Psst! Wanna piece of the best pizza in Greece? Here's a little secret
These luxe puffy pies will make you sad for all the rest
The opening of the ATRIUM of Alexander's Lounge, an outdoor “secret garden” located on the first floor of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, last month was a veritable who’s who of Athenian society. Olive trees, laurels, small cypresses and flowers perfectly blended with the elegant surroundings, away from the city’s soundscape while still in the heart of Athens.
As the sun went down, Executive Chef Asterios Koustoudis and his culinary team invited us to discover the “Il Giardino Segreto” in order to enjoy a unique aperitivo while savoring authentic Italian accompaniments prepared in his open kitchen using carefully selected Mediterranean ingredients that elevated the taste experience. No one present could resist the delicious aroma wafting from the garden’s oven while baking six different styles of handmade sourdough pizza with fine organic tomato sauce and special international cheese varieties and crispy focaccia with olive oil and sea salt for the bruschetta of your choice.
The cheese selection of the menu features Greek cheese specialties including truffle graviera, manoura from Sifnos, aged kaseri from Sohos, and is served with the special cold cut of the day featuring Jamon Iberico, Prosciutto San Daniele, Sbriciolona among others. Thinly sliced on the spot with the impressive red vintage machine, it will land on your table paired with artichokes from Tinos island, ‘salami’ made of fig and olives. Not to be missed are the delicious panzanella salad with sweet cherry tomatoes and buffalo burrata from Kerkini as well as the famous Spanish anchovies with your bruschetta.
To satisfy a sweet tooth, Pastry Chef Alexandros Koufas prepares daily a velvety handcrafted gelato selection with high quality natural ingredients and fresh seasonal fruit as well as the renowned Baba Napoletano dessert with citrus syrup, Aegina pistachio and vanilla-mascarpone cream.
In this unique atmosphere, the award-winning bartenders of the historic hotel, compose refreshing aperitifs and cocktails to complete the experience while the remarkable wine list features selected wines from Tuscany, Piemonte and Sicily, also available by the glass. For the cigar aficionados, the ATRIUM of Alexander’s Lounge features a worth-exploring variety of perfectly preserved cigars.
Anyway, when in Athens, skip the subpar pizzerias — well, we do like this place — and hit the ATRIUM of Alexander’s Lounge, the most elegant summer city escape to unwind and recharge and enjoy some molto fantastico pizza and sophisticated urban refreshment.