Athens, Greece
€€€ ・ Balkan
This restaurant, the name of which translates as “eat and treat” in Ancient Greek, occupies a charming neo-Classical building dating back to 1931 close to the heart of the city. Here, Albanian-born chef Elvi Dimitris Zyba curates Balkan-inspired cuisine which offers a fusion between different cultures and combines the traditional with the contemporary. His cooking takes its inspiration from recipes that his mother used to prepare when he was a child to which he adds a more sophisticated and refined touch. Examples include the traditional “Giaourtotavas”, made with lamb sweetbreads, yoghurt and rice, and various seafood-based options, such as the Octopus stew, wrapped in handmade filo pastry with a sublime salmon roe cream. Desserts also have a Balkan touch, such as the Grape juice cream served with grape must cookies.