At the fish market of Nea Ionia, the ouzo bar seems to invite you to try the flavors that change every day according to the mood of the fisherman next door. There are some hangouts whose location shows their quality.
The market of Nea Ionia, where the fishmongers, the grocers and food in general are, is bustling with life every day.
The market
I often go to the fish market because I like this unique contact between the fisherman and the customer.
This “come, come, the mullet is alive” drives me crazy.
The fish shops next to each other try to pull you to their counter and the grocery stores with all their vegetables and fruits spread out show their freshness.
As if you are in a small family market… Magic!!!
So there next to the fish shop there is a small shop that at first does not meet your eye.
The ouzo bar (ouzeri)
Three cramped tables inside and another five or six on the lawn, but almost always when I passed by they were filled with couples and groups.
Every time I thought, you’re late again, and I took the path back.
One day I arrived early at the market for codfish and the cafe was just starting to fill up.
We sat down for a while to let the thought go and the miracle happened!!!
I have fresh mullet, octopus, anchovy, fried cod, shrimp, grilled squid, our salad and tomato with garlic…
I panicked and immediately called for reinforcements.
A friend who likes these situations and looks for such hidden places, came running and arrived just as the table was filled with one of everything.
The dishes in array
The tsipouro arrived, the shop was full and a group of people started singing.
Tsipouro, in addition to a good appetizer, requires time and good company.
I won’t tell you much…
We sat down at twelve and left at six, full of new friends, wonderful seafood flavors and lots of smiles.
The group next door, weekly regulars, had also brought a bluetooth speaker and eventually it became a party with Greek folk music until the market emptied.
Makis had run out of tsipouro and ouzo and the group made a new appointment!
Three smiles work together in the shop and with Makis as their leader, they offer you the freshest produce the market has to offer.
I won’t describe why you should stop by for a quick tsipouro with a few snacks and you’ll remember me…
This ouzo bar along with Vasilis in Keratsini are my favorites.
At the Market
23 Agias Fotinis, Nea Ionia
Tel. 213 035 1310
Texts and photos by GiorgioGrigor
At #TasteLocalGreece, we taste and promote all our favorite hangouts.
The local products we discover, the places we visit, and those that fit our philosophy.
The taverns we discover in our culinary quests. Our articles have no commercial benefit. Often, the restaurants we visit are unaware that we will be mentioning them.
They are all our personal experiences, and we share them with you. We strive to highlight forgotten flavors, authenticity, and simplicity that have been lost from our lives.
We strive to highlight forgotten flavors, authenticity, and simplicity that have been lost from our lives.
The information we provide is based on the period when we visited the place.
