The Aegean too hot in August these days? Never mind: a trio of smart new tavernas in central London will make it easier than ever for stay-at-homes to enjoy a taste of Greece this summer.
First to launch this week was Maza in Bruton Place, off Berkeley Square, from Christina Mouratoglou and Adrien Carre, the couple behind Mazi and Suzi Tros in Notting Hill. Self-described as a “love letter to Athens, written in Mayfair” and inspired by 1980s tavernas, it offers “classic Athenian cuisine” (Pork belly gyros with pitta and tzatziki; Grilled lobster with lobster rice; Fish of the day; Pistachio baklava ice-cream sandwich) backed up an all-Greek wine list.
This will be followed next week by the opening of the opulent-sounding Jul’s in a high-ceilinged former bank building on Waterloo Place in St James’s, which promises “drink-led dining” for the “ultimate hedonistic experience“, along with a “Greek-inspired yet unmistakably Mediterranean” menu from chef Christos Fotos.
The original Jul’s made its debut in Ibiza in 2018, and the team has a restaurant in Athens called Humain.
This month will also see the arrival of Taverna Ermou in James Street, Marylebone, from Greek hospitality group Ergon. Named and modelled after its flagship neighbourhood taverna on Ermou Street in Athens, it has a menu from culinary director Panagiotis Xanthis based around traditional Greek dishes, with a focus on fish.
Ergon already has cafe-delis in Maddox Street, Mayfair and Westfield Stratford, and later this year will open a restaurant and retail venue in Covent Garden called Ergon House. Thomas Douzis, who co-founded the business with his brother George, says more venues are likely to follow as the city embraces the brand: “Our early presence here helped introduce Greek food in a more contemporary way, and the response from Londoners has always been incredibly warm.”
