by Eleni Psichouli
No matter how many supermarkets you’ve visited during the week, it’s a universal truth: the moment shops close, you’ll be missing the one absolutely essential ingredient from the recipe you’re cooking. The breakfast cereal. The snack yogurt. Something—anything—to nibble on between meals. Salt. Vinegar. The right size of pasta. A chocolate wafer. A cigarette. Or, honestly, even the correct baking tray for brownies.
The Queen of instant salvation is here—right in the heart of Michalakopoulou Avenue—open rain or shine, every hour of the day and the dead of night. With a thoroughly stocked greengrocer’s section featuring the best of both Greek and international produce: fresh herbs, French potatoes perfect for mash, local walnuts in their shells, delicious chestnuts from Agia, and Greek sweet potatoes.
If you’ve been out all night and are heading hungrily toward the nearby street food stand, think twice. Here you’ll find the full range of Palirroia ready-made meals—in other words, the entire repertoire of Greek cuisine, from lentil soup to moussaka, and the unbeatable dolmades you’d swear were made by an experienced, motherly hand. In the freezer section, you’ll also find healthy frozen pasta dishes with vegetables—a modern option ready in just eight minutes.
There’s also a fine selection of premium Greek cured meats and small-batch cheeses—ideal for a sophisticated platter if friends suddenly show up at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. Right next to them, from the wine cellar, you’ll find the perfect bottle to pair with Stremenos prosciutto, Moulkiotis pork cured with dark chocolate, or an organic smoked trout. Midnight sugar crash? Don’t worry—we’ve got mouse-shaped pastries, banoffee, serrano desserts, Bueno treats, profiteroles, and ice-cold Kinder Country.
If all that leaves you unmoved because you’re more into healthy, green, or vegan eating, you’re still covered. Organic cereals, pasta, flour, a wide variety of breads, biscuits, cookies, cakes, spelt-based shortbread, rusks, and gluten-free cookies and snacks are all here.
As you browse the shelves, you’ll inevitably be tempted by tableware, kitchen gadgets, pots, pans, frying pans, woks—and you might give in, like I did, to the gold/bronze cutlery or the perfectly sized baking tray for the modern person: one that serves exactly four portions. If your toaster, kettle, milk frother, or any small appliance breaks late at night, don’t stress. They’ve got those too. Alongside them, everything you’d expect from a regular supermarket: detergents, paper goods, and all household essentials.
On your way out, grab your freddo or cappuccino from the coffee counter—and definitely an ice cream. Zilers? Häagen-Dazs? Or should I resist and just take some figs from Kymi or a handmade white-chocolate halva from Kandylas? And if you want it all delivered to your door (yes, still 24/7), they offer their own delivery service as well as partnerships with the usual platforms.
Queens Market & Delicatessen,
44 Michalakopoulou Ave. (uphill),
210 7245023
