Souvlakia o Thymios: Athens’ newest traditional souvlatzidiko in Ymittos

March 2026, brothers Giorgos and Thimios opened a souvlatzidiko inspired by their favourite traditional Athenian souvlatzidika in their neighbourhood of Ymitto. It’s Athens’ newest traditional souvlatzidiko, and it represents everything that makes Greece, its cuisine and its national street food an example for the rest of the western world to follow.

Souvlaki resistance

While it’s impossible to talk about food in 2026 without acknowledging the rise in ultra-processed foods in developed economies, the trend of chains and multinationals snatching market share from independents, as well as the political, economic and environmental factors threatening the very existence of the agricultural foundations of the Mediterranean diet and all good food, Greece’s national street food continues to cut against the grain, even while those alarming changes have reached its stores. Likewise, despite decades of attempts to commercialise souvlaki (and gyros) and its few core components (factory-made pites, sauces and souvlaki skewers/gyros), we are seeing a backlash. And the backlash is loud and clear: we want our national streetfood to retain its honest, authentic, natural, personal, traditional form.

Tradition is cool: Athens’ newest souvlatzidika

You’re looking at the latest member of a wave of new traditional souvlatzidika in Athens that guard Thermopyles. Souvlakia o Thimios joins the likes of Volvi, Petmeza, Nicaragua and Komple, which form a class of 2020s Athenian souvlatzidika openings that have reset—corrected—the trajectory of our national street food. They take inspiration from the traditional format and focus on good, mostly-handmade components, yet each with their own distinct character. Local food writers and content creators have rushed to welcome them - so much so that Souvlakination is relatively late to the party. And, for that, I’m glad.

Traditional Souvlakia at Thymios

Pita, tomato, onion, parsley, with smokey, tender pork kalamaki and tzatziki, or a herby, aromatic, keftedaki-esque bifteki with a nod to Athens’ widespread souvlaki tradition of a homemade tomato sauce, together with a homemade giaourtiou (yoghurt-mustard based souvlatzidiko sauce).

The salsa in particular is distinctly aromatic, with good a good kick of cloves, nutmeg and bay leaf. A retrospective look at Marina Petridou’s write up on Gastronomos confirms that it is in fact a spetsieriko-based sauce - spetsieriko being Corfu’s traditional spice mix that forms the base of pastitsada and red sauces on the island, which also commonly accompany souvlakia in Corfu as well as many traditional souvlatzidika in Athens.

No factory fries; instead you see fresh, house-cut fries - not in the pita, but served separately, as well as with the moreish keftedakia. The souvlakia in pites from half-a-century-old Stamatis bakery in Peristeri.

Greece wins because tradition wins again – because Greeks recognise that it’s better than everything that has followed it. Both in terms of taste and health. If it’s not broken, no need to fix it. Just protect it.

📍 Souvlakia o Thimios, Konstantinoupoleos 2, Imittos 172 37, Athens, Greece 🇬🇷