Athens: Diporto – The Underground restaurant at Athens Central Market

I had heard about this underground restaurant, Diporto, at the vegetable market in Athens, so I asked one of the vendors, where it was. He pointed me towards a building at the end of the vegetable street, and I went to have a look.

There were no signs outside, and it looked very dark, so I wasn’t sure if it was open. I walked down the stairs, and I was greeted by a kind man, who turned out to be the chef (and the owner?). He didn’t speak any English, but another guy explained to me, that there wasn’t a menu, but I could come and have a look at what was cooking on the stove. I decided on a vegetable stew and a Greek salad, which were brought to my table shortly after. I was also served a glass of wine, which they told me came from a family winery. It tasted so strong, I first thought it was ouzo, but I felt that it would be rude not to drink it, and luckily, it got better for each sip that I took.

Regarding the food, I came with absolutely no expectations. I just thought it would be fun to visit a place like this, located underground with no signs. To my big surprise the food turned out to be really good, and in case you wonder, this was something I noticed before I had finished that glass of wine:) The stew had this concentrated, but smooth flavor, and the Greek salad was made with these amazing tomatoes, which tasted like open fields and plenty of sunshine. It was an exquisite meal, and it was only 10EUR. If you visit Athens, make sure you visit this restaurant!

Read my blog post about my visit to Díporto in 2022 >>

Here’s a short video from my visit: