A new trend is emerging throughout the Mediterranean and we kinda like it: a growing number of food artists and restauranteurs are bringing street food indoors. There’s a new joint in Cairo that serves Egyptian classics in a fresh, contemporary setting and now there is Souk – a vibrant space in Athens, Greece that serves up delicious Lebanese dishes around the clock! Designed by K Studio, this delightful eatery combines industrial-chic design with Islamic accents, creating a friendly, warm atmosphere.
If you’re not into downloading recipes or cooking your own Lebanese food and you happen to live in Athens, Greece, then you’ll definitely want to pop into Souk. (Otherwise, drool over these charming images and feel inspired.)
Many of the Lebanese dishes we’ve all grown to love, including Manaoushi, Saj and Taouk, are prepared in full view of the customer in a clean but colorful environment.
A series of small design touches give this Souk something of an Islamic sensibility in keeping with the ethnic cuisine.
Gorgeous brown and white lamps that mimic ceramic pots dangle from the roof, cut outs in the walls resemble mashrabiya screens and colorful mosaic tiles line the adorn the floor. Note these are subtle interventions that inspire comfort rather than alienation.
Reinforcing the street element of this charming indoor restaurant are neon signs, a mish mash of minimalist furniture, including long light timber tables and chairs of different stripes and hues.
Stripped timber slats line the kiosks, which are flanked by black boards on which the daily menu is scribbled with white chalk.
Like many contemporary designers in the Arab world, K Studio has infused this contemporary urban space with the best of Lebanon’s cultural and culinary heritage. And though we haven’t actually sampled it ourselves, we hear the food is pretty darn good.
But don’t take our word for it… head to the Glyfada suburbs and make up your own mind.
:: Yatzer
Photos © Vangelis Paterakis
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
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