Athens' most famous market functions since 1886 and sits on Athinas street, between Sofokleous and Evripidou streets, five minutes walk from Omonia Square, between Kotzia square and Monastiraki shopping area. Varvakeios is a crowded and popular spot, where you will meet people from all suburbs of Athens.
Miran Deli
Miran was founded in 1922, is a famous gourmet Shop and Deli, a meat and spices shop, where you can find delicious goodies for cooking, like famous "pastourma", made of veal or camel meat, the best "soutzouki", made of veal meat.
Also, sausages, made of veal meat, containing oregano and are mild in taste, delicious cheese "kaseri", deli meat, smoked pork with spices, very hot Armenian type soutzouki, made of veal meat, pastrami, prepared from beef meat. Miran is also popular for its imported quality products, as Italian ham with herbs and pepper, salami with green pepper Madagascar, mortadella from Bologna, and general products of excellent quality at good prices.
The owner of the historical "pastourma" shop, Miran Kourounlian, told to Athens24 that ;tourists visiting Athens prefer soutzouki and pastourma because the products, beyond their tastiness, are easy to pack and travel'.
Elixir Spices
Elixir, is a spice and herb shop, where you will find many spices like cinnamon stick, dill herb, star anise, vanilla, spearmint, cardamon, curry powder, cumin, onion, fennel, greek named "marathos", mustard, paprika, green pepper from Madagascar, ginger, Saffron from Kozani, tomatoes, pop-corn, "kolokythosporos", barley, linseed, wheat, a mix of poultry, meats, and roast meat.
Also, herbs as aloe, valeriana, liquorice, spearmint, "melissochorto", gourmet products, accessories, and bath salts. M. Gklavara, sales Manager of Elixir shop, proposed to Athens24 readers some of their exceptional olive oil soaps-Elixir's production- of greek origin and also traditional herbs, thyme, oregano, mountain tea, and a wide variety of greek honey.
Bahar
Bahar is a popular herbs and spices store, where you can find a wide range of herbs and spices to cereals, bio- super-foods, essential oils, pine nuts, green tea, corn flakes, organic flour, sauce mixes, dehydrated vegetables.
Also, products like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, aniseed, fresh ginger, pastry making products, "salepi" marine and mountain, seaweed, a very nutritious and fitness product, cosmetics, cereals, soya and an endless variety of root vegetables, seeds, leaves, ethereal oils, pharmaceutical and aromatic herbs, healthy products with nice smells.
Dry fruits
In Varvakeios market you can buy dry fruits, by Aiolou street up to Sokratous, like "chourmades", grape, blackberry, myrtle, pineapple, mango. Spices, in Evripidou street, close to the road Athina, like pepper, Safran, fat salt cooked.
Traditional Products
Also, is worth tasting: Pastourmas and Pastrami, two different types of cold meat. Soutzouk, which resembles sausage, eaten cold and hot. Kavourmas, which is sheep or beef or buffalo meat, boiled and mixed with his broth and veal sausages from Trikala, fresh fruits as pomegranates, pears, mandarines, orange, apples.
Also, tea, greek camomile, mint, tilio, eggs, and olives, as reed thicket, "throumpes", Cretans, olives from Malesina, green olives from Elassona, olives with peppers and pickles. In Varvakeios you will look for caviar, beers, cold meat, pastry fishes, as sardines, salmon, swordfish, mullets, sea breams, grouper, prawns -try those of Kymi-, octopuses, 'thrapsala', fresh cod, shells, snails.
The Meat Market
You should visit the legendary, extremely large, meat market of Varvakeios, where you can find sheep and ewe, steaks of pork.
Also, veal chop, delicious veal meat from Karditsa, Serres and Orestiada, rabbit, liver, all of the good quality.
There is a wide variety of fish, as fresh fish in the Kasidokostas market, shells in the Arapis market, salmon in the Pikounis market, shrimps in the Klonis market, meat in Aggelis, Lefkaditis, Voudouris, Patistas, Niotis.
Diporto Tavern
The best place to dine nearby is 'Diporto Tavern', an original tavern, in business since 1887, one of the oldest taverns in the centre of Athens, that will remind you of old Athens.
Well, cooked dishes, choices limited to five or six dishes each day, homemade tastes like bean soup, "revithada", fava bean, sardines roasted, fishes, potatoes with celery and Greek "retsina". Diporto gathers workers of Varvakeios, intellectuals, artists, tourists, students, businessmen.
Diporto is serving excellent Greek food made of local products, a fantastic, friendly service, clean and nice decor, and a superb ambiance.
Papandreou
Papandreou, one of the oldest shops of Athens, functions since 1898, is ideal for a visit in the morning or after your night out on the town, a homemade value for money food.
Karamanlidika
Karamanlidika, a popular meze restaurant, and the gourmet shop, boasts to be a real authentic Greek restaurant. It serves great food for locals and visitors, not to mention the great atmosphere. You should taste greek "mezedes" and ouzo, raki, wine, but also whisky in 'Steki'.
Be sure to call Mr. Makis Argiroudis place, which sits opposite 'Stoa Athanaton'. Enjoy your self with Bouzuki, greek style music-rebetiko- in Stoa Athanaton.
Monastiraki Square
Nearby, twenty minutes on foot, from Varvakeios market, sit Monastiraki square and Psirri square, where you can find cafés and souvlaki restaurants, frozen yogurt stores, and many places to eat or have a drink or a cocktail.
Be sure to visit 360 Cocktail Bar, A for Athens Roof Bar, Taf bar, Loukoumi cafe, Cantina Social, Venti, Chaplin Cocktail Bar...Enjoy your shopping in the Monastiraki shopping area- souvenirs, clothes, shoes at low prices.
Feel free to explore !
INFO: Varvakeios Market: Athinas 42 OPEN: Monday until Saturday from 7.00 up to 18.00
Miran: Evripidou 45
Elixir: Evripidou 41
Βahar: Evripidou 31
Diporto: Sokratous 9 &Theatrou
Papandreou:Aristogeitonos 1
Karamanlidika:Sokratous 1
Stoa Athanaton:Sofokleous 19
By Evelina Nodara for www.athens24.com 2016
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