Where to find avocado tzatziki, fried seafood in a cone, mutton burgers, and octopus candied with tsipouro in the Greek capital. Article by Demetrios Ioannou. Demetrios Ioannou is an independent reporter and documentary photographer, based between Athens, Greece, and Istanbul, Turkey. His work has been featured at The New York Times, NPR, POLITICO Europe, The Daily Beast, and BBC Travel among others. So he probably knows, right? :)
Every year, tourists travel to the Greek capital to hike up the Acropolis, browse countless museums, and seek out tans at nearby beaches. They also come for Greek cuisine, which builds many meals from three key ingredients: olive oil, wheat, and wine. Add in lots of vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat, and a philhellene could want nothing more. But the Athenian food scene goes well beyond olives and bread. The capital has also long served as a gateway for the wider MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region. Athens has welcomed immigrants from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and Syria, who combine their foodways with Greek ingredients and customs in fine dining to street food. In recent years, the city’s chefs have developed new genres of gourmet Greek cuisine, with influences from across the eastern Mediterranean and with help from an up-and-coming generation of cooks who cut their teeth in restaurants around the world. Even TV shows like MasterChef Greece have had a noticeable impact, driving interest in new dining options and highlighting industry talent. Exciting, classic, and Classical, the best Athens restaurants are here to serve you olives, bread, wine, and so much more. 1. Hoocut Platia Agias Irinis 9 Athina 105 63, Greece 21 0324 0026 Visit Website At Hoocut, an A-Team of famous chefs (also behind Cookoovaya, on this list) aims to elevate souvlaki, the iconic Greek street food, with the best possible ingredients. Set inside a neoclassical building of the interwar period, a bakery, a butcher shop, and a grocery store provide the raw materials for the final product, which emerges from the main grill area. Finely chopped pieces of beef or mutton are wrapped in pita, while pork, chicken, and sausage are presented on open pita. And for those who don’t eat meat, Hoocut has a squid option, too. 2. Feyrouz Karori 23 και, Agathonos 1 Athina 105 51, Greece 21 3031 8060 Visit Website Run by a family with roots in Antakya, Turkey, Feyrouz is named for its matriarch and mastermind in the kitchen (who has no relation to the famed Lebanese singer). Inspired by the Balkan food of Istanbul and broader Levantine traditions, the family utilizes local ingredients to make various types of lahmacun, peinirli, lots of soups (mahluta is a favorite with red lentils, fennel, pumpkin, and chicken broth), and many different salads. In 2019, the family opened a dessert spot across the street, where diners can end their meals with Turkish kanafeh. 3. Lukumades Eolou 21, & Aghias Irinis Str Athina 105 51, Greece 21 0321 0880 Visit Website Lukumades are an easy, popular dessert throughout Greece, but this shop consistently ranks high among customers with sweet tooths. The fried dough balls are made with flour, dry yeast, water, and starch, and the simplest renditions are served with honey and cinnamon. But here you’ll find them with more than a dozen toppings, including all kinds of chocolate, nuts, and ice cream. There are also stuffed versions filled with praline, banana, or lemon cream with wild cherry. 4. Mirch Ermou 109 Athina 105 55, Greece 21 0323 9759 Visit Website Mirch brings Indian gastronomy to the heart of Athens. While the shop delivers on classics like tandoori chicken sprinkled with lots of herbs and spices, the best seller is the Indian souvlaki: chicken tikka with mixed vegetables layered into a large fresh piece of naan. You can take your wrap to go, but if you stick around you can enjoy a concise list of tandoori dishes, curries, and fried appetizers. 