Cockfosters has a surprising amount of Greek businesses, marking a stop for the slowly-building trail of affluent north Londoners exiting the capital for Hertfordshire. The area now has outposts of familiar Greek-Cypriot businesses like Kiki’s butcher, but the two family-run tavernas that popularised the place are Blue Olive and Deserie. Blue Olive is more traditional, with a decent takeaway service at the front, a large seating area, and a mezze that starts at a reasonable £25 per person. Some in the community reckon the souvlaki is the very best. Deserie meanwhile is an upmarket, modern, white-tablecloth taverna — mezze at £33 per person — where diners can enjoy calamari, dolmades stuffed vine leaves, and a very popular grilled octopus. If looking for quality traditional cooking in a modern space, Deserie is the place, and the leafy, quiet environs of Cockfosters make both restaurants a satisfying respite from the city.

When Wilton arrived in Southgate in 2008, it almost immediately became the social epicentre of the area — where the community gossips over strong coffee and eats scrumptious wedges of syrup-drenched, nutty baklava and kataifi. The first Wilton opened in Cyprus in 1986, and it’s remained family-run ever since. For north Londoners especially, it’s certainly worth passing the time enjoying the Greek coffee, mingling with the locals outside, and sampling a selection of small, fried tyganita, especially the tahini-pie tahinopita and daktyla, made from crushed almonds and orange blossom water.

A real hole-in-the-wall spot gaining cult status with young members of north London’s Cypriot community. Alex’s is a simple affair, most notable for a staple of Cyprus street food: the beloved zestosandoutiz. Literally, a “hot sandwich,” it’s a toasted roll made with a Greek sesame-seed loaf and filled traditionally with the pick of smoked hams, sausages, eggs, and halloumi, of course. As for the soups, he sells a delicious avgolemono, the famed thick, creamy egg, rice, and lemon soup, but it’s worth trying the trahana, made with cracked wheat flour and goat milk curd, filled with generously cut chunks of halloumi. Whatever diners decide, they should grab a Kean — a popular Greek soft drink — from the fridge, take the spoils outside and watch a serious game of backgammon unfold on the tables.

Ask a member of North London’s Cypriot community where the most classic taverna is, and all ages are likely to shout: “Babinondas!” The mezze here is one of the most famous in the area, and starts at £25 per person. But there’s also do a midweek “mini” mezze of seven dishes and a main which costs a more-than-fair £14.95, if not exceedingly hungry. In some ways, Babinondas is more than a restaurant. Many people hold birthdays, or engagement parties, here when parties are allowed: Various Cypriot organisations have monthly get-togethers in the large dining room; and there’s a locally famous “Greek Night” with a special mezze menu, a band, and the inevitable dancing. One to look forward to in 2021. The Babinondas name has become so legendary, that they’ve even branched out into making their own wine.

Perhaps the most legendary Greek Cypriot bakery in London. For decades, Aroma has been supplying the community with syrupy sweets, bread, and impressively decorated cakes for christenings, weddings, and birthdays. Led by Andreas Ioannou, this family-run patisserie is well known for koupes, a Cypriot street food made of crunchy cigar-shaped bulgur wheat and filled with spiced pork or mushrooms, often bought in bulk for family occasions. In summer, locals line up for the rose-flavoured ice cream, and throughout the year, a box of loukoumades, fried doughnuts sticky with syrup and infused with cinnamon, make an ideal souvenir if the cargo actually makes it home.

Of all London’s souvlatzidiko, Paneri is the one most resembling the experience in Cyprus — the inviting smell of grilled meat cooking slowly over coal, wafting through the streets; wicker chairs placed haphazardly outside; and chatty regulars surrounding the place. The thing to go for here is the “mix” kebab, which is a giant Cypriot pitta stuffed with salted pork souvlaki, thickly-cut tomatoes and cucumber, and the house specialty, sheftalies — pork and offal sausages wrapped in caul fat. There’s a homely seating area in the back where households can order mezze and other classic Greek dishes, too. Paneri is the go-to for most people seeking out souvlaki in the area. 

