Evripidou Street Market, Athens

Upon leaving Central Market, follow your nose to the rich scents wafting from nearby Evripidou Street, leading you to yet another colorful location on the food map of Athens. This street itself is split into sections, each with its own category: fresh fruits and veggies, dried fruits and nuts, dairy products, and an array of spices and herbs. There's no shortage of what you can find here, really!

One of the shops particularly worth checking out is ELIXIR at No. 41 (open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 3pm), where, apart from top-quality herbs and spices, you will find 'spatholado' – a miraculous deep-red oil with a history of being used by soldiers to heal wounds dating back to ancient times. Sitting next door is the venerable Armenian butcher shop, ARAPIAN, renowned for its marvelous sausages, pastourma, soutzouki, and the basterma specialty: a dehydrated meat (available in beef, camel, goat, or lamb) seasoned with a flavorful paste of cumin, fenugreek, garlic, and hot paprika, typically served in thin slices.

In continuation of the meat theme, the adjacent shop, MIRAN (at Evripidou 45, open Monday through Saturday from 7am to 8pm), also owned by Greek Armenians, is a paradise for cold cut lovers. Established in 1922, this place produces an impressive array of cured meats and cheeses, with around 30 varieties of salami, pastourma, soutzouki (their specialty), and other treats, along with a selection of loose spices and cheeses. A seated tasting area allows you to sample their products and, and they'll gladly vacuum-pack for travel takeaway.

As you explore further, you'll encounter several small eateries serving traditional dishes and 'patsa' (tripe soup); these stay open until the wee hours, making them popular choices for night owls and partygoers looking to alleviate their hangovers.