5. Peas Vegan & Raw Food Falirou 40 Athina 117 42, Greece 21 0921 8875 Visit Website Peas is one of a few but growing number of vegan restaurants in Athens, putting an animal-friendly spin on Mediterranean cuisine, according to owners Lila Pouliou and Maria Popa. Everything is made in-house, including vegetable-based protein substitutes like seitan and tempeh. Among the most popular options, check out their take on the famous Greek souvlaki with seitan and mushrooms. For dessert, don’t miss the famous raw tart with avocado, cocoa, and banana. 6. Travolta Agiou Pavlou 33 Peristeri 121 32, Greece 21 0571 9222 Visit Website Sea bream carpaccio, dusky grouper with okra, and roasted and skewered squid kontosouvli instantly transport Travolta diners to the sea. Owners Anestis Lampropoulos and brothers Spyros and Vangelis Liakos formed exclusive partnerships with three fishing boats, which provide the restaurant with everything from fresh octopus to cod to crayfish. Try the beer brewed in-house with saltwater from sea urchins. 7. Cookoovaya Chatzigianni Mexi 2a Athina 115 28, Greece 21 0723 5005 Visit Website Spyros Liakos, Vangelis Liakos, Pericles Koskinas, and Manos Zournatzis are some of the country’s top cooking talents. At Cookoovaya, they create free-flowing, family-style meals under the mantra “remember how you felt, not just what you ate.” Though the seasonal menu changes often, some of their most-beloved dishes are slow-braised beef cheek with smoked eggplant puree, and grilled fish of the day with amaranth, olive oil, and lemon. It’s a good idea to start your meal with one of their pies; the open-topped version with truffle-creamed mushrooms, grilled beef off-cuts, and crispy onion is the most interesting. 8. Falafel Al Sharq Liosion 1 Athina 104 38, Greece 21 0522 4880 Visit Website Located right in the center of the city, in an area known for its rich immigrant communities from across the MENA region, Falafel Al Sharq serves hundreds of locals and tourists every day. The cook, Ibrahim Elabd, and his brother Mahmoud originally hail from Egypt. Besides falafel, they serve Egyptian specialties like chicken livers cooked in spices, as well as marinated chicken and lamb kebabs. 9. Myrtillo Efstathiou Lapsa & Trifilias Street (Park KAPAPS) Athina 115 24, Greece 21 1012 3176 Visit Website Inspired by a similar cafe in Scotland, Myrtillo Cafe is the first food business in Athens fully co-owned and co-operated by people living with disabilities. Among the dishes made with mostly organic ingredients, you can find homemade pies, such as the famous Sfakian cheese pie and the verdant fennel pie, along with sandwiches, baguettes, and bruschettas. The desserts are also delicious, with options including various cakes and sweet fruit pies. 10. Geros tou Moria Mnisikleous 27 Athina 105 56, Greece 21 0322 1753 Visit Website For over 90 years, this traditional tavern has sat in the same spot beneath the Acropolis, among the colorful little alleys of the historic Plaka district. Named for Theodoros Kolokotronis, one of the greatest heroes of Greek independence, the restaurant serves classics like moussaka, meatballs, tzatziki, and all kinds of roasted and grilled meats. While the food is good, the ambiance is even better. A couple of hours spent among the locals, singing and dancing to live Greek folk music, could make any outsider forget they’re just in Athens for a visit. 11. Zisis Athinaidos 3 Athina 105 63, Greece 21 0321 1152 Visit Website Since opening in 2017, Zisis has made the case for seafood as street food. Based on its immediate popularity among snackers on the go, the restaurant was preaching to the choir. Zisis serves fried sardines, anchovies, shrimp, and squid in paper cones, which you can take to go or eat at the restaurant with a glass of tsipouro or ouzo (anise is a perfect match with seafood). 