Tzatziki sauce has played a pivotal role in Western history, from its appearance at the Athenian assembly’s first pizza party to its indelible smears on the edges of the manuscript of Homer’s Odyssey. Eat history with this Groupon.
$20 for $40 Worth of Greek Cuisine and Drinks
The menu includes halloumi saganaki ($8), featuring aged cow’s milk that’s set aflame; kabobs with chicken, beef, lamb, or shrimp and salmon ($14–$19); and beeftekia with char-grilled beef cakes accompanied by tzatziki sauce and fries ($14).
Taverna Plaka
Long after dinner hours, guests at Taverna Plaka may feel as though they've stumbled into a Greek wedding party. Ouzo and wine flow as belly dancers swivel to Mediterranean techno spun by a DJ on the outdoor patio. Meanwhile, staffers lead revelers in throwing napkins, breaking plates, and cheering Greek chants. These festivities align with the restaurant's name, which pays homage to the ancient Plaka neighborhood in Athens, which, according to mythology, was the earthly place where gods once drank, danced, and exchanged balloon animals with mortals.
Proprietor Stelios Kyriacou's menus are equally authentic, anchored in old family recipes. Tzatziki, hummus, and eggplant spreads complement orders of horiatiki salad, lamb kabobs, and grilled salmon with lemon potatoes and spinach, as do specialty beverages such as the Greek Crush—a blend of Level vodka, blue curacao, and pineapple juice. Servers ferry flavors across stone-tiled floors between exposed brick walls and a bar backed by rows of Mediterranean spirits and neoclassical columns.