Taverna Mahairitsa

Where the Immortals’ Lodge meets the meat market, a regular feast is set up with live music. Periklis Spyridou, together with Thodoris Niotis, who has been running the homonymous butcher across the street for years, opened Machairitsa. The name came from the lyrics of “Mes si hasapiki agora”, a song by Markos Vamvakaris performed by Stella Haskill, and the idea came from the owners’ desire to liven up the market a bit, to keep the action going even when the shops are closing. They want the Central Market to become a stop, as in all European countries. Friday and Saturday evenings, but also on Sundays at noon, they have live music and singing. People respond very warmly to the program of folk songs and rebetikas, which lasts until two in the morning, and the dances that sometimes extend beyond the limits of the tables, to the butchers’ logs. From the open kitchen comes bream, squid and other fish and meat, which are procured from the market, while in the corner you will also see the fire pits that are slow-roasting lamb with potatoes.