Bandiera — Restaurant in Athens

So good we visited twice!

Andreas and his staff are excellent. Friendly, welcoming and very helpful. The location is quite impressive and the food is exceptional. From the grilled vegetables & halluomi, stifado and chicken souvlaki we had on our evening visit to the pork escalope appetiser and Bandiera salad at lunchtime. Being new to Greek wine, our waitress happily stepped in and after hearing what red wine we preferred recommended two and provided samples of both. The one we chose was a fantastic, slightly on the heavy side red wine called Mega Spileo, Grand Cave Red 2016 from Achaia, Greece.

On both visits the food we had was delicious and it was clean plates all round. Bizarrely at the conclusion of your meal a very nice dessert is offered on the house. On our evening visit we kindly refused this as we had eaten enough but Andreas immediately came back to our table with two shot glasses of Mastiha which is a Greek digestive produced from mastika resin on the Greek island of Chios.

Looking back what stood out from other restaurants is that the owner, Andreas takes time to visit each table and engage in a short conversation, essentially welcoming guests and asking which country they were visiting from. We heard him speak French, Spanish, English and of course Greek. A genuine touch by an owner who likes to make guests feel welcome and know that their visit is much appreciated. On our second visit we had a longer conversation about St Andrew and how he is the patron Saint of Scotland, Greece, Barbados and Ukraine amongst other nations. Andreas was delighted to see we had returned and informed us that St Andrew was crucified on a cross in his home town of Patras.

Both our visits can only be described as excellent and thanks to Andreas and his fabulous team. Highly recommended if you’re in or nearby the Psyri...

We had a larger group of people of 7 dine at the restaurant. Initially we were trying to go to another place in the vicinity but they did not have availability and we saw that Bandiera had good reviews.

Interior/location: The inside was super cute and cozy. It was nice weather outside but they didn’t have a large enough patio to accommodate our group so we sat inside.

Appetizers: We ordered appetizers including the fava bean dip (tasted a lot like Indian yellow lentils but less seasoning and spices), the Aubergine sahanaki (very yummy), grilled veggies with halloumi (there were very few pieces of halloumi sadly but it was deliciously grilled and smoky).

Entrees: For mains I had the moussaka which was good and tasted like an Aubergine lasagna (minus cheese) and my partner had the chicken souvlaki. We felt that the souvlaki had no seasoning and was lacking taste and dry, although the presentation was cool. My friends had the octopus which they enjoyed, the lamb which was just ok, and chicken breast with creamy mustard sauce which was probably the best dish.

Dessert: the restaurant was nice and gave a free traditional Greek dessert. I can’t recall the name, however for me it was too sweet. That being said, free dessert is always nice!

Service: Initially we were attended to and staff would come by to take our order. However as the meal went on, we asked for drinks or food items that never ended up getting served. It was also confusing to know who our server was. Paying for the meal was confusing as well although they did double check to make sure we didn’t get charged for something we never were served

Ultimately a decent meal although there were some...

A Refined Dining Experience at Bandiera

Bandiera presents a charming ambiance, with tasteful decor that creates an inviting and sophisticated atmosphere. The service strikes a balance between attentive and unobtrusive, welcoming enough to make guests feel comfortable, though not remarkably polished.

The seafood pasta showcases the restaurant’s ability to craft well-balanced flavors. Made with hilopites(traditional Greek egg pasta), the dish is elevated by a rich, perfectly seasoned tomato base that strikes an ideal harmony of sweetness and acidity. The seafood selection, while not flawless (the squid was slightly overcooked, and the shrimp lacked the expected freshness) still complements the pasta beautifully. The inclusion of hilopites adds a delightful local twist, making this dish a standout.

The tomahawk pork steak, impressive in size, delivers a satisfying but not extraordinary experience. While the cut is substantial and cooked decently, the outer layer suffers from slight dryness, causing it to lose some of its succulence. That said, the novelty of a pork tomahawk, an uncommon presentation, makes it worth trying for those seeking something different.

A thoughtful gesture, the complimentary dessert rounded off the meal on a sweet note.

Final Thoughts: Bandiera offers a pleasant dining experience with flashes of brilliance, particularly in its seafood pasta. While not every element reaches excellence, the restaurant’s inviting atmosphere and creative takes on classic dishes make it a worthwhile visit. With slight refinements in execution, particularly in protein preparation, it could easily ascend from good...