Grand Bretagne Rooftop Garden Restaurant, Athens

It's not often I'm taken out to a snazzy restaurant for dinner, so when I was told we were heading to the Grand Bretagne's Rooftop Garden Restaurant to say I was excited was an understatement. Highly recommended by many people we had spoken to, we had been told it's the best restaurant in Athens. When we arrived my immediate thought was that The Grande Bretagne itself didn't look like much on the outside. However as soon as you step through the revolving doors you can immediately see from the furnishing that it oozes luxury.

Once our entire party had arrived we stepped into the gilded elevators, ascending to the highest level. Stepping through some glass doors we were given a warm welcome and directed to our table, where we were provided with bread and wine whilst we perused the extensive menu. I LOVE soft, warm bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, extra brownie points to them.

Of course for the non-drinkers there was a wide selection of soft drinks. They opted for some virgin cocktails which looked so good they almost made me wish I wasn't drinking! (almost)

I had a very hard time trying to decide what I wanted from the menu, for the starter I was torn between scallops and the yellowfin tuna tartare. After much deliberation I opted for the latter which I think was definitely the correct choice. Served with a spicy sauce and shiso leaves, it was so tasty!

I was so, SO happy with my main choice as soon as I had taken my first mouthful. As it was Easter Weekend I followed the Greek tradition and chose a lamb dish. It was quite possibly the best meal I've ever eaten in my life. I'm not quite sure whether it was the perfectly pink lamb that melted in my mouth that was the highlight or the couscous that I need to somehow replicate at home. Each mouthful was an explosion of flavour, whether it was the tang of a sundried tomato or the sweet crunch of a pistachio.

I so wanted to sample their desserts based on how good the previous courses had been, but sadly my tummy was just too full. The waitress then brought out a silver tray laden with martini glasses 'on the house' containing an alcoholic liquid that supposedly aids digestion. It smelt very grassy which slightly put me off, but I tried it nonetheless. I was pleasantly surprised as it was actually quite sweet and you couldn't even taste the alcohol. I was expecting ouzo which definitely has a kick. This was more marzipan in flavour and of a syrupy consistency. 

For the entire meal we were graced with this beautiful view. Being situated in the heart of the city, the restaurant offered a spectuacular view of the Acropolis. We slipped out onto the terrace after we'd finished our meal to take a few photos.

If you're ever in Athens celebrating something then I would truly recommend the Rooftop Garden Restaurant. It's a tad pricey, but if it's a one off then between the view and the amazing food it's worth every penny.