Strofilia

This joyful institution has been going strong for almost 25 years now! And for good reason, thanks to its three dining areas (the first features a wall covered in wooden wine cases and all-white furniture, leading to an immense, red-brick warehouse, plus a 17th-century vaulted wine cellar below) made for big, merry tables which erupt in excitement when the mezze arrive: cold – authentic white taramasalata, bottarga, tzatziki – and hot options – perfectly-grilled octopus and fava (split pea dip); a showpiece of lamb shank cooked low and slow for 24 hours, nestled among trahanas (small artisanal pasta) and mushrooms; sougania (onions stuffed with spicy beef) and yogurt sauce. Followed by some seriously addictive desserts – mastic kaïmaki ice cream topped with morello sour cherries, or trigono, a puff pastry horn filled with vanilla cream, cinnamon ice cream and grilled apples. And after some mastiha, a liqueur from the island of Chios made from the sap of mastic trees, it’s all Greek to us as we chat with chef Mario Sarlanis, who hails from the island of Evia! // Cléo Popina

FEELING THIRSTY? An Athenian Spritz with Greek vermouth (€10), as well as wines from all over Greece, such as Thema Pavlidis, a Macedonian white (€7 a glass), or Enalia, an excellent Santorini red from the Gavalas winery (€99 a bottle), and mastiha (€8 a glass).

PRICE: Cold mezze €9-22, hot mezze €10-30, salads €10-12, desserts €7.