ATHENS, December 1 – Chef Dimitris Katrivesis has officially unveiled Smoku Athens, commencing with a 60-day Japanese izakaya pop-up experience. Located on Theseos Street in Syntagma, this temporary culinary venture is designed as a precursor to the grand opening of his full fine dining restaurant, anticipated in early 2026. The pop-up, which began this December, transforms the central Athens location into an urban izakaya social club with a distinct Greek signature.
Smoku Pop-Up: A Glimpse into the Future of Athenian Dining
The Smoku pop-up concept is clear: a small, exclusive Japanese Izakaya offering a limited menu that explores raw preparations, fire-cooked dishes, and the elusive umami flavor. This ‘teaser’ menu aims to introduce the core philosophy of Smoku before the establishment transitions into its next, more permanent phase.
Complementing the pop-up izakaya, the Smoku Bar is already operational in the front section of the venue. As showcased during Athens Bar Week, the bar specializes in Japanese highballs and unique cocktails infused with honey, chamomile, artichoke, figs, and Japanese citrus. The bar also offers a selection of small fire-kissed bites and classic izakaya dishes. The menu features an array of innovative combinations, including tuna belly with tahini and pistachio, artichoke with ponzu and bottarga, and taramas with wasabi. Diners can also enjoy tuna ceviche with tiger milk and beef tartare. Hot dishes include yakitori, potatoes with miso butter, and wild mushrooms with yuzu truffle. For dessert, offerings incorporate matcha, yuzu, tonka, and ‘burned milk’ ice cream.
A Multi-Layered Culinary Project Unfolding in Phases
Smoku is not merely a single restaurant but a multifaceted culinary project designed to unfold in stages. The urban Japanese bar, serving cocktails and small plates, occupies the front area. Further inside, a speakeasy culinary space acts as an antechamber to Smoku The Tasting Room. This exclusive 20-seat fine dining establishment is scheduled to open its doors in early 2026.
The Tasting Room will be a collaborative effort between Dimitris Katrivesis and Swedish chef Ebbe Vollmer. Vollmer, a Michelin-starred chef for his Ebbe restaurant in Tampa and formerly a two-Michelin-starred chef for Vollmers in Malmö, brings a wealth of international experience. Their vision for The Tasting Room is a ritualistic tasting menu centered around fire, fermentation, raw cuisine, and Japanese craftsmanship, all while utilizing premium Greek ingredients.
An Internationally Proven Model Arrives in Athens
The strategy of launching a pop-up izakaya before a permanent restaurant is not entirely novel on the global culinary scene. In Philadelphia, for instance, Khyber Pass Pub hosted pop-up izakaya evenings to offer a ‘taste of the future’ for the then-upcoming Royal Sushi & Izakaya. Similar preview izakaya concepts have emerged in venues like Oak + Oyster in Milwaukee and at various gastronomy festivals across Australia. This approach allows the pop-up to function as a creative laboratory and a ‘test drive’ for the public, enabling chefs to refine their concepts before finalizing the restaurant’s format. This strategy is increasingly recommended in professional guides for launching izakaya projects. However, in Athens, this remains a relatively new practice, marking Smoku Athens as a pioneering venture in the local culinary landscape.
The Chef and the ‘Fire’ Behind Smoku
Dimitris Katrivesis has built his reputation on the concept of ‘tradinnovation’ – a fusion of tradition and innovation. His extensive culinary background includes stints at Ferran Adrià’s three-Michelin-starred El Bulli, Dos Palillos in Barcelona, and Ryugin in Tokyo. In recent years, Katrivesis has been involved in various pop-up projects and travel-inspired culinary concepts, spanning from Tenerife and Tulum to Santorini.
With Smoku Athens, Chef Katrivesis returns to the city with a concept that transcends the traditional definitions of a bar or a restaurant. His team describes it as an urban izakaya social club, where the Japanese ritual of fire cooking converges with Greek ingredients, meticulously crafted cocktails, and the vibrant sounds of Japanese hip hop and afrobeat.
For now, the focus is on the pop-up: 60 days to experience what a Japanese izakaya ‘born’ in Athens feels like, before the full fine dining chapter of Smoku unfolds in 2026.
The pop-up is located at Theseos 14, Syntagma. For reservations, call: 210 3313733. Operating hours are Monday to Sunday, 18:00 – 02:00. During the holiday season, the establishment will be open from noon on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Source: https://tornosnews.gr/featured/smoku-athens-to-neo-gastronomiko-project-toy-dimitri-katrivesi.html
