Best Things to Do in Kifissia

Many of my childhood and teenage years were spent living in the northern suburb of Kifissia, which has expanded and seen several changeovers in shops and restaurants throughout the decades yet still remains pretty much the same.

As it was popular among Athenian gentry during the 18th and 19th Centuries as a cool summer from the city heat, Kifissia was bequeathed with some beautiful – or at least interesting or unique – neoclassical architecture. Its Alsos park, which leads directly from the train station (green line) to the main square, where when I arrived in 1982 was where ‘the cop in the can’ stood directing traffic, is still great for a nice stroll, with its large round fishpond, a café and a scattering of park benches (but no playground). 

Insights Greece - Best Things to Do in Kifissia
Athens’ famous Northern neighbourhood

The temperature in Kifissia is thought to be around 4-5 degrees C lower than that of the city centre, largely owed to the greenery in the area, Syngrou park nearby and Mt Parnitha not far above. Although I moved to Athens in my early 20s and was happy to escape what I felt was a dull, sleepy suburb, today I relish the relaxed energy, fresh clean air, greenery and small(er)-town community vibes. As school kids, we went to the shopping centre for slush puppies and rollerskating (so 80s!) and walked freely and safely around at night after going to Chloe or Boboniera outdoor cinemas (both still there) in summer. Small yet pleasant Kefalari park (just a 15-minute uphill walk from Kifissia) was where the wild things went to skull down beers, kiss and throw each other into the pond. 

Today, Kifissia still has low-profile energy when it comes to both day and night outings, but there are plenty more places to hang out for lunch, coffee, dinner and drinks, as well as more options for culture lovers and shopaholics. Like Kolonaki in central Athens, Kifissia’s shopping scene is generally for those willing to spend freely, but there are more reasonable and high-quality choices available too.

Culture /Art

Insights Greece - Best Things to Do in Kifissia
Galerie Lefakis on Tatoiou

There aren’t many museums in Kifissia, but the one there is, the Goulandris Natural History Museum (Levidou 13 & Othonos) is special, as it presents a cornucopia of plant and animal species, fossils and the replica of a giant dinosaur skeleton. It also has a café and shop. Art lovers will enjoy a visit to the Kouvoutsakis Art Institute next door (Levidou 11) where over 1,500 paintings and sculptures that date back to the 1800s are showcased. Culture vultures should also visit Mamush Gallery (Panagitsas 3), which hosts a private collection of 500 works including originals by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Victor Vasarely, Keith Haring, and Pablo Picasso as well as internationally known Greek artists like Pavlos, Gaitis and Galerie Lefakis (Tatoiou 73) and Mihalarias Art.

Shopping

Insights Greece - Best Things to Do in Kifissia
An endless range of boutiques and shoe stores

There is a multitude of high-end clothing and jewellery boutiques to walk or gaze into in Kifissia, lining its streets and clustered in its three main shopping centres. We cannot list them all here, but you’ll be able to find both famous international and local brands. For fashion head to Detroit, Regent, Soho Soho, American Vintage and for jewellery to Minas, Ilias Lalaounis, Pandora and Swarowski Boutique. If you like concept stores with clothing, accessories and décor items, visit Safe House, Mixi Concept Store and Onar Candles.

Kids

The Playmobil Fun Park (Amaliados 4 & Kalavryton) is a playground, where young children will enjoy playing with all sizes of PLAYMOBIL toys. For interesting gifts, visit the Pehnidospito specialty toy store (20 Kiriazi) where most toys are made of wood.
Authentic toys from wood.

Pampering

Why not get a massage when you’re in Kifissia? Le Hammam (8 Agiou Trifonos) is a great place for that. With décor and a steam room reminiscent of the original hammams in Constantinople and signature therapies using spices and oils, you’re in for a treat. A little out of Kifissia (15/20 minutes drive) is the Orloff Spa at Life Gallery (103 Thisseos Leoforos, Ekali) where the therapies on offer are also highly reputed.

Insights Greece - Best Things to Do in Kifissia
Nice N Easy for farm to table dishes

Dining

As with the shopping scene, there’s much to discover here in this area depending on your tastes and needs, but some of the most popular hangouts are Nice N Easy (Papadiamanti 7) for delicious farm-to-table food made with Greek ingredients but inspired by Hollywood stars, Artisanal for Mediterranean cuisine, Buba Bistro Exotique (Papadiamanti 4) for Thai/Asian/Mediterranean cuisine, Blue Pine (Panagi Tsaldari 37) for classic French dining, To Koutouki (Kifissias Ave 308), Vathis (Kirou 7) and Elaias Gi (Dexamenis 4) for classic Greek cooking (the latter more on the fine dining scale), Monzu (Leof. Kifisias 317b) an Italian restaurant and spritzeria, the Dalliance House (Kiriazi 19,) for brunch and mingling, and new luxury steakhouse Drakoulis Dry & Raw (Pentelis 1).

