These five iconic eateries have resisted the passage of time and firmly established themselves on Athens and Thessaloniki’s culinary scenes. They specialize in dishes associated with warmth and comfort, from the nutritious – yet challenging for some – tripe soup and soothing chicken soup to the delicate yet hearty goat stew. In their pots, the cooks stick to tried-and-true recipes to produce dishes that satisfy their customers and highlight the richness and authenticity of the flavors.
Oinomageireio Epirus, Athens
I was a few days away from giving birth on that Holy Saturday, when I stood with my empty pot in the long line outside the entrance of the Oinomageireio Epirus to get magiritsa, a Greek soup made of lamb offal and associated with Greek Orthodox Easter. The others in the line – also with pots in hand – let me go to the front to be served first. I eat here at other times too, because they make magiritsa all year round – even famous English chef Jamie Oliver has tasted their magiritsa.
Every Holy Saturday the restaurant stays open for 24 hours, selling large quantities of this thick soup to take home, for those who don’t know how to make it and others who don’t have the patience or time to clean so much offal and the many, many greens and herbs the traditional recipe calls for. Here, in this classic eatery located in a unique spot in Athens, in the Varvakeios Food Market, all the recipes are traditional.
Oinomageireio Epirus is a haven for late-night revelers, a go-to for workers in the area, a hangout for old-timers and young hipsters alike. Its soups have filled thousands of satisfied bellies, soothed souls and cured hangovers. Its eclectic mix of customers include the famous and the obscure, the marginalized and heads of families, artists, bourgeois and bohemians; it was a temple of inclusion many years before the word inclusion was cool.
Everything happens fast. As soon as you sit down, you get served a breadbasket, cutlery, lemons, garlic vinegar and bukovo (hot red pepper flakes). In the window, you can see the pots and pans filled with food: About 15 dishes are prepared every day, eight of them soups. The specialty here is goat stew, with bone broth and potatoes, carrots, onions and celery. The beef soup is a delicious clear broth with pieces of meat and vegetables. The most popular dish is the chicken soup, possibly the heartiest in Athens, with pieces of meat and lots of vegetables; a little tangy, yet very, very tasty. They also make fish soup, with fish from the fishmongers next door, firm, well-made giouvarlakia – meatball soup with an egg and lemon sauce – magiritsa with lots of greens and perfectly chopped intestines, available all year round, sometimes fasolada (bean soup), and tripe soup, which is available daily – made with both cow stomachs and feet. You can also order other traditional Greek dishes, such as giant beans with spinach, green beans, artichokes a la polita, and spanakorizo (a spinach and rice dish) – seasonal, simple and available daily. I wish there were more places like Epirus.
4 Philopimenos, inside the Varvakeios Food Market, Omonia, tel 210.324.0773. Open Monday-Saturday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tsarouchas, Thessaloniki
The first time I tasted tripe soup will remain unforgettable. It was in 2019, on a trip to Thessaloniki, just before quarantine and the pandemic, after a night of drinking and dancing with friends. Before that even the idea of tasting tripe soup was horrifying. My friends took me to Tsarouchas, a tripe soup institution in Thessaloniki, opened in 1967 by brothers Nikos and Grigoris Tsarouchas. Since then, they have been serving traditional tripe soup according to the recipe of a Constantinopolitan chef. I was impressed by everything. The well-dressed ladies in furs, the groups of young people, the lonely guys out at night by themselves, the waiters in their spotless shirts and the cooks in the back, standing over the big pots, highly focused and experienced, extracting the pieces of meat from the broth as if performing a choreography. The place was immaculate, bathed in light, and roomy with white tables. I was about to order a simple chicken soup, but my friends insisted and ordered tripe soup for me as well. When the time came and I had to try it, I understood why this humble and misunderstood dish has so many loyal fans.
The tripe soup at Tsarouchas is superb, delicious, with a balanced flavor, without strong odors, a balm for the stomach and a pleasant surprise for the palate. The experienced chef at this historic restaurant, Aristidis Georgoulas, explained to me how they make it. They follow the classic recipe, but with a twist. They don’t use the “kolia” (large intestine) anymore because its sale has been banned. But older folk say that the kolia gave a different, deeper taste. Nowadays, the tripe soup at Tsarouchas is made from cow’s feet and stomachs. The feet and the stomach are boiled around the clock in large special pots that can hold 200 liters of soup. In one day, two of these large pots are prepared, since tripe soup is ordered around the clock.
Inside the pot, the feet and stomachs are boiled together. At this point, a careful skimming process begins to give the soup the texture and clarity required. After skimming, the fat is collected from the top of the pot, separated and mixed with sweet red paprika powder. This is the “red” that is served next to dishes that feature cow stomach as it adds extra flavor. When the order comes in, the cook takes out the very hot piece of meat requested by the customer and cuts it into pieces. You can ask for it to be chopped in large pieces, small pieces or a mix of both. It is then served in a bowl, which the chef first warms by pouring some of the hot broth in it and then back into the pot. This is done to prevent the formation of a fat crust on the cold surface of the bowl. Then the normal portion of meat, salt and red, if desired, is added to the bowl. In my opinion, you shouldn’t skip the red, because it really enhances the flavor of the soup. The tables at Tsarouchas have on them only the essentials: bukovo and garlic vinegar, so you can put as much as you want on your plate. The waiters also bring a pitcher of water, a breadbasket and, upon request, lemon chunks.
78 Olympiou, tel 2310.271.621
Makis, Athens
Makis is not just a restaurant, but a mecca for those looking for good tripe soup in Athens, and the only one who makes it around the clock. Here the tripe soup is made with cow’s stomachs and feet, adding abomasum (the fourth and final stomach compartment), water and salt at the end. “Red” (the fat from the cooking, mixed with red pepper) is also added. In addition to tripe soup, you can usually find chicken soup, beef soup, magiritsa and goat stew.
235 Thivon, Peristeri, tel 210.577.6136
To Aftoforo, Athens
Early in the morning, just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Supreme Court in Athens, Giorgos Azar starts cooking his tripe soup with cow’s feet and stomachs. And after they’re boiled, he cuts them up. “It is medicine. It’s the best thing. It’s not only good for the skin, but also for the stomach and the bones, especially the cartilage and the joints,” he says. His tripe soup is To Aftoforo’s specialty. He has fans who come every day, even in the summer. In the winter, they also serve beef soup, chicken soup, goat stew and fish soup.
152 Alexandras, tel 210.646.1377
O Giannis, Athens
One of the oldest tripe soup restaurants in Athens – opened in 1970, this eatery’s loyal patrons include politicians, journalists, artists, bohemians, alternatives and fringe types. At O Giannis, the tripe soup is served with egg and lemon sauce, something you don’t often find elsewhere. It’s delicious and the portion is hearty. You will also find chicken and beef soup.
258 Acharnon, Agios Nikolaos, tel 210.865.7524
Source: gastronomos.gr
