My 75-year-old neighbor took me to Oinomageirion Tsopanakos for the first time and I was impressed, if by nothing else than by the décor. The place is stuffed with memorabilia. Named after the “little shepherd” or “the shepherd,” it is an excellent place for Greek style meats. Oinomageirion means “wine cooked food”, a specific type of restaurant that used to be found in Athens. It has now all but disappeared. “There are only a few places like this left: simple and inexpensive, with a focus on home cooking, Greek classics and finger-licking grilled delights.”
Dishes to look for—in the book, and elsewhere in Athens
Kasseropita kourou (Kasseri cheese pie)
Where to buy it Dodoni, on Lykourgou Street, near Omonoia
“This is Athenian Street Food at its finest. Kourou is a type of pastry that looks more like a short-crust than the typical olive oil and flour dough. It’s mostly made of feta but the kasseri (found in a few downtown places) makes it crumbly. It’s a treat that I enjoy only when I’m sure I’ll be able to walk it off.”
Galaktoboureko
Where to buy it KosmikonSince 1961, has produced this Greek-Anatolian dessert. GalifianakisIn 1973, began making its version of galaktoboureko using a kataifi crust (shredded wheat).
“Galaktoboureko, a semolina custard–filled phyllo pastry moistened with simple syrup, is a dessert that people associate with Athens, even though there’s no real regional association beyond just being beloved and having some very good renditions in a few sweet shops. “We used to go looking for galaktoboureko at a shop in Patissia, and it was a real treat to have it served warm.”
Poor Man’s Plate of Greek Fries with Ground Meat Sauce and Grated Myzithra
Where to buy it Leloudas Restaurant in the Botanikos Neighborhood
“The Poor Man’s Plate” is from an old working class neighbourhood, a cult-taverna that’s one of the oldest in the city. It’s so simple yet over-the-top at the same. Greek fries are piled high with a spiced ground meat sauce (the same one that goes into pastitsio and moussaka) then topped with shavings of myzithra cheese, the traditional, sharp grating cheese of Greece— long before parmigiana entered the language!”
