Kriti

Kriti, which means Crete is a tavern where you can taste delicious Cretan dishes. It is located inside a ‘stoa — an arcade — on Kanigos Square. It has become a classic choice since it has been popular for many years, and for good reason.

Reason to go

I go to Kriti for the good quality of the food and the particularly tasty Cretan recipes. You will find ‘greens’ (boiled greens eaten as a salad or side dish) or snails (made with a traditional Cretan recipe that contains rosemary and vinegar sauce) and ‘apaki’ (traditional smoked pork from Crete). It is quite difficult to stumble upon Kriti. For one thing, Kanigos Square, even though it is centrally located, is not a place you would normally visit as a tourist. However, even if you do, you would not be able to spot the taverna easily, as it is hidden inside the arcade.

The dishes resemble home cooked meals and I think this is probably the reason Kriti is popular amongst business people working in the neighborhood. It is also frequented by groups of friends of mixed ages having long talks while enjoying their meal and drinks. The talks can get too long, especially when a great deal of raki (traditional Cretan spirit) consumption is involved. Even though the majority of customers would order a full meal at Kriti, it is not uncommon to see people having ‘mezedes’, small portions of food, while being busier clinking their raki glasses!

The food is fairly priced and you should expect to pay around €20 per person. Kanigos square is relatively close to the Omonia Metro station and the neighborhood of Exarcheia.