Skewer. One word, many thoughts, and even more shops. It is certain that at some point every group of Greeks has discussed the following: “Where can we eat good souvlaki?”. Our national delicacy is also intertwined with fun, whether we are gathered with friends at home or out for a leisurely stroll in the capital. Most of all, though, souvlaki is a delight, so it’s worth enjoying it at its best. That’s how we made the following list, choosing some of the souvlaki of Athens that, apart from their deliciousness, also have “something” that makes them special.
The Russian women
In Kallithea, for 50 years the Russian women have been offering souvlaki and pierogi. The menu has only two choices, beef burgers, and pork calamari, all grilled together with the pies. The hot red sauce that goes into the wraps blends deliciously with the meat tomato and onion. But while you’re here, get a pierogi with sweet myzithra. You can get something to go, as the shop doesn’t have tables, or order something to be sent to you.
Mimi
In Pagrati, the award-winning chef of the Alficon restaurant, Elvi Dimitris Zyba, opened the new souvlaki restaurant “Mimis”. Elvi takes a different approach to souvlaki, as he uses particularly fine cuts of meat, such as pork rounds from pancetta. The pies are also made in the shop and are thinner and more elastic than the traditional ones. For each meat, they suggest different toppings and sauces that are also handmade. They offer take away and delivery.
Achilleas
In Neos Kosmos we will find the souvlaki restaurant “Achilleas”. The owner of the shop, Marinos, has been buying all the ingredients for 34 years after seeing them and preparing everything himself. Gyros, pork and chicken souvlaki, tzatziki – everything is made by him daily in the shop’s workshop. The pork rounds, however, are a ‘benchmark’. Juicy and marinated in a blend of spices, it is cut into large pieces and served in a wrap or as a portion with sliced pita, tzatziki, tomato, and onion. The shop offers only home delivery. But you can go early or call them to reserve a seat.
Hoocut
In Agia Irini Square at Hoocut, everything is prepared in an instant, since the pork is cut into pieces the moment you place your order and cooked in an instant. The pies are handmade and are also baked at the moment in a special oven. Try a thinly sliced beef burger wrapped in a pie or covered, with yogurt, spicy tomato, and onion. The shop has table service, takeaway as well as delivery.
Kostas
In the centre and specifically in Mitropoleos there is a small souvlaki restaurant, “Kostas”. Since 1950 they have been serving pork and beef burgers there – simple and of high quality, in pita or plain. Now the management of the shop has been passed on to the third generation of the family. The fat-free, charcoal-grilled souvlaki can be tasted plain with oil and breadcrumbs or wrapped in a crispy pie with tomato, onion, parsley, red pepper, and yogurt. The store doesn’t have tables, so you can pick it up from there or have it sent to you via delivery apps.
Alexandros Souvlakopoleion
Going to the West, two brothers from Epirus, Kostas, and Alexandros, settled in Egaleo years ago and built “Alexandros Souvlakopoleion”. The shop gets all its meat from the family butcher’s shop where Kostas is in charge. Every day they make the rounds themselves, passing the straws by hand and the kebabs on the spits. Without fats and spices in their purest form with meat from small farms in their homeland. The rounds are chunky and crispy served in wraps or portioned. You can enjoy them via delivery or in store.
Lefteris
In Omonia, we meet Lefteris Politis since 1951, with polite recipes, smells of spices, and simple but delicious flavours. The menu is small – it includes only beef burgers and soutzouki politeis passed on metal spits. They are prepared on the grill and topped with pies barely oiled to give the souvlaki a taste of the skewers. Tomato, chopped onion, freshly chopped parsley, and hot red pepper are also added to the wrapper. For the past 5 months, a second store has opened in the centre of Athens. Both shops have a few tables for those who want to sit down, otherwise only take away.
Panerthraikos
Nea Erythraia has one of the most unique souvlaki shops, as it reminds us of a village café with wooden chairs on the pedestrian street. It is worth sitting down as the menu is very small. The only meat they serve is a pork straw, liliputian in size but very tasty. You can also order fresh fried potatoes, salad with canned tomato, onion, and parsley, and feta cheese with oil and oregano. The skewer comes plain or tucked into a pie, oiled just right, with paprika, tomato and onion, and parsley.
Thomas Kebab
Thomas’s Kebab Shop is located in the New World. There, since 1983, Thomas Habpartsum has been kneading the minced meat for the kebabs and preparing various other Armenian goodies every day. The kebabs made from a mixture of minced lamb and beef, onion and salt are a ‘winner’. Countless skewers of kebabs are prepared every morning, grilled to be enjoyed juicy and fluffy on a greased pita bread with tomato and onion – not to mention potatoes and tzatziki. The shop has a few tables for those who want to sit down and does home delivery.
The Bald Man
In lower Chalandri, is the “Kauteros”. Here the Exarchopoulos family has been famous for their hot sauce recipe since 1970. The menu includes pork straws, chicken and kebabs. It’s worth ordering the kebabs by the portion-a neat plate of oiled cut pita chips, four juicy and mild-tasting kebabs and topped with tomato and chopped onion, while the sauce comes on a separate plate to elevate every bite. You can sit on the beautiful patio or order delivery.
