Speaking of hooks, the name of this new restaurant is a combination of the words hook and cut – butcher shop words used to describe a souvlaki restaurant that isn’t like the others. Here, the open kitchen resembles four separate shops: a bakery, where two kinds of pita bread (one for wraps and one for portions) is made fresh, a greengrocers, a butcher’s shop, and a grill house. The restaurant, which is the creation of five famous Greek chefs, opened just a week ago, yet it seems as though everyone we know has either tried it out or is planning a visit.

Hoocut: After the success of Kookoovaya restaurant, these five famous chefs opened a new street food in the heart of Athens which became a must for every visitor. The peculiarity lies in the fact that at the back of the shop, you will see a bakery, butcher, and grocery store. In the first, the pies for the wraps as well as the admittedly amazing fluffy pie for the portion are made on site, in the second the meat is cut in real time, and in the grocery store, you can find the fresh herbs used in the salads, wraps and portions.

Definitely something new in the city’s same-old souvlaki scene – let’s not forget that there is a souvlaki place almost around every corner in Athens today – Hoocut is run by five highly accomplished Greek chefs (three of whom also own the reputable Cookoovaya restaurant) and includes an in-store grocer’s, butcher counter and bakery. The focus is on high-quality ingredients plus skillful and creative preparation. They also serve delicious salads and homemade fries.

This contemporary souvlaki place was launched by the team behind trendy Cookoovaya restaurant and has a similarly elevated approach to the common street food. The large, high-ceilinged space includes four sections: a bakery, a fruit and vegetable shop, a butcher shop and a grill area. Ingredients are gathered and prepared at a large marble bench in the centre of the space by aproned cooks.

Located on a busy side street near Monastiraki, Hoocut is a pitta spot opened by several renowned chefs in Greece. It puts an emphasis on simple street food but with high quality ingredients and has been lauded by many, including Gordon Ramsey. It’s quick service (after all it is a fast food shop) but the results are fantastic and you’ll struggle to find a better souvlaki than here.

Throw a stone in Athens, and chances are it will hit a shop that serves the Greek's most famous wrap. And sure, the truth behind the gyro is that it's a food with a complicated, traveled history, but its association with Greek cuisine is a fact at this point. Hoocut might not be the most long-standing gyro stand, but it is dedicated to carrying the legacy of the dish with honor.

Hoocut, located in Agias Irini square, (Monastiraki) offers gourmet quality street food with a twist serving grilled pork, chicken, lamb, minced beef, and black pig sausages. Also, on the menu is piroshki, (dough buns with fillings), excellent nutritious soups, homemade pies, squid with Imam (aubergine stuffed with onion, garlic, and tomatoes), and falafel (chickpea fritters).

To wrap this up, let’s check out one of the newer kids on the block for souvlaki in Athens. Hoocut has three locations spread out across central Athens but their manifesto remains the same. In their own words, they aim to “make from scratch every part of souvlaki, wrapping up the very best of ingredients cooked with simple techniques and infused with culinary thinking.

The Hoocut kebab shop brought mutton to the center of the city and even in its street food form. Thinly sliced pieces of meat that are cooked to order, put in a handmade pie with ingredients of your choice, covered or served in a portion. The know-how of the cooks in meat played an important role in the selection of the raw material and its management.

For the coolest souvlaki joint in Athens, head to Hoocut (created by five talented Greek chefs) it features a butchers counter, bakery, and grocer store on site. Everything here is made from scratch, including the pita bread and homemade fries; and you can watch the creative chefs in action as they cook your meat exactly the way you like it.

Today, almost four years later, no one has a question as Hoocut is one of the most popular places to eat souvlaki. In fact, the chefs did not try to innovate but rather to create classic souvlaki wraps in their highest quality version. At Hoocut, they serve beef, chicken, and pork, which are cooked in large pieces and then finely chopped.

Hoocut: From squid with Imam (aubergine stuffed with onion, garlic and tomatoes) and falafel (chickpea fritters), to fluffy piroshki dough, deliciously fragrant soups and tasty pies, Hoocut offers gourmet quality street food with a twist, including grilled pork, chicken, lamb, minced beef and black pig sausages.

My friend Marika from ClumsyGirlTravels came with me to Hoocut but it turns out they don’t actually don’t do gyros. Their wraps are made with grilled meat, not gyros from the rotisserie. But I’ve left Hoocut on the list because of their vegetarian option.

The Cookoovaya founders have branched out to make souvlaki great again. The key to its successful reinvention is ingredients. The Hoocut team uses the best, preps them in house, cooks them on the grill in front of you, and serves.

Relatively a recent souvlaki place, Hoocut was opened in 2018, and is located at 9 Agias Irinis Square. Here you can find chicken, pork, lamb, and beef with pita. Yet, note that french fries come next to the pita, not within.

Στο Hoocut θα απολαύσετε αυθεντικό σουβλάκι, από φρέσκιες, χειροποίητες πίτε που ανοίγονται μπροστά σας, στο αρτοποιείο. Παράλληλα, χρησιμοποιούν εξαιρετικής ποιότητας κρέατα από κάθε περιοχή της Ελλάδας.

Hoocut turns the page and starts a new chapter in the world of souvlaki!. Quality is the name of the game here. Fresh ingredients, high quality meat and a hell of a good pitta.

Get your souvlaki fix at O Thanasis, gyro cravings cured at Hoocut. Dabble in honey laden doughnuts at Lukumades. And sweet or savory filled pie fix at Bougatsadiko Psirri.

On the other hand, I am very pleased with the guys from Owl who started Hoocut and dare to do something different in absolute street food such as souvlaki.

The second spot ‘smells’ of Greece: the souvlaki at Hoocut is as genuine as it gets, but at the same time as clean as it should be today.