10 Things I love about Athens

Head chef of London's Firebird, Nikos Kontogiannatos shares his culinary highlights from the vibrant Greek capital, and a recipe for sweet loukoumades you can make at home

- By Nikos Kontogiannatos

Nikos Kontongiannatos, head chef of Firebird in London, comes from Patras in Greece. Previously head chef at Caravan Fitzrovia, at Firebird he draws on his heritage to cook seasonal produce over an open-fire grill. Many of the dishes on the menu have nods to Nikos's Greek identity through the ingredients and cooking methods he uses, such as lamb with tzatziki and pitta, and tomatoes with feta cream and black olives.

firebirdlondon.co.uk

1 Gyros

A moreish snack in the city, traditional meat gyros are wrapped in Greek pittas and filled with pork or chicken, and tzatziki sauce. It's a must-try in the city. I always have one when I visit Athens, especially as they're cheap and packed with flavour.

2 Traditional Greek salad

You can find this salad almost everywhere in the city. It consists of fresh tomatoes with cucumber, onions, black olives, the most delicious feta and a drizzle of Greek extra-virgin olive oil. It's simple, but there's nothing better.

3 Moussaka

This list wouldn't be complete without favourite dish, Greek moussaka. With layers of grilled aubergines and potatoes, topped with minced beef and béchamel sauce, this is an unbeatable main dish. The Greek version dates back to the 1920s, credited to chef and cookbook author Nikólaos Tselementés.

4 Soutzoukakia

An iconic Greek dish of braised beef meatballs in a spiced tomato sauce that's flavoured with cumin. The best way to eat it is with a dollop of Greek yogurt and plenty of bread to mop up the sauce.