12. Nolan Voulis 31 Athina 105 57, Greece 21 0324 3545 Visit Website This tiny fusion restaurant not far from Syntagma Square has made a name for itself among the city’s food lovers. Chef Sotiris Kontizas combines his own Greek and Japanese roots to create comfort food without geographic limitations, like gyoza with beef cheeks, bean noodles with octopus and Kalamata olives, and ceviche fricassee with guelly jack. 13. Anadolu Mpousgou 2 Athina 114 73, Greece 21 0643 1990 Visit Website East and West meet at Anadolu Mutfağı, where Kurdish chef and owner Selim Selguk makes Turkish dishes with Greek ingredients. Selguk arrived in Athens in 2003 as a political refugee from Turkey. Not long after, he set up his own restaurant to make what he knows best, Anatolian dishes like lamb kebabs, hünkar beğendi (smoked, spiced, pureed eggplant), perde pilavı (pilaf-stuffed dough), and baklava with pistachios. 14. Nancy's Sweet Home Platia Iroon 1 Athina 105 54, Greece 21 0321 1323 Visit Website Serbetospito, aka Nancy’s Sweet Home, is chocolate heaven on earth, though the epic catalog of sweets includes options for all sweet tooths, including vanilla and fruit-flavored treats. Owners Nancy Katsikari and Serafim Alexandris turn out traditional options like ekmek politico (semolina-based cake with syrup and kaimaki, the chewy local ice cream), as well as seasonal desserts that range from strawberry pie to Christmasy melomakarona cookies. Just take a look at the deli case and chat with the staff to find the ideal option. 15. Ovio Apollonos 4 Athina 105 57, Greece 21 1411 5755 Visit Website Chef Panos Ioannidis worked for years in restaurants in Italy before returning to Athens to create Ovio. The smell of fresh pizza from the wood-fired oven welcomes you to the cozy space, a casual setting for the restaurant’s fine dining. Along with pizza under various toppings, the restaurant serves mains like pasta and risotto, as well as vegan and vegetarian dishes. 16. Tastes of Damascus Fokionos Negri 19 Athina 112 57, Greece 21 1117 7714 Visit Website The namesake tastes of Damascus are not only delicious; they also support asylum-seekers and refugees living in Athens. Started as a project by NGO Za’atar — which focuses on providing resources and local connections to women, unaccompanied minors, LGBTQ refugees, and prisoners — the Syrian and Middle Eastern restaurant is slowly attracting more diners with its falafel, tabbouleh, and Beyrouti hummus with parsley. One recent favorite is mouhalabe, Syrian milk pudding with coconut, orange blossom water, pistachio, and rose. 17. Spondi Pirronos 5 Athina 116 36, Greece 21 0756 4021 Visit Website Located behind the Kallimarmaro stadium, where the modern Olympics started in 1896, this two-Michelin-starred restaurant sits at the top of fine dining in Athens. Chef Angelos Lantos (the first Greek chef to achieve two stars) is an expert ambassador of French haute cuisine. Among the signature dishes, try the langoustine with lemon, Petrossian Daurenki caviar, grapefruit, gentian, and celery. Or go for the crab with turnip, acacia honey, tarragon, and passion fruit. 18. Feedέλ Urban Gastronomy Ktena 1 Athina 105 63, Greece 21 0321 0551 Visit Website Feedέλ blends Greek gourmet cuisine with traditional dishes, like in their tzatziki made with avocado, which adds a layer of fatty luxury to the classic dip. You might also find rooster spring rolls, or pork tenderloin with aubergine salad, white beets, and onion pickles. The cozy restaurant, owned by chef Leonidas Koutsopoulos, immediately became the talk of the town when it opened in 2016. The small backyard remains the perfect place to spend a summer night with friends and a few exquisite cocktails. 19. Etnico Kolokotroni 22 Athina 105 62, Greece 21 1411 3880 Visit Website Not far from buzzing Syntagma Square, Etnico takes diners on gastronomic journeys to Mexico, the Middle East, and South Asia. The global menu includes tacos and fajitas, falafel, tandoori chicken, and samosas, as well as dessert options and drinks to fulfill even more wanderlust. Don’t miss the margaritas (especially on warm summer nights) and the heady sangria. 