RE-ATHENSBeta
Manári Taverna — Open Fire Greek Kitchen — Athens
Manári Taverna — Open Fire Greek Kitchen — Athens
Manári
Manári
← Eat

Monastiraki

Manári.

Open-fire Greek cooking on the square at Agion Theodoron.

Manári takes the cooking over live fire — lamb chops, whole fish, seasonal vegetables from the charcoal. The setting is Plateia Agion Theodoron, a quiet square off the edge of Monastiraki. Part of the Birdman group alongside Ekiben and Vezene, with the same rigour applied to the grill.

Plateia Agion Theodoron is a small square at the eastern edge of Monastiraki, set back from the main tourist traffic that floods the flea market at weekends. Manarí opened here in 2024 as an open-fire taverna — the latest project from the Birdman group, which also runs Ekiben and Vezene.

The cooking is built around live fire and whole-animal sourcing. Lamb chops off the grill. Whole fish. Seasonal vegetables from the charcoal. The menu is short by design — the approach here is to refine the language of the traditional taverna rather than reimagine it. Better sourcing, a more precise flame, no unnecessary complexity.

Open fire. No ceremony. Everything you need.

The square provides outdoor seating in warm months. The room inside is compact. Dinner from early evening; lunch on weekends. Reservations via SevenRooms or the direct line.

2024

Year

€€

Price

More in Eat.

Taverna Oikonomou — Ano Petralona Athens

Ano Petralona

Taverna Oikonomou

A 1930 magheirio on the corner of Troon and Kydantidon in Ano Petralona, now in its third stewardship: founder Yiannis Oikonomou, then Kostas Diamantis for over two decades, and since 2023 Filippos Tsangridis, who bought it intent on changing as little as possible. The same cook, Garoufallia, has run the kitchen for twenty-five years. Fifteen to twenty stewed dishes daily, no microwave, paintings by Alekos Fasianos on the walls, olive trees over the outdoor tables. Closes in on its hundredth year in 2030.

The timeless interior of Taverna ton Filon in Kolonos, Athens — one of the city's most enduring neighbourhood tavernas, open since 1958

Kolonos

Taverna ton Filon

A 1958 grill taverna in Kolonos, abandoned for a decade, brought back by chef Yiannis Mousios and sommelier Giorgos Kontorizos. They kept the room as it was — the same chairs, the same two paintings on the wall — and rebuilt the kitchen around seasonal Greek dishes and a wine list devoted entirely to the Greek vineyard. Evenings only, Tuesday through Sunday.

The bohemian interior of Seychelles neo-taverna in Metaxourgeio, Athens — a cult gathering spot for mezes and natural wine

Metaxourgeio

Seychelles

A building that's fed Athens since King Otto's stables stood here, later a tripe-soup kafenio called Bahamas. Seychelles opened in December 2013 and made Avdi Square a destination; closed quietly in 2023 and returned months later under founding chef Fotis Foteinoglou (now also of FITA) alongside Kleomenis Zournatsis and Yannis Markadakis. Same beloved dishes — handmade papardelle with kavourmas and galotyri leads the menu — sourced now from small producers across Greece, with service rebuilt from the ground up. Open daily from 13:30.