Gary Green @Gaza_2580 - Twitter Profile

Gary Green @Gaza_2580

about 2 months ago

Been several times. You missing out if you don't try it

Mark Sham

@MarkSham

about 2 months ago

People keep telling me that Filotimo is the best Greek restaurant in Johannesburg 🇬🇷 They also have a 4.9 rating on Google with 1,000 reviews so the question I was trying to answer when visiting for the first time was, is this place actually legit? Located in the armpit of Bryanston, Filotimo Greek Taverna doesn't look like much from the outside. They’re squashed between a fruit and veg store owned by the porras and a corner cafe owned by the Indians 😂 The second you step inside, the Joburg chaos just evaporates. It feels less like a suburb in the North and more like a taverna in Athens We put the menu to the test starting with the meze dip platter. Being a half-Leb from the south, I have a very high bar for hummus and theirs is world-class. Then came the meat and seafood platters. Think skinny lamb chops with a proper smoky char and calamari that actually tastes like the ocean instead of a rubber band. Every component was nailed. But what makes Filotimo a proper "one-of-one" isn’t just the food. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. The decor is magic with door frames hanging from the ceiling, books stuck to the walls, and picture frames everywhere. From the hand-painted quotes and the "plate cemetery" to the mismatched wooden furniture, it is obvious that every detail is intentional but unpolished. The courtyard is the absolute soul of the restaurant. On a clear day, with the blue walls and the checkered tablecloths, there is nowhere else in the city you would rather be sitting. Most restaurants are terrified of upsetting a single customer but Filotimo is winning by knowing exactly who they are and refusing to compromise for the sake of convenience. They have rules like no kids under 13, no Wi-Fi, no half portions, and absolutely no rearranging the menu. If you want to know how I rated them overall, I would absolutely LOVE for you to watch the new video we published recently BUT I am not going to share the link. If you care about finding soulful, original spots, just search for “Hungry & Shameless in SA” on YouTube. PLEASE don’t watch the video unless you intend to watch the whole thing. We aren’t interested in hollow views; we want the videos to find the right audience who actually values these kinds of one-of-one establishments. If you don’t like original restaurants with a bit of character, there is always a franchise around the corner waiting to break your heart. Who of you have actually been? Drop your scores below, I would love to hear what the rest of you think.