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Babis’ Ouzeri: food for the gods

Ever noticed that restaurants are a lot better in Charlottenburg? Here is proof again. Take a trip to Babis' Ouzeri to enjoy homemade Hellenic delights in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere at a very fair price.

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Photo courtesy of Babis’ Ouzeri

Ever noticed that restaurants are a lot better in Charlottenburg? Here is proof again. Take a trip to Babis’ Ouzeri to enjoy homemade Hellenic delights in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere at a very fair price. What you’ll find here is traditional Greek food served in a pleasantly simple environment by wonderfully friendly people.

You’ll start with mezé (literally ‘starters’), the welcome mini-combo: a delicious slice of feta (not your ordinary Lidl treat, but imported directly from Greece) served with a well-balanced, homemade tzatziki, jumbo home-marinated olives, and an Italian-style bread from the owner’s neighbouring bakery (crusty outside, snow-white soft inside), which you wash down with a glass of Ouzo (Pernod-like anise drink) – a highly-recommendable way to whet your appetite (and it’s on the house).

You can pursue more cold and warm mezé specialties: from tzatziki to stuffed grape leaves, to garlic-dressed beetroot (pantzaria) and aubergine salads (melitzanosalata), or fried, samosa-like filo dumplings (our favourite is the cheese filled tyropita); it’s all fresh and delicious. Only the tarama (roe) disappointed, with an overpowering taste of mayo. Once your taste buds are fully aroused, dig into some grilled meat – gyros, lamb or chicken on skewers (souvlaki, the Greek shish kebab) or, our favourite, the excellent bifteki (delicious Bouletten, moistened with feta cheese and spiced with tomatoes, olives and pepperonis). If you can’t choose, get the mixed grill platter, with a glass of the well-balanced red, Nemea – or tangy Retsina for aficionados. And don’t skip their own brand of homemade fries or patatés tiganités – thinly-sliced, round and crunchy, they’re addictively good.

For the meat-shy there are plenty of fish dishes and the Greek rice-pasta kritharáki. A clientele of regulars who like to celebrate their birthdays here and small family parties populate the light, high-windowed dining room.