How to get there: Kifissia is reachable by bus (550 or A7 from central Athens bus stops), the HSAP green line and by taxi (around 25-50 minutes at a cost of 11-17 euros, depending on traffic).

Main images Courtesy of The Dalliance House 

Taking it Nice N Easy at Athens’ Top Farm-to-Table Restaurant

Ahead of its time, when Nice N Easy opened in Kolonaki in 2008 it introduced a way of eating to the Greek public that was relatively unknown at the time: food that’s designed to be delicious as well as highly nutritious.

Vegetarians and vegans can find numerous options to suit their dietary needs, while meat-eaters can choose from dishes made with well-farmed meats. Since then, owners Eirini, Dimitris and Chris (the latter being the executive chef) have developed a loyal clientele by continuing to serve top quality farm-to-table, organic food made with ingredients sourced from small producers. Today, Nice N Easy can be found in Kolonaki as well as Kifissia and Mykonos.

Type of cuisine? Farm-to-table Mediterranean – North American – Fusion. Healthy comfort food with a sophisticated, contemporary style.

Type of eatery? An all-day restaurant with a well-curated menu that offers plenty of options for every taste. Stylish, modern, spacious and fun, both because of its décor and its friendly, professional service. You can dress up or dress down, there’s no pressure to look the part.

Insights Greece - Taking it Nice N Easy at Athens’ Top Farm-to-Table Restaurant

The low down… The Kolonaki restaurant has become one of my favourite hangouts, not only for its endless options of delicious and healthy dishes but also because of its buzzy, uplifting ambiance – which truly is nice n easy! – and chic but unpretentious crowd. Open-air in summer and enclosed by transparent curtains in the colder months, its outdoorsiness is pleasant, and not only for Covid-related reasons. It has become my ideal place to meet friends on a Friday night for a wonderful bottle of wine (the wine list includes many Greek and international labels of the highest quality) or cocktail and a large selection of tasty bites. It’s also great for a Sunday brunch, whether you’re craving creamy, oozy eggs benedict (here served both in the classic rendition and a Greek version) or super healthy Spa Omelet or avocado toast and juice-veggie smoothies.

Insights Greece - Taking it Nice N Easy at Athens’ Top Farm-to-Table Restaurant

 Décor/ Ambience? Having spent many years working in the food industry and often catering for Hollywood in the US, co-owner Dimitris brought with him his love of the golden years of the world’s most stellar film industry. The restaurant’s menu and décor are thus themed on legendary film stars and their incandescent glamour. Eat under the gaze of Frank Sinatra and Marylin Monroe, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Entrees? If you’re here for wine and bites in the middle, go for the Laurence Olivier lollipop-style chicken wings, the Anne Baxter fried calamari on a tarama spread, the Marvin Gaye grilled meatballs with sweet potato hummus or the Diana Ross fresh tuna tartare with fresh and dried strawberries. Other good entrees are the Otis Redding buffalo burrata with pistachio pesto and the Power Bowl with quinoa, sweet potato, pomegranate, beluga lentils and avocado.

Mains? The mains include a vegan menu, pasta dishes, burgers and meat or fish-based dishes. Meat eaters should try the Clark Gable slow-cooked pata negra steak, Marlon Brando cheeseburger with caramelised onions, coleslaw and pickled cucumbers while vegans can choose the Cary Grant burger. For a twist of healthy Asian flavour don’t miss out on the Brigitte Bardot konjac root noodles, and for a hearty Italian-inspired pasta dish try the Sophia Loren with skioufihta traditional pasta, gruyere, wild mushrooms and truffle paste.

Something to drink? With a quality wine and cocktail menu, there are numerous choices to enjoy, and you can ask the restaurant’s sommelier for pairing advice too. If you want a cocktail that’s in your thirsty imagination rather than the menu, feel free to ask the barman to create it for you.

Desserts: When it comes to sweets, Nice N Easy likes to indulge its visitors with classic American and European specialties like Banoffee pie, Profiterole and Galaktoboureko. However, if you’d rather stick to your healthy eating plan, they produce a fantastic – lactose and sugar free – ice cream made by a specialist gelato artisan in Greece with olive oil and served in hazelnut, vanilla, chocolate and mango flavours.

Price range? Around 35 € per head for a three-course meal excluding drinks

Location?  Omirou 60 & Skoufa, Kolonaki

Opening hours/days? Daily, 9:00 – 24:00