Sometimes when you visit a place, you can’t wait to go inside. That’s the case with Nonna (the term for grandmothers on Zakynthos island), one of the sweetest new arrivals in central Athens in the revitalized district of Psyrri, which is starting to leave behind its days of strings of cafes and mediocre food.

Nonna is the brainchild of a young group of people who wanted to play with the idea of affordable multiethnic homemade food which is not only tasty but made from ingredients easily found in any market. Under a high ceiling, the tables are well spaced out and a large wooden table is available for big groups.

We tried their fantastic hummus; sausages with sauerkraut, which is made in-house; a wonderful – if a little undersalted – salad with lentils, spring onions and smoked herring; a very tasty dish of vegetables, chickpeas and curry (the menu offers both vegetarian and dairy-free dishes), the soup of the day (vegetables and ginger), and finally exceptional grilled liver, which was a daily special.

At Nonna, none of the plates match. Everyone gets a different design, a choice which doesn’t seem at all pretentious. The tsipouro arrives within seconds of ordering, and the bill takes longer, though you’re not likely to care about that.

Originally published in Kathimerini’s K magazine