ATHENS | When you’ve been around since 1887, you’re clearly doing something right. And so it is as Diporto, a tiny hidden basement taverna located around the corner from Athens’ central market.
Diporto might appear on a of the “where to eat in Athens” lists these days, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a tourist trap. It’s where you’ll find one of the best meals you’ll enjoy in Athens – simple, affordable food designed for the working class, cooked with market fresh produce.
There’s no menu, you simply ask for a table and eat what’s given to you. The simple, small kitchen is run by an old guy cooking everything, while front of house is run by a younger man (his son, perhaps?). The latter speaks a little English. Enough to tell you what each dish is and help service move along.
The menu at Dirporto is driven by the market, but more or less unchanged most days. A hearty vegetable stew with crusty bread to mop up the wonderful thick soup, lemony slow cooked chickpeas, and grilled sardines. Maybe some Greek salad or maybe not, depending on the table. It’s all wonderful.
To drink, there’s one option, a house retina wine served in a jug, tapped fresh from the restaurant’s kegs.
For me, the meal was a nostalgic trip to similar meals enjoyed at my baba and dedo’s house. A must visit restaurant when in Athens.
Diporto
Cnr Sokratous 9 and Theatrou 2
Athina 105 52
Greece
Telephone: 021 0321 1463
E-mail: n/a
Website: n/a
Open
Mon – Sat: 11:30am to 7:00pm