Diporto
Deborah and I constantly rave about the food in Athens. From our love affair with Souvlaki and other Greek staples to the higher-end restaurants we enjoyed, we savor the gamut when we’re in Greece. But one of the best meals we ate in Athens, and maybe anywhere, was located in the basement of a dilapidated, partially abandoned building, where the entrance to the restaurant was an unmarked, unassuming little stairwell leading seemingly to nowhere.
At the bottom of those hidden steps lies Diporto, a charming and historic restaurant that has been serving quintessential Greek food for 150 years. If you read the reviews for Diporto, the mostly excellent reviews provide a great sense of the authenticity and character of this family-run establishment. Interestingly enough, if you read the bad reviews, you truly understand why this place is so great.
There is no one to seat you, there is only one waiter, and there is no menu. You walk in and must find your own seat, and then you must wait for your food to arrive, which sometimes takes a while. And as far as drinks go, you are served their wine, whether you order it or not. It arrives in a small copper pitcher with small water glasses to serve as your wine glasses.
The chef at Diporto, whom one of the reviews calls the grumpy old man cooking behind an open counter, is off to the side steadily cooking his signature dishes of three bean soup, lentil soup, and fish, all served with a perfectly simple salad. This all happens while the middle-aged waiter, the chef’s son, brings you your wine, bread, and food as it becomes available. There are no greetings or inquiries about what you want to eat, or if you’re interested in drinking wine, and definitely no small talk.
A Unique History
Diporto first opened its doors in 1875 and quickly became a favorite gathering spot for locals, artists, intellectuals, and politicians. The restaurant’s name, “Diporto,” is derived from the Greek words “di” (two) and “porto” (doors). It refers to the two entrances down the opposing stairwells to the restaurant, which allowed patrons to enter from either side of the building, adding to its unique and welcoming character.
We later learned from an Athenian who has lived in the city his whole life that the restaurant served as one of the main social gathering spots, where people working at the market, along with fishermen and those from surrounding shops, would go to eat and drink.
The restaurant, located right on the edge of the hip neighborhood of Psyrri, is a short block from the Athens Central Market.
Forever in Search of the Perfect Meal
Great Food: (Duh!) A perfect meal is more than just great food. Yes, the food must be really good, and yes, the meal must be paired with the appropriate beverage, but that is still only a part of the equation.
Setting: This is key to any great meal, and they come in all shapes and sizes. A quaint backyard patio at a Napa winery, an 8-person Ramen Bar in Tokyo, an elevated table in a secluded alley in Siem Reap, or a hip open-style kitchen restaurant in the market in Jerusalem, to name a few – we’ve found the “perfect setting” in many different locales and types of restaurants. The one thing that they all have in common is that you always know immediately when you’ve found it.
Company: Some would argue this is the most important of the three, and it’s definitely key to any great meal. Like most people, some of our favorite meals are with our entire family, together, loud, laughing, talking over one another, and telling old stories while making new ones. Other favorites for us are some of the meals we’ve shared on the road, just the two of us, ending up in some random spot one of us tracked down through various recommendations or research.
On this day though, our lunch at Diporto, we were able to share it with a great friend who met us in Athens for a portion of the time we were there. As we always do, we laughed out loud, reminiscing about our past excursions together, and catching up on our current lives. Diporto was the perfect spot to break bread on this afternoon and share a wonderful lunch with a great friend.
