Taverna

The earliest evidence of a Greek restaurant was discovered at the Agora of Athens during excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies in the early 1970s.

[1] Large quantities of cooking and eating utensils were found at the taverna such as plates, mixing bowls, lidded casseroles, spits for broiling meat, mortars for chopping and grinding, as well as a cooking bell and a variety of jugs.

[1] Establishments serving wine were also present in the Byzantine Empire, as evidenced by a 10th-century CE ordinance setting a curfew to prevent alcohol-induced "violence and rioting".

[2] A typical menu for a modern taverna often includes: Tavernes usually open at noon, with dinner hours starting at 20:00 and reaching a peak around 22:00.

Similarly, tavernes in tourist areas pay commissions to tour guides who send business their way.