Founded by sisters Dina and Maria Nikolaou in the early 2010s in the Saint-Placide district, Greek address Evi Evane quickly conquered the capital, the siblings subsequently opening other tables at the foot of the Butte Montmartre and in the Commerce district. Today, the two sisters are setting out to conquer one of Paris's food hotspots, rue de Bretagne in the Haut-Marais district.
Just a few meters from the Marché des Enfants Rouges, this Greek grocery, well-stocked with Hellenic products , doubles up as a catering outlet, and is already a hit with local workers and residents. Lunch options are affordable, ranging from €9.90 to €15.90, with a choice of puff pastry, pita sandwich, salad or hot dish, accompanied by a drink and dessert or spread.
Made to order, pita sandwiches are topped with fresh salad, homemade pickles and a choice of meat: grilled gyros pork with tzatziki sauce, spice-marinated chicken with honey-mustard sauce, or chickpea dumpling with feta sauce for the vegetarian option. There's no doubt that the pita is a hit, given the number of orders placed by the time ours was ready.
In the alcoves of this minimalist space, the grocery shelves are crammed with dried products direct from Greece, sourced with great care by the Nikolaou sisters: olive oil, of course, but also tahini, halva, spices, organic sauce, fig jam, sweet and savoury cookies, Greek mountain honey, as well as a fine selection of Greek wines, led by malagouzia, assyrtiko and xinomavro.
Facing the niches in the wall, the glass showcase displaysEvi Evane's many fresh preparations, in shimmering, eye-catching colors. Like a gigantic buffet, you can dream of taking and tasting everything on the spot, on the small terrace set up for sunny days, or at home, to please family or friends passing by for an aperitif.
Alongside the traditional mezzés, headed by tzatziki, hummus and white tarama, spanakopita and tiropita are on the menu, as are a host of dumplings in a variety of recipes - feta, mushroom, chicken or cod versions. Here and there, you'll find stuffed peppers, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and marinated anchovies, or you'll be tempted by family dishes to be reheated when the time comes, such as the unmissable moussaka or soutzoukakias, veal dumplings in tomato sauce. Every portion is served in a generous way.
Of course, you can't leaveEvi Evane without sampling its sweet delights: portokalopita, a cake with fresh orange and filo pastry, chocolatopita, a moist chocolate and olive oil cake, and traditional baklava. A trip to Greece is a must!
Location
Evi Evane - Brittany
7 Rue de Bretagne
75003 Paris 3
Official website
www.evievane.com