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Please note, The Athenian has now closed at this location. However, the street-food chain has opened its first permanent branch in White City. Time Out Food editors, AUGUST 2019.
Of the many cultural contributions to modern life invented by Greece – democracy, philosophy, a government that racks up national debt like smartphone users do Pokémon – kebabs are right up there. And thanks to this new Greek mini-chain, you can now snaffle them up like you’re holidaying in Athens. The stall in Elephant and Castle’s answer to Boxpark – yes, there is such a thing, get over it – has a clean white-tiled interior peppered with Greek paraphernalia (bunches of Hellenic mountain herbs sitting in containers, forks in tin cans strewn with Greek writing).
On a busy day the queue stretches out of the door and, judging by the ingredients, you can see why. Wraps are made with the vastly superior Greek rather than Cypriot pitta (circular rather than oval, fluffy rather than unleavened) and come with a sprinkling of oregano-flecked chips inside, plus a choice of tzatziki, tyrokafteri (spicy feta dip) or creamy souvlaki sauce. Downsides? Multi-tasking didn’t seem to be the staff’s forte. Also, the wraps were slightly underfilled for our liking. However, they do only cost £5 a pop (with extra fillings available for £1.50). At that price, even members of the Greek government could afford lunch there.