YEARS and years ago, living near Stratford upon Avon, there was a Greek restaurant in the Warwickshire tourist hotspot that I always wanted to visit but never did.

So, it was with great anticipation that I went to the Athena Greek Meze Bar & Restaurant in Chippenham, having heard much about the warm welcome and atmosphere there.

According to Athena’s website, authentic Greek food and drink, as well as Mediterranean and European cuisine is offered, together with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options for diners. All food is prepared using local produce wherever possible.

My wife, Feona and I were not disappointed. Athena’s management offers traditional Greek food, an amazing atmosphere with live music on a Saturday night, and fantastic service that really does go above and beyond the norm.

We arrived at 7.30pm and, by that time, the restaurant was virtually full, to be seated and offered drinks. My wife chose a large bottle of sparkling water, while I selected a large glass of red wine.

We found the menu for the evening was a mixed meze at £23.99 per person.

The starters consisted of Hummus, with chickpeas and tahini garnished with roasted peppers and a hint of chillis; Tzatziki, an authentic Greek dip with yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and herbs; Dakos, a Greek bruschetta topped with chopped tomatoes, olives feta cheese and olive oil; Stuffed Peppers, peppers stuffed with minced beef, rice and herbs, and Spetsofia, a spiced Greek sausage with peppers in a tomato sauce.

The main courses comprised Calamari, deep fried squid rings with garlic mayonnaise; Stifado, a traditional Greek beef stew, slow cooked with onions and tomatoes; Greek Salad, with tomatoes, cucumber, onions, peppers, olives and feta cheese; Souvlaki, chicken and pork skewers with onion and peppers marinated with herbs, and Roast Potatoes.

I have to say that we were overwhelmed, both with the choice and the quality of the food served. The waiters just seemed to keep on coming with a variety of delicious dishes that were well cooked, beautifully presented and left us feeling very satisfied.

The staff were very friendly and extremely helpful - even to the point of cutting up meat for my wife who was unable to use a knife, having just had an operation on the index finger of her hand literally the day before our visit.

We followed up with desserts at £5.50 each, Tiramisu for me and Strawberry Meringue for Feona. Both were delicious and provided a fitting end to a lovely meal.

The atmosphere was loud and lively, with traditional Greek live music and plate smashing on offer, so if you’re looking for a fun night out with entertainment do go on a Saturday.

Feona and I had a really good evening, with good food, great staff and fantastic service.

With drinks, our total bill came to £67.43, which I thought was excellent value for money. If you love authentic Greek food and atmosphere, Athena is well worth a visit.

John Baker