A guide for the best Greek restaurants in London for Kathara Deftera, by the team at Greeklist.

1. A day of Greek tradition

Kathara Deftera, also known as “Clean Monday”, is a Greek public holiday celebrated on the first Monday of Lent. It marks the beginning of a 40-day fasting period leading up to Orthodox Easter. On Kathara Deftera, Greeks traditionally abstain from meat and dairy products, and instead enjoy a meal of seafood, vegetables, and legumes.

As Kathara Deftera is approaching this year on March 18th, why don’t you take the chance and taste traditional Greek food like lagana, taramosalata, or octopus?

2. The best Greek restaurants in London for “Kathara Deftera”

Here is our top-10 pick for Greek Restaurants in London, ideal for Kathara Deftera!

Kima Restaurant

At Kima, they create menus utilising every part of the fish practising ‘fin-to-gill’ philosophy and they take pride in aging various fish cuts in-house, which are showcased in their dedicated fish butchery section.

Contact Information

• +44 (0) 77 4520 5136
• reservations@kimarestaurant.com
• 57 Paddington Street, Westminster, London

Byzantium Restaurant

Byzantium is an impressive, unique and well-established Greek restaurant that is conveniently located between Bayswater and Queensway, that emphasises family-style food, traditional pastries (tsourekia, baklava etc.) and real Greek coffee.

Contact Information

• +44 20 7229 9367
• 31 Moscow Road, Westminster, London

Ammos Greek Restaurant

At Ammos, food is more than just sustenance; it’s a genuine source of joy, a feeling of coziness, and an opportunity to connect with family and loved ones. This is the essence of what they aim to provide at Ammos – an authentic Greek culinary experience in the heart of London.

Contact Information

• 020 7262 0169
• info@ammoshydepark.com
• 28 Sussex Place, Westminster, London

Shire Oaks Fulham

Shire Oaks is the story of a 20-year-old friendship between Jamie and Mihailis. One is a chef, the other a musician. They both united their forces in Fulham and made their dream come true- To feed and entertain people with high-quality food and music. At Shire Oaks, they provide a dining experience to suit all diets.

Contact Information

• +44 (0)20 3532 5413
• fulham@shire-oaks.co.uk
• 226 North End Road Fulham, London

Ithaki Greek Kitchen

A few years back three friends decided to start a culinary trip in London cooking and trying traditional Greek food. The memories from their homes from the Ionian Islands to Athens and then to Asia Minor got together and created smells and tastes and a love for good traditional Mediterranean food.

Contact Information

• +44 (0) 77765 24051
• info@ithakirestaurant.co.uk
• 5-6 Hanger Green, Ealing, London

Opso Modern Greek Food

OPSO [gr. ΟΨΟ] is an ancient Greek word for a delectable morsel of food, a delicacy. It is available for lunch every weekday from 12pm to 4pm.Their menu includes some of their bestselling sharing tapas for a relaxed meal as well as complete individual meals in case you are after a quick lunch-break.

Contact Information

• +44 (0)207 487 5088
• reservations@opso.co.uk
• 10 Paddington St, W1U 5QL, Marylebone, London

Alexander the Great

They bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your plates, using fresh and flavoursome produce. Their chefs prepare everything in-house, making sure your meal is prepared to the highest quality. Their produce is freshly sourced by hand, daily, from local markets bringing top quality direct to their customers.

Contact Information

• 020 7388 1111
• alexanderthegreatrestaurant@gmail.com
• 8 Plender Street, Camden, London

Meze

At the Greek Meze, they pride themselves on serving delicious home-style and traditional Greek-cooked food with the finest ingredients by our outstanding chef bringing a slice of the Mediterranean to the high street. Vibrant traditional Greek decor and colours, with soothing music, guarantee an exceptional experience and a taste of their real Greek culture.

Contact Information

• 020 7624 8571
• info@meze-nw6.co.uk
• 92 Kingsgate Road, Camden, London

Going Greek

The owners of Going Greek have dedicated themselves (and our fancy kitchen) to recapturing the glory of Greek food. It’s timely, with everyone aware of the Mediterranean diet’s health benefits. A lot of the menu options are even veggie/vegan-friendly, too.

Contact Information

• 020 3030 4543
• info@goinggreek.co.uk
• 18 The Green, London

Nostimo

They promise to deliver this with every meal. They serve all kinds of Mediterranean inspired delicacies whilst staying true to  Greek heritage.Here at Nostimo, they use top quality ingredients, they have a passion for Mediterranean cuisine, and they love delicious food.

Contact Information

• 2070524471
• info@nostimo.london
• 9 Brunswick Centre, King’s Cross, London

3. Experiencing “Kathara Deftera”

In conclusion, although London may not be Athens, you can still enjoy a delicious and traditional Kathara Deftera meal at a number of Greek restaurants throughout the city. So grab your friends and family and head out to celebrate Clean Monday with some tasty seafood and vegetarian dishes. And don’t forget to fly your kite!