Greek restaurants reopen after 2-month lockdown

Restaurants in Greece reopened on Monday as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season. The country's low infection rate in the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the government to start the holiday season three weeks earlier than the expected June 15 date, as other Mediterranean countries — including Italy, Spain and Turkey — are grappling with deadlier virus outbreaks.

At Monastiraki Square, in downtown Athens,  traditional restaurants are always full this time of the year. Finding a table at lunchtime is usually impossible. On Monday, most local customers remained cautious but some took advantage of the available tables to meet with relatives and friends after a 2-month quarantine.

Eleni Boukoutzu took his elderly parents out to lunch after months in which she only talked to them on the phone. Meanwhile, Babis Halikedakis and his two best friends enjoyed a long lunch followed by drinks to celebrate their good health. They had been meeting at the same spot for decades.

At Bairaktaris restaurant, waiters and staff wearing face masks and some with plastic visors, sliced meat from the revolving gyros grill and arranged flowers on widely spaced tables.

Spiros Bairaktaris, the exuberant owner, is carrying on a family business running for 140 years and has framed pictures on the wall sitting next to actresses, royalty, musicians, and other past celebrity customers.

He says he's optimistic about the season despite the slow start. "Compared to other countries we had very few deaths (crosses himself), thank God! so everybody should come to Greece. I, Spiros Bairaktaris, will wait for all of them with this much love for everybody," he said.

Greece has had nearly 2,900 infections and 171 deaths from the virus, according to a running tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

(Photo Credit: AP)