Myddleton Road is the last distinctly Greek pocket in Wood Green. But some things never change. For decades, the blue Vrisakis sign has been inviting hungry Greeks and non-Greeks alike to experience the city’s most famous souvlaki. Photographs of nineties and early-noughties celebrities fight for space on the wall, from when the restaurant was once a trendy, secret gem. It’s no longer much of a secret, but it’s still a gem. As well as the grill, it does a respectable mezze offering, known for gargantuan portions, and everything from the food decor reflects the character of a classic London-Greek establishment. But: the souvlaki is not the move here. Instead go for the doner kebab, which is made daily on the premises and filled with freshly chopped onion and parsley, a new addition to late-night memories of the slowly rotating elephant’s foot.

When Gordon Ramsay aired Retsina on The F Word a few years back, he confirmed what Belsize Park locals already knew about owner and chef, Zita Mina: She makes arguably the best kleftiko in the whole city. For over three decades, this taverna has been a constant in the community, with the family working both kitchen and front-of-house, adding a personal warmth to the incredible mezze. That includes a popular tabouli/tabbouleh, and calamari prepared in various ways. But it’s always about that slow-braised lamb shoulder; cooked for hours by Zita herself, and falling from the bone with a sigh. The place is so familial, the chef sometimes pops out of the kitchen to greet the satisfied guests, sharing stories and suggesting pairings from the impressive list of Greek wines.

In 1988, Pantelis and his late wife Rosanna opened Aphrodite to bring a little corner of Cyprus to Bayswater. Ever since, the restaurant has attracted both locals and celebrities through its doors, greeted by the jovial and charming Pantelis. Today, it is one of London’s most beloved Greek tavernas. The decor is bright and intimate — like stepping into someone’s living room — and many of the dishes follow Pantelis’ own recipe. The creamy, homemade smoked taramasalata is a must, as is the moussaka and chicken souvlaki. But Pantelis is most proud of is his tender oven-baked kleftiko, made using closely-guarded family secrets.

The charmingly slapdash decor, with walls covered by pots, pans, family photographs, and flags is always a good sign for a Greek restaurant. Chef Angelo runs the kitchen, while his wife Maria greets and serves diners, and the restaurant has a reputation for both the quality of service and the homely, flavourful cooking. Retsina and Mousaka serve dishes like Yayya (that’s grandma) makes them — no picture perfect plates here, just large, overflowing portions of comfort food. The meat mezze is amongst the most affordable on this list, at £22, but there’s also a fish mezze for £25, which includes the popular butterfly king prawns, marinated in olive oil, oregano, and lemon juice, and cooked slowly over a charcoal grill.

If south of the river, it’s easy to feel starved of good Hellenic spots to eat in. While south London’s Greek and Greek-Cypriot communities have moved on, mostly to Kent, bakeries like Sophocles are still thriving from the clientele that never left, who still arrive each morning for a cup of coffee, a chin-wag, and a fairly-priced selection of Greek sweets. The sandwiches at Sophocles are especially popular, using Cypriot special ingredients like smoky lountza and halloumi, as well as typical cafe fillings, It’s worth a visit to experience a long-established and beloved tribute to a sadly fading community.

George was the original founder of the Old Bexley Greek Taverna, and although that restaurant is still family-run, still a great spot, what George took with him was irreplaceable. Unlike most of the addresses on this list, George is from Greece, not Cyprus, and accordingly Mythos, not Keo, is the house beer. When he opened up in Welling, locals were glad to reunite with a beloved local legend, who’d been feeding them for decades. Unlike Bexley Village, George’s is a far more relaxed and intimate affair, offering a souvlaki takeaway and a menu of classic dishes prepared with rice, potatoes, and an inviting horiatiko salad. Diners that want something more casual but no less delicious are in very good hands with George.

As with New Malden and its Korean community, the distant borough of Bexley at first seems an unlikely place for a large Greek community. Why Bexley? The Orthodox Church in nearby Welling might go some way in explaining. But this means that anyone in or around south east London or Kent can eat exceptional mezze at long-standing and lively family-run restaurants like the Old Bexley Greek Taverna. The menu here is filled with rarer dishes from Grecian home-cooking like afelia, pork slowly-cooked in red wine and crushed coriander seeds, as well as mezze classics. For starters, try the decadent saganaki, deep fried goat’s cheese, and spetzofai, Greek-style sausages cooked slowly with aubergines and wine. This is also perhaps the most vegetarian-friendly option on the list.