Cookoovaya

"A contemporary restaurant led by chef Periklís Koskinas, offering a variety of seafood dishes prepared with impeccable technique. The menu includes seabass, sea bream, langoustines, octopus, and the catch of the day. Signature dishes include raw ‘gamberi’ with tomatoes, oil, and capers, and bianco, a seafood stew from Corfu." - The MICHELIN Guide

"They say that chef Periklis Koskinas finds the inspiration for his cooking in Greece’s abundant culinary resources, in its classical harmony and symmetry, and the sunlight that bathes the entire country. In this contemporary-style restaurant with a  completely open-view kitchen, choose between an à la carte option and three set menus (one of which is vegetarian), although it is also the type of place where it’s almost best to go along with the daily suggestions (the fish here is particularly delicious). The logo on the plates here features the number 270, the total number of degrees that an owl (the symbol of the city of Athens and the sacred bird of the goddess Athena) is able to rotate its head." - Michelin Inspector

"Cookoovaya’s five chefs (Periklis Koskinas, Manos Zournatzis, Vaggelis Liakos, Spyros Liakos, Nikos Karathanos; all individual Athenian stars) have gotten together to celebrate “wise cuisine”—which is how they see Greek eating in general. This is Greek fare modernized but not unduly messed with; dishes are kept simple but are sublimely chosen and made with the freshest seasonal and local ingredients. Meals here are still designed to be eaten communally, as is usual in Greece, but it’s all done with an elegant twist. Fare from the wooden oven is especially amazing, like spinach pie, or, ah, moussaka (taken to a special level in the latter case). Be warned: the pretty, airy, Michelin-recommended restaurant can fill up fast. Fun fact: Cookoovaya means “owl” in Greek—the symbol of Athens and of wisdom."

"Spyros Liakos, Vangelis Liakos, Pericles Koskinas, and Manos Zournatzis are some of the country’s top cooking talents. At Cookoovaya, they create free-flowing, family-style meals under the mantra “remember how you felt, not just what you ate.” Though the seasonal menu changes often, some of their most-beloved dishes are slow-braised beef cheek with smoked eggplant puree, and grilled fish of the day with amaranth, olive oil, and lemon. It’s a good idea to start your meal with one of their pies; the open-topped version with truffle-creamed mushrooms, grilled beef off-cuts, and crispy onion is the most interesting. [$$$]" - Demetrios Ioannou