Athens Pharaoh Restaurant in Exarchia

Location: Exarchia

Established in late 2022 in Exarchia, Pharaoh is a traditional Greek cuisine restaurant and wine bar created by chef Manolis Papoutsakis and three of his friends. It got its name from a popular fishing bait when the owners almost rented a building that was previously a fishing supplies store.

The interior is decorated with various memorabilia from all over the world, giving it a unique look. There is an open kitchen where guests can observe the process of their food being prepared by professional chefs. The restaurant does not use high-tech appliances or modern techniques. Instead, it has invested in wood ovens and stoves to retain the traditional taste of homemade Greek food.

Pharaoh serves a wide variety of traditional recipes, inspired by local families, to remind guests of the food a Greek mother would make. One will not usually find this in most high-end and gourmet restaurants in Athens. From dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves) to pastitsio (pasta with ground meat and bechamel), Pharaoh’s menu includes the best Greek cuisine has to offer. The menu highly depends on the season and the available produce, and it usually changes from day to day, while all the ingredients come from local farms and markets.

In addition, the restaurant serves a variety of sweets, both Greek and international.

After 23:00, the kitchen closes, and the restaurant turns into a wine bar. It provides guests with a list of 250 different wines from Greek producers. The restaurant focuses a lot on the quality of wine, as one of its creators is an expert in the field. Various cocktails and other drinks are also available as an alternative.

Another important part of the Pharaoh experience is its music. It is exclusively played on vinyl, and guests have the opportunity to listen to exquisite world music while having a delicious meal. Many album covers adorn the walls and shelves of the restaurant, with the whole collection visible.

Lastly, Pharaoh enjoys hosting internationally acclaimed chefs in its kitchen, who show their knowledge and perform their techniques for the staff to learn and for the customers to taste. Announcements of such arrivals are made through the restaurant’s social media so make sure to keep an eye on their accounts if you are interested in such events, as availability is limited!