidou, is an experience worth having. On the one hand the exquisite karamanlidika charcuterie (basturma, kavurma, sujuk, sausages) and on the other select cheeses from all over Greece, and in addition a rooftop where you can sit to taste them, with a view of the city. And not just charcuterie and cheeses, but a nice selection of well-made mezes and dishes, like baked Giant beans with tomato sauce and feta cheese, chickpeas with basturma, aubergines salad with anevato cheese and kebabs, and smoked swordfish with fava cream.

1 Sokratous & 52 Evripidou street, Centre of Athens, 210 3254184, Website, Facebook

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Gargaretta / Photo: Restaurant’s Facebook

Gargaretta

This beautiful restaurant offers an opportunity for a delicious walk around the Acropolis, especially during the weekends that they open early and offer interesting pies and desserts. The regular dishes on the menu are mainly meant for sharing like goat’s cheese croquets in cereal crust, octopus carpaccio with beluga lentils and sea bass tartare in celeriac tacos with tomato confit and cashew nuts. The drinks list includes a selection of Greek wines as well as cocktails while inside the shop you’ll find shelves with Greek products to take home with you.

1 Rovertou Gkalli street, Acropolis, 210 9228713, Website, Facebook

Ella Greek Cooking

This all-day restaurant and deli in the heart of the city shows its love for Greek products and Greek cuisine. The dishes have been created by the well-known chef Nena Ismirnoglou, and they include interesting dishes like handmade dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves) with rice and roasted almonds, beef osso bucco with fennel and pea puree, and chicken with grilled tomato, basil pesto sauce and aubergine puree. A section of the menu is dedicated to the select products you can buy at the deli, like spreads, various salted foods, cheese, charcuterie, as well as extra virgin olive oil, honey, herbs and marmalades.

26 Mitropoleos street, Centre, 210 3315547, Website, Facebook

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Kostarelos Dairy/ Photo: Restaurant’s Facebook

Kostarelos Dairy

At this elegant deli in the Kolonaki neighbourhood you’ll find the whole range of products from the family dairy, as well as more goods from select producers. In addition, you can taste rich salads, warm sandwiches, homemade pies like basturma pie with graviera cheese, and ground beef pie with tsalafouti cheese, cold and hot soups, as well as loukoumades (traditional fried dough balls) with honey and cinnamon or various flavours of ice cream made with their own sheep and goat milk.

30-32 Patriarchou Ioakim street, Kolonaki, 210 7259000, Website, Facebook

Ta Mezeklikia tis Lachanagoras

This shop is unique because it’s not located in a popular neighbourhood, but inside the central vegetable market of Rentis. Entering the beautiful space with the retro tiles on the floor, on the one side you’ll see the glass display cases with select cheeses and charcuterie, and on the other side shelves filled with a large variety of Greek products from small businesses – ranging from pasta and sauces to rusks, honey and spirits – many of which having won awards. At the tables outside you can start with a cheese and charcuterie platter as an appetizer, and then have something prepared in the kitchen, with dishes ranging from carefully prepared mezes to roast pig.

Rentis Vegetable Market, 210 4820020, Facebook