Athens: Early lunch at Díporto

Díporto is a rustic underground restaurant, tucked away in a basement at Athens Central Market. No signs, no advertisement, so it’s easy to walk by, but that would be a shame, as this is one of the most unique places to get a meal in Athens.

I first discovered Díporto in 2016, and back then, the only other people in the restaurant were local workers from the market. Nowadays, the restaurant is featured in several guides to Athens, so I was a little worried about what it would be like to go back. Though luckily, nothing had changed. Same old guy pointing at the pots on the stove, while another, younger, guy explains that only the fava beans and the chickpeas are ready this early (I was there at 11am), but would I want a glass of wine from the family’s winery with my food?

The wine might have been a contributing factor, but I found the fava dish incredibly smooth and delicious. It had a nice kick of white pepper and came with half a loaf of bread, which was still hot from the oven, and while emptying my glass of wine, I said to myself that this was certainly not a bad way to start the day in Athens.

Díporto, Sokratous 9 &, Theatrou, Athens