Fresh, colorful and (most of the times) super healthy are some of the words that come to mind when thinking back to my first time at Marketta near Syntagma, a proper salad and sandwich bar you’ve got to try.
I recently found myself on a lunch break downtown and in need of a quick yet healthy fix. With no time to spare I headed to Marketta which was a long overdue pin on my map that I wanted to try. It was way past lunchtime for most when I entered this very quiet and bright dining room. With a tight menu and most of the options displayed up front, it was easy to be sold to their kale salad with lentils and a citrusy zest.
As I started talking to the waiter I couldn’t help but notice the nice array of culinary memorabilia on the wall, alongside a couple of fluffy loafs of freshly-baked focaccia bread that I decided to resist. The cook then peeked out of the prep room to emphasise on the handmade nature of it and the best of ingredients they use, enough to make me want to try it. Moments later, the couple offered a slice of it with some extra virgin olive oil on the side that sent me to heaven. A divine and delicate touch of the best focaccia bread I’ve tried in Greece!
Erica and George, a couple in life and originally from Toronto, were running a bar in Folegandros in the 2000s until their daughter was born in 2012 and decided to go back to Canada. A trip that was marked with ominous marks right off the bat when the guy sitting next to them on their flight to Toronto had a heart attack en route to overseas. There were a few others including a hospital visit on the very first day in Canada that eventually led them to making it back to Greece very soon after. Together, they launched Marketta just before the pandemic catering to professionals and travelers around Syntagma square, in need of tasty salads for their lunch break.
Fast forward to today and the place has now picked up regulars that come here for the fresh and heealthy ingredients that Erica uses as well as for the warm hospitality they offer. The menu features many different salads with beetbouleh, a tabouleh with beets, bulgur, berries and herbs, ranking high on the list. But what also caught my eye is the guilty pleasure sandwich with crispy chicken, radicchio salad and mayo on their delicious focaccia bread that I soon will come back to try!
