'I visited a Greek taverna in London after a trip to Greece and here's how the food compares'

Melanie Kaidan & Melanie Kaidan
·3-min read
greek food taramas, tzatziki, pita
-Credit: (Image: Melanie Kaidan)


After a recent trip to the beautiful island of Crete in Greece, I was invited to Vori, an unpretentious Holland Park outpost that serves mezze-style Mediterranean fare.

The comparison with the local eateries I visited in the southern European country was surprisingly positive: Vori proudly encapsulates and showcases the essence of Greek culinary culture right here in London.

This might sound like a grand statement, but it's down to the meticulous attention to detail and sourcing of the freshest, top-quality ingredients.

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My delicious meal in this sophisticated and welcoming restaurant started off on a high note with the classic tzatziki, which was fresh and slightly crunchy with a light drizzle of excellent quality olive oil.

Taramas was also served alongside some soft, warm pita bread. This dip was a bit salty, but had a delicate taste, perfect for any white cod roe skeptics who are hesitant to try it due to its typically strong, fishy aroma.

The Garides Sharas, or grilled prawns with tarragon and chilli, were beautifully prepared, fresh and juicy. They were flavourful on their own, but a carefully applied rub really brought out all their umami freshness.

The Horiatiki salad, better known to us non-Greeks simply as Greek salad, was incredibly fresh and doused in a generous splash of superb quality virgin olive oil, topped off with a giant piece of feta cheese.

Then came the Kalamari (Yes, you guessed it, the squid). This dish made my squeamish taste buds feel a certain way, but it was scrumptious nonetheless, especially when paired with its accompanying carrot and Florina pepper purée.

As for the Arni (Greek for lamb), it was a generously-sized grilled chop served with chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and a herb dressing. While the flavour was spot on, I did find the texture a bit tricky to navigate-cutting it on a high-rim plate was a challenge, and it had a slightly chewy consistency. But the flavourful garlic and rosemary oil drizzled on top compensated for it.

However, a personal highlight for me, as someone who truly savours dessert, came at the end of the meal with the Ekmek Kataifi: a stunning blend of sweet, syrup-soaked kataifi pastry, homemade vanilla custard and fluffy cream - all topped with crushed pistachios.

While it might sound like a lot - and might actually be slightly excessive for anyone with less of a sweet tooth than me - this dessert establishes such a delicate balance between the almost-overwhelmingly sweet pastry and the lighter toppings, that it is hard not to fall in love with it. I do, however, strongly suggest sharing it due to its genuinely enormous size (and I'm not usually one to share desserts).

A fresh mint steeper to wash it all down is also highly recommended.

In conclusion, Vori is a restaurant I'd happily return to again and again - not only to satisfy my cravings for authentic Greek cuisine but also to gradually try all the dishes I didn't get to sample on this visit.

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