With its unmistakable French flair, Soléne (we first reported on its forthcoming arrival in October) stands out on Dragatsaniou Street, offering a sense of elegance unusual in this part of central Athens.
Alexandros Tsiotinis, awarded two FNL stars for CTC and a Michelin star, joins forces with pastry chef Alexandros Koufas, formerly of the Hotel Grande Bretagne and named Best Pastry Chef 2025 at the FNL Awards, to present an all-day French bistro that feels authentic yet seen through a fresh lens. From the outset, it shows every sign of becoming a modern classic.
In the morning, Koufas’s exceptional viennoiserie takes centre stage. I visited in the evening, however, when the lights are lowered, and the music turned up a notch, and the menu winks at classic French cuisine with a touch of 1970s international flair — as in the delicious prawn cocktail, a dish that appears to be making a comeback in Athens. It is worth noting that FNL’s iconic dinners helped bring this fine, comfort-driven classical cuisine back into focus, a style many of us hold dear. The thread was picked up by Asterios Koustoudis at the Hotel Grande Bretagne with a series of refined interpretations, and continued by restaurants such as Gallina and Rick’s. Soléne follows that path with dishes such as eggs mimosa, tournedos Rossini, and beef Wellington.
In the kitchen is Giannis Kapetanios, a long-standing collaborator of Tsiotinis at CTC, and the results have been promising from the restaurant’s very first week. Certain dishes — such as the excellent beetroot baked in a salt crust with rose vinaigrette, goat’s cheese and pecans; the beef tartare à la ancienne; and the impeccably cooked, deeply flavoured tournedos Rossini with outstanding foie gras, truffle and a glossy pepper and red wine sauce — reveal a kitchen that already feels assured and confident.
Others, however, suggest the inevitable need for refinement. The Niçoise salad lacks vibrancy, not least because of the quality of the ingredients, while the coq au vin is well made and flavoursome but would benefit from reconsidering its pairing with celeriac purée. Most notably, the somewhat awkwardly conceived “Bread Bourguignon” raises questions. The name refers to two slices of bread soaked in the eponymous sauce, presented as a hybrid of bourguignon and cassoulet, as we were told. Yet the beans, which were neither sufficiently thick nor properly stewed down, are not enough to justify invoking that great French classic — nor is a simple slice of bread dunked in sauce sufficient to warrant the dish’s title.
Dinner here both begins and ends on a high note, thanks to Koufas’s outstanding bread and exceptional desserts. The chocolate soufflé-tart and the tarte Tatin, the two plated restaurant options, are superb, while the display counter sweets are also very good. The wine list is thoughtfully curated, with a clear emphasis on the French vineyard. Service strikes the right balance: friendly, informed and, given the packed dining room and the restaurant’s early days, impressively well coordinated. Prices are on the higher side, particularly for some of the starters and the desserts. Overall, this is an excellent launch: a cohesive, compelling concept with all the makings of a future classic.
Info: Dragatsaniou 6, Athens
Tel: +30 210 3231892
Open daily, 8am–1am
Approx. €90–120 per person with wine
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