The many faces of Syntagma Square's Culinary Art

Some Major Changes to the square

Zonars in 1930 Since last updating this page there have been changes, some good, some bad, to our Syntagma Sq retail food choices but sure changes for the better in the clothing and shopping markets caused by the new Attika Mall.

I have to and do praise the new metro station too! Certainly a valuable resource!

Most tragic to gourmands was the closure (under the so called socialists) of Zonars restaurant which was a unique Greek-European style pastry-sweet shop and cafe. The kind of place that, If it were in London, Watson, Holmes and Mycroft would have supped here regularly.

Zonars also had interesting natural light flowing through diaphanous gauze curtains and lots of tables inside and a few outside too. The menu was varied and boasted various sandwiches, cannelloni, wiener schnitzel, toasts, coffees, teas and assorted pa-go-toe (ice cream) of which my favorite was the Chicago, which my grandfather (Papou) first treated me to. This picture of a chicago left is from the Dodoni home-made ice cream chain which I also recommend. Dieting tip: ask them to hold the whipped cream!

The only problem with Chicago ice creams is that you, like me, are on a permanent diet, or lifestyle change (as some call it), and that one can't find Chicago ice creams on the menu of that many establishments that easily anymore either, although Flocafe, which is another another old time pastry shop, but expanded now, to 'chain store status; and proliferate enough so that you will run across them fairly often and Dodoni will make you one.

here is another Greek social and cultural tool the frappe coffee fredoccino Zonars was an institution and a class act which many people miss! The space is still there but hasn't opened just yet so who knows exactly what kind of eatery will attempt to replace Zonars - stayed tuned. Maybe, as promised, it actually will be a new re-incarnation of Zonars.

You might think I am digressing talking about an ice cream or a place that no longer exists while on the Syntagma square page but you are going to need this information in your travels within Greece because some cultural things, like squares and institutions (like cafe's) that abound in and around squares, remain the same throughout Greece.

Additionally, if you come to Greece and don't try one of the many varieties of frappe coffee's available in cafe's and sweet shops (pictured above) you might as well have stayed home! ->

flo cafe in exarhia and kaningos and other sq's You will encounter many cafe's and even Flocafes & Dodoni's all over Greece (but not in Syntagma Sq unfortunately) and they have both great ice cream and other sweets! (None have congo bars however!)

Garden variety cafes of various stripes are plentiful in Greece, where drinking coffee outside and people watching is a national pastime and you will find two cafes at least in Constitution squares' central park like area at the bottom of the stone steps. These new cafe's are, unlike Papaspirous below, hidden as if Frank Lloyd Wright had designed them and they hug the interior walls of the central part of the square. Cafe photo above left click to see larger.

Papaspirous had a very small interior but huge exterios seating - the whole center of the square Incidentally, I am still crestfallen by the (1991) closure of Papaspirou's in Syntagma Sq proper and where now stands that culinary inspiration known as Mcdonalds and proving once again; that location really is key.

{There are several MickyD's in Athens by the way, Monastiraki, Omonia, just behind the Hilton at the end of Museum row and Glyfada and Piraeus too.} There are 49 of the franchises throughout Greece and administrators say they have yet to make a profit which I find hard to believe. Goodies, (also in the square, right next door in fact), a Greek chain, with a more healthy and varied menu is their biggest competitor.

Several years ago Papaspirou's was a pastry-cafe shop with tables and chairs that took up the entire center of the square (above right c1963). I remember, watching, slack jawed, the poor waiters trying to scramble across busy Friends of Greece street (Phillhellinon) laden with huge glass filled trays.

American Express Moved to Academias St

american express acadimias 43 I also grudgingly recall the young Greek guys sitting there hustling [doing 'kamaki' (scoring-harpooning)] all (almost all:) the hot young foreign Scandinavian and American babes that used to gravitate there, as back then, in the early '70s American Express (which is now a block over on Academias St. photo right) used to be right on the corner of Syntagma Square and Hermes (Ermou St.). The best location in town and where Papaspirou's kitchen itself used to be. Millions of past visitors to Athens know what I am talking about.

zonars street level sign In Greek, both Papaspirou's and Zonars would have been called a Patisserie or a Zacharo-plasteo (sugar shaper) (confectioner is too easy because the English plasitc comes from plasteo) and both restaurants were institutions, used by hundreds of thousands, at least, and more than the sum of their by-gone era parts.

For me, Its that type of international melange, of Zonars in particular, as in the eclectic menu, evidenced by these two, which create the uniqueness that is so Greek. Greeks have been everywhere, if they haven't migrated somewhere, then they have at least traded there and also having the largest merchant marine in the world to boot, Greeks tend to get around. So when Mr. Zonars decided to emulate the best of the best he did a pretty darn good job of it.

Anyway there are new things in the square to discover, lets see if they have the staying power that Zonars did.

The Hard Rock Cafe on Phillhellinon St across from the Russian Church

Here is a new, but pricey restaurant entry to the Syntagma area and you will find it up Phillhellinon Street across from the Russian Church. The Hard Rock cafe "done come".

Now I don't know about you, but, in my salad days, (in Greek that would be: sta nyiata mou) and when I had a lot more hair, I have eaten in the original Hard Rock Cafe in London when it had low key decor but still played overly loud music.

Back then in 1970 it was a reasonably priced hamburger joint like a million others and before it became outrageously expensive and famous. It did not yet posses the regalia of various rock stars. Now it does! They have enough rock and roll regalia to open hundreds of identical stores and are coming to your town too maybe? I have not eaten in this new Athens location yet and until you treat me I have no plans to do so.