20. Αιόλου 68 Aiolou 68 Athina 105 59, Greece 21 0324 7925 Visit Website Greeks are known for their love of seafood, but there’s no fresher place to get it than chef Vasilis Akrivos’s restaurant set behind the central fish market. Dining at Aiolou68 (conveniently also the address of the restaurant) feels like eating by the sea on a Greek island. Along with well-spiced dishes like shrimp or lobster spaghetti, fish soup, and bouillabaisse, the restaurant serves fresh seafood prepared simply, best eaten with just a squeeze of lemon. 21. Hill Athens Apostolou Pavlou 27 Athina 118 51, Greece 21 0346 9077 Visit Website With one of the most beautiful views in the city, looking out on the Acropolis, Hill Athens serves modern Greek cuisine from brunch to late dinner in the historic Thissio district. Chef George Nestoridis and his team skillfully serve a menu designed by award-winning chef Dimitris Dimitriadis. A blend of comfort food and traditional tastes comes through in dishes like octopus candied with aged tsipouro, or risotto that channels the flavors of Greek gemista (stuffed peppers and tomatoes). Take your pick from the large variety of wines to accompany your meal. 22. Portatif Sina 21 Athina 106 72, Greece 21 0362 1866 Visit Website This small cafe in the center of Athens serves the best red velvet cake in the city thanks to pastry chef Tasos Lytras. You’ll have to stop by early to try it, though, since the cake regularly sells out. Don’t fret if you miss it; Lytras also whips up a variety of tarts, pies, croissants, and cakes. Accompany your dessert with coffee or, even better, a scoop of house-made ice cream. 23. Granáda Miltiadou 11 Athina 105 60, Greece 21 0325 0090 Visit Website Granada is decorated in colorful marble tiles meant to evoke Andalusia, a fitting setting for chef Dimitris Arsenidis’s blend of Spanish and Greek cuisines. Shrimp and chorizo empanadas come with romesco, while octopus is paired with fava beans and kapari (caper) jam. Accompany your meal with house-made sangria for the complete experience. 24. Opos Palia Veikou 2 Athina 117 42, Greece 21 0923 9718 Visit Website This throwback restaurant serves traditional Greek food a few minutes from the Acropolis, and it has become a natural hotspot in the area. The aesthetic is meant to evoke an Athens of decades past, with large portions and cheap prices to complete the fantasy. Try the meatballs, moussaka, and grilled meat and fish. Don’t forget to order some Greek wine. 25. Shedia Kolokotroni 56 Athina 105 60, Greece 21 0331 6849 Visit Website You’ll find great food at Shedia, but it’s the great people who will keep bringing you back. The cafe-bar-restaurant occupies the ground floor of Shedia Home, an initiative that helps people struggling with homelessness. The famous Greek chef Lefteris Lazarou created the menu, but the kitchen is staffed with relative newbies (the only cooking expertise required for hire is knowing how to boil an egg). The seasonal menu utilizes organic ingredients while remaining affordable, with offerings like almond and pistachio-crusted salmon filet or marjoram-scented spaghetti with red peppers, singlino (salted pork), and minced pork. 26. Vezené Athens Vrasida 11 Athina 115 28, Greece 21 0723 2002 Visit Website Aris Vezenes, one of Greece’s most talented chefs, had a huge hit on his hands when he opened his Greek-inspired bistro in 2011. The restaurant has aged well, earning a community of loyal customers and a spot in the Michelin guide. The menu is divided into three categories: a sea section with fresh fish, urchin, and lobster; a land section with fantastic choices of meat, like faraona (Guinea fowl) cooked with shio koji, jus, pickled pear, and baby gem; and the soil section, which includes dishes of mushrooms, potatoes, and vegetables. 