Tartufo Cucina Italiana: Flavours of modern Italian cuisine in Athens

Tartufo Cucina Italiana, owned by Tasos and Dimos Helmis, opened at the end of 2023 in the Athens neighbourhood of Psirri and has since emerged as a culinary hot spot.

The restaurant occupies a large space that joins Pittaki Street, where one entrance is located, with the pedestrian street of Agias Theklas, where tables are set up. It offers guests dinner under the sounds and sights of the Greek capital.

On the ground floor of Tartufo, the bar stands out, while on the lower floor - in the central area of the restaurant with its warm earthy colours and careful decoration - the open kitchen draws the eye, as well as the large oven and the wine cellar, with labels from Italian and the Greek vineyards.

Tartufo's menu is by Italian chef Pino Saccheri and Alexandro Lazouli, executive chef of the School Pizza Bar group of the Helmis brothers.

The restaurant starts the day with breakfast and ends with dinner.

Breakfast and brunch are dominated by egg dishes, with plenty of filled focaccia and sweet options. Among these dishes are scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, slices of cucumber and brioche bread; eggs benedict with prosciutto; poached eggs with guacamole, tomato, onion and shrimp; focaccia with prosciutto, mozzarella, mayonnaise with basil and arugula; and, vegetarian focaccia with basil pesto, grilled vegetables and mozzarella, as well as different types of croissants and pancakes with hazelnut praline and walnuts.

The dinner menu includes creative appetisers, excellent salads, rich risotto and pasta, and hearty main courses, including osso di Vitello with beef marrow; shrimp ceviche, parsley and chilli; gorgonzola with arugula, spinach, bresaola, poached pear and gorgonzola mousse; pesto Genovese with pine nuts, burrata, and homemade pesto; and, Spiendini di Agnello with the leg of lamb, gnocchi, mushrooms, ricotta, and truffle oil.

Pizza is important in Tartufo and follows the traditional Neapolitan way. It is made with dough aged 48 hours and baked at a temperature exceeding 400° C.

Among the pizzas in the menu are zucchini with mozzarella, Tartufo spicy nduja with mozzarella, black truffle carpaccio, and basil, and Caprese with tomato sauce, fresh tomato, and mozzarella.

For desserts you can have a chocolate sphere with chocolate mousse, crème anglaise, and tiramisu.

Stelios Papathanasiadis and Lefteris Stravopodis are in charge of the cocktail list.

info: 9 Agias Theklas & 8 Pittakis, Psirri, tel. 210 3315 458

By Eleanna Gousi for Olive Magazine and translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

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