Mouries in Kolonos Athens
Authentic Athenian
Antonis from Athens
If you are visiting the archaeological park of Acadimia Platonos, one of the most prestigious educational establishments of ancient Athens, which was founded by the philosopher Plato, you must also take a walk in the nearby neighborhood of Kolonos. Between the modern high-rises, you come across the small houses of Kolonos, built between 1900 and 1935. Their unadorned facades and simple construction with just one floor and a small yard give the impression that their owners, who were primarily middle-class Athenian citizens at the time, recognized the sanctity and significance of the nearby Acamidia. Some of these houses are still inhabited by elders who refuse to leave them, but most of them have fallen into disrepair over time. It is an image of an authentic part of Athenian everyday life that is fading and worth preserving in every way.
But in order to have a complete experience of the neighborhood you must visit Mouries. This place was for many years a traditional cafe, which, when the owner died, his children (with their mother as a cook) took over and turned into a tavern. The food here, homemade and delicious, is a journey through time to an era of purity and authenticity. It does not matter what you order because everything is made with the same care (however, my favorite dish here is the meatballs). But apart from the food, the place itself has a simplicity, honesty, and laid-back atmosphere that wins you over from the first moment.
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