TOPA.

Fokionos Negri is a pedestrian axis cutting through Kypseli, lined with kafeneions and the kind of daily foot traffic that most of central Athens has lost. Topa holds a corner on this street — outdoor tables spill onto the pavement and fill quickly. No reservations; walk in, find a table, stay. The name is Basque for 'cheers', with an accidental Greek double meaning.

Chef Giannis Tsikoudakis, born in Chania and co-owner here, runs a menu that places Cretan and Basque cooking side by side rather than blending them. Cretan: lamb meatballs, snails with zucchini and amaranth, slow-cooked tsigariasto, sfakianes pites. Basque: Bilbao-style tortilla (already a house hit), daily croquettes made from kitchen leftovers, mojama of salted air-dried tuna with olive oil and almonds, pluma of Ibérian black pork with piquillo peppers. Where the two meet — the 'anchovies squared' plate pairs Greek marinated anchovy with its Spanish counterpart on toast; the Basque cheesecake is made with Cretan cheeses — the results are precise rather than forced.

The wine and vermouth list is curated by Aris Sklavenitis, who built his reputation at Oinoscent alongside co-founder Danis Agapitos. The three partners — Agapitos, Sklavenitis, and Tsikoudakis — came from that project together. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 01:00. Price per person €35–50.