Being at Nonna (Grandma, in Italian) is letting your emotions and your senses be free. It’s being in a place where you know you will be comfortable and where you will be taken care of. No doubt: it’s like being at home. In my opinion it’s one of the most interesting places in the center of Athens and even getting to the restaurant is easy -it’s located close to Monastiraki– and it’s still kind of hidden, as you can barely find any sign outside; it’s a much-needed oasis 20 meters from the chaos on Athinas Street.

The eclectic, well balanced, eye-catching decoration help you know you are not somewhere normal, but rather very special. The details have been taken care of and you can feel it. Most of the time they play classic jazz music in the background. Sometimes I have the impression that a young Diana Ross is going to appear from somewhere and start singing “Lover Man” the way she did in “Lady sings the blues”.

But when you go to any restaurant, the most important thing should be the food. And, believe me, here it is. We all remember how our grandmas cook or used to: a pan on a slow fire, moving and removing the sauces until they get perfectly thick, going for the perfect texture and, certainly, always adding the ingredient that makes the food taste special to us: love. So this is Nonna: love.