BEASTALIS
When I first heard about the concept of Beastalis, I knew I had to try it: a high-end steakhouse that also functions as a butcher shop and takes reservations only a few days per week, run by an awarded chef for some of the best-tasting burgers in the world. A couple of days ago, I finally paid them a visit and am here to report back on my experience!
Beastalis is housed in a renovated neoclassical building of 1927 in Glyfada that used to stage the well-known crêperie”Paramythi” (i.e. fairytale in Greek). The name takes inspiration from the Beauty and the Beast as well as the chef-patron’s surname, while its logo features the famous enchanted rose. The interior of the restaurant is dominated by the butcher shop and the bbq, which is based on the South American slow-roasting technique of asado. Large cuts of meat, vegetables and fruit are hung for hours above the open fire before being placed on the grill to be roasted over olive, beech and maple wood with no electricity – just imagine all the different aromas and flavour! The outdoor space felt a little cold for my taste but upstairs there’s a nice room for private dining if you come in a large group.
Having worked with the likes of Jamie Oliver in London, Nusret Gökçe (aka Salt Bae) in Mykonos and Victor Churchill in Sydney, Yannis Bastalis started organising private dining events in luxury resorts and yachts before creating this space in the northern suburbs of Athens. The menu is à la carte with meat being the star of the show obviously. My partner in crime and I started with the baked sweet potato with tsalafouti and black truffle, with was rich in taste, and the beef tartare with bone marrow which was good but didn’t blow us away. For mains, we shared the picanha with a side of roasted broccoli with almonds and their famous burger with with cheddar, caramelised onion and bacon. The picanha was cooked to perfection and while I’m still on the lookout for the best burger in Athens (if you have any tips, please do share!), this one was pretty good.
Beastalis would be a good option for a meal amongst friends, especially meat lovers or a more upscale dinner in a relaxed setting in the southern suburbs. If you do try it, let me know how you liked it and don’t forget to share your pictures with me with the #seemyathens hashtag on Instagram.
| INFO |
| Address: Kirpou 9, 166 75 Glyfada, Greece |
| Telephone: +30 216 9009911 |
| Website |
