We are beginning a new series on our trip to Athens in spring 2023 to attend an actual Greek Wedding!
I almost gasped when the elevator door opened onto the rooftop patio at The Zillers Roof Top Garden. Diners get an incredible view of the Parthenon from virtually every table!
The ambiance is magical during sunset, and the warm afternoon light is certainly great for photos.
We had just arrived in Athens the day before, and this was our first "real" meal in Athens. What a great way to start a trip! Bryan had done the legwork and booked most of these restaurants. He chose The Zillers Roof Garden because it was close to the center of town, has GREAT views, and was recommended by the Michelin Guide (1 Michelin star).
Chef Vasilis Roussos, who has spent time at multiple Michelin starred restaurants in Greece, leads the kitchen with an aim to capture "the essence of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in a truly unique way." [source]
Bread + Butter
The butter arrives with 2 types of bread: a sourdough and multigrain (reminds me of my beloved Copenhagen bread).
“Oh cute! It’s a cow.”
“It’s not a cow, Can you guess what it is?”
It turns out we were enjoying goat’s milk butter with our bread. It had a slight, “goaty” finish, but it wasn’t too strong.
Next, a spiky sea-urchin shaped glass came with a delicious seafood filled bite, a consommé in jelly form, small morsels of mussels, and a seafood foam.
Welcome Treats
A trip of Chef’s welcome treats came next: asquid ink baton (like a “Pocky”, haha) that we dipped into an intensely flavorful Bottarga cream. A single bite chewy croquette flavored with herbs; and a goat cheese beetroot tart.
The Actual Tasting Begins
Our first official course was langoustine 3 ways. I loved the refreshing langoustine tartare, marinated in flavors of lime, coriander, and bergamot (which we soon learned was one of chef’s favorite spices) and served with a light camomile langoustine consommé.
On the side, the langoustine tail was fried as tempura (with puffed rice) and dipped in a creamy shrimp head + lemongrass sauce. The tempura was not very crispy, though the flavors were quite rice and paired nicely with the tart wine.
Next was "salsify two ways" presented in a single dish with layers: chunky bits of the root on the bottom and a blended soup on top. “Scoop it all in one bite” the server advised. Loved the black truffles, which added a nice, earthy element.
A homage to the traditional Greek lemon and rice soup, the next course consisted of a single artichoke elegantly deep fried (it was amazing how each leaf was preserved) and served over a lemon rice emulsion sauce.
Bread Part II
We'd already enjoyed fantastic bread at the beginning of the meal. Now was part II: a beautiful Japanese milk bread topped with sea salt from Crete.
More Seafood
We continued with seafood, moving onto a beautiful lobster pasta served with a rich, creamy lobster cheese sauce.
The lobster itself undergoes a lengthy preparation, including being coated in wax for 24 hours before being lightly poached. The server showed us an example of the "waxed" lobster.
The pasta was reasonably al dente, and the overall sauce was decadently rich. Bryan loved it, and I even gave him some of mine (since I was getting full).
Meat
The meat course was a beautifully roasted piece of quail breast that was almost rare on the inside (we aren’t complaining!). We enjoyed the quail with a tart made with the quail’s leg meat and a beautiful, flavorful celeriac root mash.
Dessert
General Thoughts
It’s hard to beat the ambiance and stunning views of the Acropolis that Ziller has when it comes to eating in Athens. On the one hand, the food isn’t really that *Greek* per se. Sure, the chef add some Greek concepts, such as the lemon rice soup, and sharing with us about Greek bread (before telling us that this bread is actually a Japanese milk bread), but it’s more like a French restaurant using international flavors and ingredients.
On the other hand, the food is very good, and the views are pretty hard to beat. You’ll enjoy a lovely dinner (probably together with mostly other well-to-do foodie tourists), while at the same time supporting Greek chefs, workers, and their high-end restaurants industry as a whole.
Try to get a reservation before sunset. It's beautiful to watch the sunset from the rooftop. Remember to ask the staff to help takes some photos of you before the sun sets, otherwise it’ll get too dark!
The Zillers Roof Garden - Athens
54 Mitropoleos
Athens 105 63, Greece
