I concluded my first review of Pharaoh in June 2023 with the following thoughts: "Pharaoh did not hesitate to boldly showcase Greek tradition in a new light on the terrace of 2023, placing it in a fresh and more liberated—or, if you prefer, more approachable— era, one that I hope will give it back the platform it has always deserved but sadly lacked over the years. Achieving this would be no small thing." A year and a half later, I would only change the last sentence: They have succeeded and then some.
Over the past year and a half, I ate at Pharaoh four times, and each experience surpassed the last. Remarkably, Chef Manolis Papoutsakis wasn`t in the kitchen during any of my visits, demonstrating his ability to effectively coach his team to maintain such high standards. This momentum was also reflected at The FNL Best Restaurant Awards, where Pharaoh not only earned a star but also climbed to third place on The List of the ten most exciting restaurants in Greece for 2024.
The reasons that led the judging panel of the FNL gastronomic Awards to this decision become evident each time I dine at Pharaoh. Firstly, it is the restaurant that serves by far the best traditional Greek cuisine in Athens, approached with a culinary ethos that reflects the chef`s deep knowledge of its history, nutritional value, and remarkable diversity of ingredients, recipes, and regional flavours.
The flexibility that Chef Papoutsakis exhibits in incorporating specialties from various parts of Greece into the menu, frequently updating the restaurant`s dishes, is impressive. But how does he approach these dishes? He certainly doesn`t modernise them. Nor does he filter them through any creative lens or experiment with them. Instead, he delves deep into their flavours, refining them with culinary techniques and exceptional ingredients. In this way, he updates them while ensuring that authenticity and tradition remain at the heart of his dishes.
During my most recent visit, I was once again blown away by his incredible savore, a sauce made with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and flour. Meanwhile, the green beans topped with feta were not only infused with nostalgic memories but also bursting with delightful aromas and a light, refreshing flavour. I enjoyed crayfish cooked to perfection, with the flesh remaining crispy, alongside shrimp served in a raw style with a delicious butter that subtly nods to bistronomy.
His boureki is genuinely one of a kind, and I hope never leaves the Pharaoh menu. The meatballs were juicy, with a deeply delicious yet refined meaty flavour. As for the lamb chops, they were perfectly cooked, emerging from the fire with beautifully caramelised fat and tender, flavourful meat.
The only aspect that left me wanting more was the dessert. While I found the chocolate dessert at Pharaoh to be quite good and respectable, I had hoped for something a bit more memorable to cap off the meal.
Pharaoh offers a unique dining experience that goes far beyond the food. The restaurant`s extensive wine list, inviting atmosphere, and attentive service all come together to create a truly memorable meal. By reconnecting a diverse audience with authentic Greek cuisine, Pharaoh not only honours and revitalises tradition but also establishes a new standard within its category in Athens, thus reaching the maturity to elevate its rating to 7.5/10.
- Pharaoh
- Phone: (+30) 210 3808412
- Address: 54 Solomou, Athens 106 82, , Αθήνα
- Website: https://www.pharaoh.gr/
- Open: Monday-Saturday, dinner, Friday & Saturday, lunch.
- Price per person (€)*: 50 - 70
- * we do our best to reflect the actual price range per-person of a full meal including first and main courses, desert, water and half a bottle of wine or one beer depending on the type of restaurant.
- 0 - 4
- Poor
- 4.5 - 5
- Average
- 5.5
- Acceptable
- 6 - 6.5
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- 7 - 7.5
- Very Good
- 8 - 8.5
- Outstanding
- 9 - 10
- Excellent
0 - 4 | 4.5 - 5 | 5.5 | 6 - 6.5 | 7 - 7.5 | 8 - 8.5 | 9 - 10 |
Poor | Average | Acceptable | Good | Very Good | Outstanding | Excellent |
*"arrow-symbol": the up arrow to the right of the rating, if it appears, symbolizes a restaurant that is close to moving up to the next ranking rung. |
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