Photo via Google, Koji SuzukiDiporto
- Hours
- Today: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Getting there
- A basement below Athens's Central Market — look for two plain doors, no sign
Why it’s in the log
Diporto has fed the traders of Athens's Central Market since 1887, from a basement with no signage announcing it's a restaurant at all — the name itself just means "two doors," the only identifying feature the place bothers with. Fishmongers, butchers and greengrocers from the market above have eaten here since before the building housing it existed in its current form.
The room is exactly what a century-and-a-half of continuous use looks like: wine barrels along the walls, a concrete floor, marble sinks in plain view, a handful of dishes that haven't changed because they've never needed to — chickpea soup, grilled sardines, whatever the market had that morning. Wine comes from the barrel, not a bottle.
Go for lunch, when the market above is still running — it's closed by evening and shut entirely on Sundays.
“There's no sign, no menu you can read in advance, and no name on the door — the two doors it's named for are all you get.”
What people said recently
From Google reviews · see all 3,171 ↗
“The food is definitely delicious, extremely local, and 100% traditional. It offers an authentic Greek experience that feels like a home-cooked meal. Be mindful that there is no written menu here; the offerings depend on what is fresh and…”
“The service can feel a bit gruff and unwelcoming at first, though to be fair, they seem completely over trendy Instagrammers snapping photos. Locals get a much warmer reception. • The Food: The fresh bread is the star of the show, perfect…”
“What we got of the food was good, but they were understaffed (their usual server didn’t show up) so we couldn’t order. We were the first ones there so they placed bread, salad, fava soup, and chickpea soup down for us pretty quickly; we…”
