V Rating: VVV
Where: Apostolou Pavlou 23, Thisio, Athens
When: Every day except Monday.
Tel: 210 346 7554
Price: Mezedes: 4.50 - 10 Euros (vegetarian mezedes are cheaper).

Ordering from a menu in a Greek Taverna is simple for vegetarians - you just head straight for the mezedes section. It follows that a restaurant specialising in mezedes is likely to be more vegetarian friendly than most, which is how Andy and I came to try our favourite restaurant in Athens, Filistron.

A mezedopoleio is a restaurant that serves only mezedes, which are shared amongst the table (a little like a tapas bar). Traditionally, mezedes are accompanied by a bucket of ice and a bottle of ouzo so you can “clear” your palate between courses (in my experience, unless you also dilute the ouzo with water “clear” means like with dynamite, not gently washing away lingering flavours).

Filistron is a well-known mezedopoleio with a rooftop terrace looking back onto the Acropolis. It’s not in the traditional tourist restaurant area of Athens, Plaka (thankfully), but on a wide, paved boulevard which runs between the far side of the Acropolis and the Hill of the Pynx . The boulevard is a fun place to visit at night, when cafes set up endless outside lounges and tables, and Athenians come out en masse to drink, talk, promenade, and watch tout le monde.

Although Filistron is a popular restaurant, locals don’t go out to dinner until it’s dark (and cooler) so if you arrive before 9pm you won’t need to book.

As we’d hoped, the mezedes emphasis meant there were plenty of vegetarian dishes.

We started with a salad with toasted bread, goats cheese, lettuce, tomato, sunflower seeds and a basil pesto, and a dish of cold preserved beetroot with a garlic dip.

We also tried fried mastelo cheese with a chilli tomato sauce. This was my first taste of fried cheese, but in hindsight it was easily the best. The cheese was similar to haloumi but came served in the shape of a pancake. The chilli tomato sauce made the dish because it offset what was otherwise a very fatty dish - it’s the only time enjoyed a fried cheese dish to the end.

We rounded off with the house speciality of sliced potatoes baked with smoked cheese, tomato, scallions and green capsicum. Yum!

Each of the dishes was of a high quality, and we appreciated the wider than normal range of choices including local specialities from different parts of Greece. I loved the use of the smoked cheese in the potato dish, which was saved from being too stodgy by the fresh tomato and capsicum.

I don’t think the ouzo helped my palate, or my capacity to walk down the stairs later that evening, because the aniseed taste was so stark against the food… but I’ve since been acquiring a taste for it.

Filistron was my favourite restaurant in Athens, and a great way for vegetarians to sample food from all over Greece.

Vegetarian in Greece: More posts on Greek veggie food

• Shhh! Greek food is vegetarian friendly
• Cheap vegetarian food in Greece
• Food and wine Santorini style
• Cretan food: not food for cretins
• Central fruit and vegetable markets, Athens
• Filistron mezedes restaurant, Athens

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