However, I like a hamburger as much as the next guy, and maybe more, but one look at the Hard Rock's menu and I decided that I didn't come to Greece to pay these kind of prices for US style food and frozen drinks.

They have NY Strip Steak for 18.50 eu and smoked salmon for 11.90. A frozen drink starts at 8.50. Right is the HRC menu which you can click to see larger ->

The HRC's cheapest beer was 4.50, and it was a Greek brand called Alpha which, although better than Mythos, is still not as good as an locally bottled, under licence (Dutch) Amstel which I can buy a large bottle of for 70 euro cents. You get the idea? Of course if I was on vacation, and with friends and the mood struck, Well Golleeee!!

Now If I really wanted to drink beer and (my favorite brand is McFarlands and costs an arm and a leg anyway, I would go to a Beer-AH-Ree-a (a place that specialized in imported Beers) like these:

Beer Academy, Stournari 29, Exarhia area/Tel: 210-381-6962
Bar of Chemicals, Hippocratous 150, Exarhia, /Tel: 210-646-8493(Wine Bar)
see more at Harry's Athens Restaurant Guide

You, dear readers, will have to decide for yourselves if you want to patronize the HRCafe. Remember that only a few short steps away begins the Plaka with its unique myriad of Greek restaurant cliches and the Plaka is a ought to have fun experience while in Athens.

If you thought the HRC is pricey wait until you see the walk in menu of the NVC Grecotel Athens Plaza pictured on the above right, but at least, in the hotel, you get treated to a more elegant ambiance. It has a more special feel to it somehow and you know you are going first class all the way! The food is actually priced about the same as the HRC but there are other expensive items.

Hotel across Mcdonalds and gooodies Now the NVCGAP hotel is back in Constitution Square proper, in fact, its part of the triumvirate, above left that makes up the best 5* hotels in Athens for location.They are: from Right to Left: The Grand Bretagne, King George the 1st and the Athens Plaza.

I took my lady friend to the roof top terrace of the G. B. for her birthday dinner and for the great Acropolis views and it happened to be a full moon too! If I had to choose, I would choose the GB. My parents were introduced to one another there too.

Syntagma's Faster Food

Ok enough about expensive sit down restaurants! How about some 'on the hoof' 'finger food' tips? I thought so, you are just dying to try some of these enticing, new to your palate, Grecian flavors. That's good and you will be glad you did too.For a more complete discussion of Greek foods kindly see Harry's Greek Food and Wine Guide.

We've already discussed Mcdonalds and Goodies so lets flirt with the Coulouri Stand, Katselis bakery, Pita Pan, and assorted street vendors which you will find in Syntagma Sq. Click any of these photos below to see them larger.

Right is the Syntagma Sq Coulouri Stand, A coo-loo-ree is a piece of 'nutrition free' white bread in a circle with sesame seeds on it and this stand sells them and other variations of bread products which are baked fresh daily. There are different kinds of Coulouri too - I like the crisp ones with extra free radicals. Coulouries vary in price but usually cost 40 to 50 cents each to buy but don't really fill you up to speak of.

'The Tzitzikas & Mermingi' or 'the Cricket & Ant Restaurant'

Metropoleos 12-14 Tel: 210-32-47-607

No this restaurant doesn't serve insects (although they are high in protean) and many Asian people swear by them! Its merely named after an Aesop's fable the Cricket and the Ant - I made that up, and have no absolutely idea why its named that other than trying to be cute and that's what this place is cute!

They also serve healthy traditional Greek food and have large salads that will run you around 8 euros but are a healthy alternative to some other things you may be exposed to. My girlfriend, Ads's sister, Mitsi, took us there and it was crowded and they even asked us if we had reservations which I thought then was a bit pretentious and still do. Still its healthy and you may be able to find a table so check it out!

There are two more locations as well: Ano Patisia: Papadiamanth Sq. 4 and in Halandri Agiha Georgiou and Aisxylloy 26.

Katselis Bakery: ( left) is a bakery which sells bread and coulouria too but also sandwiches and soft drinks. Katselis is about average for this type of chain type bakery place. Want to try the quintessential Greek item? Then order a cheese pie from a bakery - they make them fresh - some smaller places outsource! Goodies,across Ermou street, has an equally good selection perhaps.

Far right is Pita Pan, which is a play on words, to wrap up what is in reality, a souvlaki shop although this one, also a chain, which sells to a primarily Greek audience, and has three veggie options too and several types of salads. There is no where to sit however is any of these three stores but many office workers get food from here to go. You could easily eat in the center of the square in the park on a bench if you wanted to dine outside.

nikis street Incidentally, not far away at all, heading towards the Plaka and Monastiraki, via Nikis St., over on Adrianou St. (Hadrian's St.), there are even a couple of Asian restaurants too, a sushi bar and a Chinese to go style noodles joint. They are a couple of decent hotels over here too that you should consider staying at like the Hotel Plaka and the Adrian. Remember Harry's Greece Travel Guide will meet or beat any legitimate hotel price you show us.

The Syntagma Sq. Street Vendors

Street vendors of course come and go. Here are a few that I saw when I was last in the Square. Lets start with my favorite the nut vendor. Nuts are a product of Greece so they are fresh and pretty cheap too! Try some! Then there is the nut vendor with popcorn and with chestnuts another local tree fruit.