The New Athens Hotel Restaurant in a Neoclassical Mansion Where Greek Flavours Meet French Technique

Inside a 19th-century neoclassical mansion, on one of the city’s most beautiful squares, 1890 Restaurant is the Athens dining address worth knowing right now.

There are restaurants that happen to be in beautiful buildings, and then there are restaurants that could only exist in the building they occupy. 1890 Restaurant, which has just opened at the Athens 1890 Hotel & Spa on Agia Irini Square in the heart of Athens, belongs firmly in the second category.

The setting is a protected neoclassical mansion from the 19th century, once used as both a commercial space and a private residence, and its bones are extraordinary. Decorated ceilings, original architectural details, the particular quality of light that only old buildings seem to hold onto. The renovation has been handled with care, layering a contemporary hospitality sensibility over something that already had plenty to say for itself. The result feels both historic and very much alive.

The Kitchen

At the pass is Chef Christos Sidiropoulos, and his proposition is one of the more interesting currently on offer in Athens: Greek flavours interpreted through the rigour and precision of French culinary technique.

The menu centres on seasonal ingredients and exceptional local produce, and it shifts naturally between registers depending on the time of day. During the day, 1890 operates as an all-day destination with breakfast, light lunch and creative pastry, all delivered in an atmosphere of relaxed, unpretentious elegance. The kind of place you could spend an entire morning at without feeling the need to move.

In the evening, the mood shifts. The dinner experience is built around 6 and 9-course degustation menus that trace the chef’s philosophy from beginning to end, with dishes like amberjack sashimi with harissa, tahini and smoked mayonnaise, or charcoal-grilled sea bream with pear and celery. Mediterranean intensity, European finesse. An à la carte option keeps things flexible for those who prefer to navigate on their own terms.

“Our goal was to create a cuisine that honours Greek tradition through the structure and precision of French technique,” says Chef Sidiropoulos. “A balance between memory and creation, where exceptional ingredients are always the protagonists.” It is a clear philosophy, and it shows in the plates.

The Square, the Light, the Whole Thing

Agia Irini Square is one of those Athens spots that rewards the people who find it. Lively without being chaotic, central without being obvious, with the kind of energy that makes you want to stay longer than planned. 1890 Restaurant fits the square perfectly, adding a destination that is serious about food without taking itself too seriously about everything else.

Soft lighting, timeless interiors, the hum of central Athens just outside. For a dinner in the city right now, it is hard to think of a more complete package.

Reservations at +30 210 3240603.

1890 Restaurant, Athinaidos 10, Agia Irini Square, Athens. ariahotels.gr

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