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Perhaps it was the blessings of the Greek goddess Demeter, the mythical deity of agriculture and harvest, that allowed me to savour a cornucopia of Greek food during my stay in Athens.

Some Pakistanis are accustomed to Greek salads and Greek yoghurt, but my trip to the capital of Greece helped unearth a treasure trove of local cuisine. The first place on my list was Klimataria, a traditional tavern established in 1927 and said to be one of the oldest taverns currently standing in Athens.

Ignorant of the city’s dining scene, I walked to the restaurant and at the gate was swiftly asked what name my reservation was under. “Don’t have any, just a walk-in tourist who’s heard a lot about the eatery,” I replied with a smile.

The hostess erupted into laughter and informed me that the earliest available date was June 23. I had no option but to plead my case.

“Would you give any consideration to a foodie tourist who has flown hundreds of miles from Asia to have a meal at Klimataria?” I asked. After a long pause, I was told to come the next day 12:30pm for lunch on one condition — that I leave within 45 minutes. Had the mythic goddess of the grain manifested and helped me get a last-minute table, or was it just my own luck? One thing was for sure: my lunch plans for the next day were cemented.

The restaurant is built on the ruins of an ancient temple. Complete with rustic interiors and stone walls, wooden wine barrels stacked atop each other, and ivy creeping along the walls, it was like sitting in your own veranda.

Maria, the current owner, helms affairs as she looks after guests, seating and even took orders along with her young Greek servers.

Greek tzatziki, fava (a creamy paste made from yellow split peas) and crusty bread were served as soon as I was seated. The bread was perfect — a crusty exterior with fluffy insides. The tzatziki, a traditional Greek dip made with garlic, yoghurt and cucumbers, was cool and refreshing with a light, creamy texture. The fava was cooked with chopped onions, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil and was topped off with raw onions, green chillies and olives.

Thus started my gastronomical journey in the city of Athens.

For the main course, I ordered a lamb roast with potatoes. The lamb shoulder, marbled with fat and slow-cooked in extra virgin olive oil, was tender, flavourful and fell off the bone as soon as it was lifted, melting in the mouth. The baby potatoes, seasoned with oregano, complemented the lamb perfectly.

The meal was reminiscent of the Shinwari Gosht at Charsi Tikka House in Peshawar. Make of that what you will.

For dessert, the server suggested ekmek kadaifi — the Greek version, as the dish originates from the Ottoman Empire. The first layer was pastry soaked in sugar and cinnamon, followed by a creamy vanilla custard filling and topped off with whipped cream and a generous sprinkle of pistachios. This showstopper was light and well-balanced, with all the flavours pronounced and distinguishable; pleasing to the eyes and to the tastebuds at the same time.

The next stop was Tylixto, a famous joint serving souvlaki. The eatery, located on a street in Monastiraki, could accommodate 10 to 12 guests at a time and relied heavily on takeaway orders. Regardless of the time of day, Tylixto had a line outside the door and a minimum wait of 10 minutes for takeaway — a testament to its popularity.

Thick toasted pita bread, with oregano-infused chunks of chicken stripped off skewers, dijon mustard, zesty lemon and tzatziki sauce, and topped with French fries was my quick meal fix, keeping me satiated for some three to four hours. The restaurant offered shaved beef and lamb options, as well as kebabs wrapped in pita.

The wrap itself was very light and crafted so perfectly that from the very first bite, one could taste all the ingredients present.

Needless to say, it was time to try some dessert, and Kirnos was the perfect place to delve into some delicious treats with a side of history. The bakery is said to be a century-old, family-run business that specialises in loukoumades (think Greek doughnuts), a treat once served to the ancient Olympians. The neoclassical building that houses Kirnos had a modern exterior but once I stepped foot into the bakery, I was transported to ancient Greece — with old furniture and paintings.

A single order of six loukoumades, the minimum order, was served on a silver platter. The doughnuts were drenched in a honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. The absolutely divine treats were fluffy and airy, and what initially seemed like a large order quickly consumed.

My next meal was the famous Greek comfort food, moussaka. The eggplant casserole-based dish comes with meat filling, typically minced meat, tomato, potato and herbs. Once baked or pan-fried, it’s topped with homemade bechamel sauce and topped off with traditional Greek cheese called kefalotryi.

On first taste, the beef moussaka was similar to lasagna, but the second spoonful packed a punch and tasted strongly of eggplant. The kefalotryi cheese was nowhere close to cheddar — it was tangy, sharp and spicy with a rich aroma and firmer texture. The dish was so delicious that the name of the restaurant, located on Plaka, entirely slipped my mind.

On a stroll, I stumbled upon Mau — and couldn’t resist trying a couple of their pies. At the local hole-in-the-wall, I ordered the classic feta cheese pie with phyllo dough wrapping and sheep milk, or kasseri cheese pie. The famed feta pie was thick but flaky and was on the saltier side, while the second pie was buttery and flaky.

No tourist, let alone a foodie, could depart from Athens without a visit to Diporto, a restaurant nestled in a basement, like a hole in the ground, with no sign outside, and yet it’s been in business since 1887. Despite the lack of signs, the eatery was easily spotted because of the long queue outside.

Once you step down, you enter a dimly lit space with a faded concrete block mosaic floor, a wall lined with wine barrels, and a vintage marble sink. The atmosphere is so evocative of ancient Greece that it feels like stepping into a time machine. If you’re looking for truly traditional and authentic Greek cuisine, this remarkable restaurant is a must-visit. There’s no menu, the waiter simply tells you what’s been cooked that day, and the chef writes the prices on a paper napkin at your table.

Luckily for me, the dish of the day was grilled mackerel. The blue and green seafood speciality with a shiny silver underbelly was small in size, but the taste was indescribably delicious. The fish was covered in virgin olive oil and cooked charcoals, sprinkled with Greek herbs and came with a lemon wedge, courtesy of the restaurant’s 85-year-old chef. The experience at Diporto was simply exquisite.

The time to honour my sweet tooth had arrived, and portokalopita — a traditional Greek syrup cake made with phyllo and infused with orange — was a must-try. “It’s made with dough instead of flour, orange juice, orange peels, and a hint of cinnamon,” the server explained, recommending homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it. The cake was dense and soaked in honey syrup. My compliments to the server for the perfect vanilla pairing!

Walking through the streets of Athens, one often comes across yellow carts stacked with koulouria (pretzels or bagels), a popular street food. Unable to resist, I picked up a sesame-crusted one. It was quite crusty and a bit hard to digest, so a cappuccino from a nearby coffee shop came to my rescue. Slightly salted, it seemed like the perfect breakfast on the go.

Lukumades played a modern twist on loukoumades, the traditional Greek doughnuts. The transformation not only gave the doughnuts a new look, turning them into small, fried doughnut balls, but also elevated their flavour with fillings like caramel, vanilla, Nutella, chocolate, and pistachio. The place is always busy, with long lines of waiting customers. The only downside to this new craze is that one box contains eight doughnuts, even if you’re craving just one.

Greek cuisine goes hand in hand with Greek mythos. It is unpretentious and comfortingly familiar, yet full of transformation. With no cringe-inducing effort, it recaptures a spirit of hospitality — enough to keep Demeter pleased, even in the year 2025.