When you live in the northern suburbs of Athens, you often feel a bit removed from the outside world - from the city centre’s hot spots and everything that comes with it. From keeping up with the latest trends and the city’s pulse to casually running into friends and acquaintances who mostly move around downtown.

Translation | Amaryllis Tsegou

So when a new place opens, the excitement is doubled, as you instantly feel like something is happening in your own little corner of the world - one that may seem far away to others, but is your everyday reality.

That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling lately whenever I pass by the brand-new Fiction Athens hotel (formerly Civitel Olympic Hotel). Situated in a strategic spot, directly opposite Golden Hall, the new hotel boasts a cosmopolitan, business-like vibe, with management by SWOT Hospitality.

Having watched it for months while it was being prepared, I kept wondering what it would be like inside once it opened. Two days ago, all my questions were answered when I went for a meal at the atmospheric restaurant Lalane on the ground floor.

Stepping inside, the first thing that caught my eye was the striking designer lighting and overall ambience; the real surprise however was Lalane itself-a European-style bistro with beautiful colours, great music (curated by Alexandros Christopoulos, as I soon found out) and a kitchen full of promise, thanks to Michelin-starred chef Alexandros Tsiotinis.

The menu

Open since early morning, Lalane is ideal for breakfast or brunch and in fact, one of its highlights is that it periodically hosts selections from some of the city’s standout micro-bakeries, such as the current collaboration with Temps Perdu by Yiannis Vlasis and Dimitris Dritsas. Temps Perdu’s famous croissants and its exceptional Danish buns will be available at Lalane until the end of May-so there’s still time to enjoy them!

The generous breakfast and brunch menu includes even more options, such as eggs Benedict, fluffy omelettes and the unique “oat parfait,” which delivers both energy and flavour. Other particular highlights include pancakes with thyme honey, fruit and coconut flakes, as well as French toast with red fruit compote, lemon cream and maple syrup.

After a long day at the office-or just as well after a bit of shopping at the cosmopolitan mall just across the street-what you really want is a good lunch or dinner and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. With Michelin-starred chef Alexandros Tsiotinis behind the creative menu, you won’t have to wonder whether the food is good, but rather which of the dishes, all made with the freshest, highest-quality ingredients, to choose.

Among the starters, I particularly enjoyed the buffalo milk burrata served with sautéed greens between crisp pastry layers-resembling a creative take on a traditional pie - as well as the pastitsio arancini, a crispy croquette filled with truffled béchamel mousse.

For mains, one standout was the risotto with the playful name “When Parmesan Risotto Wanted to Become Caprese.” Cooked in parmesan-infused water with basil powder, tomato and buffalo stracciatella- rich, creamy, and full of flavour. The pappardelle in a paella style with chorizo, chicken bites and seafood was also intriguing, though my personal favourite was the rib eye with Café de Paris butter and crispy fries.

All of Alexandros’s dishes strike a balance between Mediterranean tradition and French influence. They are beautifully executed and provide a strong reason to come here - even if you don’t live nearby.

The menu is complemented by over 120 carefully selected wines, though you could just as easily pair your meal with one of the excellent cocktails on offer. Among the signature options, the Aztec Sun (based on reposado tequila) and the floral Aegean Inspiration (with mastic) stand out.

Throughout our dinner, we enjoyed fantastic music - something I genuinely miss in many restaurants currently. Trust me, when you visit and let yourself get carried away by the rhythm, you’ll feel it too.