Hungry for authentic Greece in North London?

The Venue
Tucked away in Bounds Green, North London, first timers would be forgiven for double taking when they approach Vrisaki; but past your typical kebab shop front and the queues of people waiting for their take away lamb kebabs, is the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is much larger than you would expect and is tightly packed with large family- and party-sized tables. Village-style Greek memorabilia adorns the walls, but thankfully stop just short of tacky. Authentic Greece at its best.

The Atmosphere
Because the restaurant sits on a residential road rather than a high street, it attracts locals through word of mouth. It is however, still packed every weekend, with each diner secretly nodding to themselves that they are one of the lucky few in the know. Everyone immediately gets a warm welcome from the waiters as they enter, all of whom are male and are proud at having worked there for over 10 years in their family run business. A treat that is rarely seen in London, but is more common on the continent, these men have made a dignified career out of waiting tables rather than as waiters in temporary jobs for quick cash.

The Food
The very best of reasonably priced, Greek food is freshly prepared on these premises, but people come from miles around to enjoy the meze. A tip from the regulars is to opt out of lunch during the day to prepare for the five enormous courses of the meze: a crazy amount of dishes, not an inch of space on the table is visible. From tzatziki and beautifully cooked calamari, to grilled halloumi cheese, they all taste so delicious that you have to be sparing with the hot pita bread so there is room for the last course of succulent charcoal-grilled skewers of lamb, pork and chicken and gorgeous king prawns. This is all helped along with their large, tasty Greek salads that are generously coated in olive oil and lemon juice dressing.

The Drink
Alcoholic beverages for every budget are served from the small bar in the middle of the room, offering a range of Greek and continental beers as well as the traditional Greek spirits.

The Last Word
Vrisaki is a hidden gem that will not disappoint.

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