27. Kalamakia O Elvis Plateon 29 Athina 104 35, Greece 21 0345 5836 You can get steak, pork, or chicken souvlaki at lots of places in Athens, but this is the only place to dine on the street delicacy beneath the loving gaze of the king. The story behind the Elvis Presley-themed eatery is a bit convoluted (the owners also run a bar that’s next door to a butcher shop named Elvis that was created for a popular Greek sitcom), but the owners ran with it, plastering the interior with posters and playing “Suspicious Minds” on repeat. If the ambiance somehow doesn’t appeal to you, the meats can also be taken to go, as can the freshly chopped fries sprinkled with salt and oregano. The shop’s huge success even led to a second location in the Pagrati neighborhood. 28. Το Κουλούρι του Ψυρρή Georgiou Karaeskaki 23 Athina 105 54, Greece 21 0321 5962 Visit Website Whether you’re an early riser or coming off a night of partying, stop by this 24/7 bakery in Psyrri, the city’s hippest neighborhood. The place is mostly known for its koulouri, thin, ropy breads similar to Jerusalem bagels or Turkish simit, which come topped simply with traditional sesame seeds, or decorated with sunflower seeds, dried grapes, or melted cheese. The bakery also serves a thicker variety of bagel stuffed as sandwiches, along with other baked goods. 29. Kitchen Lab Romvis 9 Athina 105 60, Greece 21 0322 1163 Visit Website Since being named the first champion on Greece’s version of MasterChef, Akis Petretzikis has been a rising star in the Greek food scene over the last decade. At Kitchen Lab, his team serves the most satisfying brunches in town, including croque-madames, rich sandwiches, English breakfasts, omelets, and the ever-popular pancakes topped with combinations like toffee, banana, and crumbled biscuits. This location is most convenient from the city center, but two others further out offer more seating. 30. Papadakis Fokilidou 15 Athina 106 73, Greece 21 0360 8621 Visit Website Celebrity chef Argiro Barbarigou serves locals and tourists some of the freshest fish and seafood in the city. Her restaurant, Papadakis, opened at the foot of Mount Lycabettus in downtown Athens in 2005, attracting A-listers like Jean Paul Gauthier, Carla Bruni, and Pierce Brosnan. Less-famous diners can also stop by for lobster, squid, and the fisherman’s soup known as kakavia. 31. Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro Mitropoleos 66 Athina 105 63, Greece 21 3029 6570 Visit Website This bistro and wine bar, owned and operated by restaurateurs Iza and Panos Kyriazis, breathes fresh air into the historic neighborhood of Plaka in central Athens. The wine list includes a wide range of bottles from both Greek and international vineyards, while chef Erasmia Balaska continues to prove herself a prodigy in the kitchen with dishes combining traditional and modern Greek cuisine. Try the milk-fed lamb youvetsi, a popular casserole prepared with orzo in a rich tomato sauce. 32. Stoa Fix Aiolou 102 Athina 105 64, Greece 21 1119 0119 Visit Website You could walk by Stoa Fix and not even notice it. The “gastronomic cafe,” as mastermind Gogo Delogianni describes it, lies underground in a covered shopping court near Omonoia Square. Tables are arranged down a (surprisingly light-filled) hallway, with a green-and-white color scheme that makes the place feel small and cozy. The cafe does serve coffee, but later in the day you’ll also find burgers topped with provatina (mutton), roasted squash filled with goat cheese and almonds, and black lentils with rice, smoked trout, lemongrass, and peppers. 33. Alex: The Fresh Pasta Bar Pl. Dexamenis 3 Athina 106 73, Greece 21 0364 4142 Visit Website Despite the location in Kolonaki, one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Athens, this pasta bar doesn’t require a second mortgage to afford its plentiful plates. After working in London and Paris, chef Alex Vasilatou returned home to Greece to open her namesake restaurant. The menu includes seven different choices of pasta, all with unique names, like the Cleopatra, a pappardelle in a spicy red sauce, and the Castaway, spaghetti alla chitarra with cured pork tenderloin. 34. BiteBox Veikou 84 Athina 117 41, Greece 21 0923 7817 Visit Website All-day cafe BiteBox serves food from breakfast to dinner, but most people come for Agapi Salamozi’s “poffies,” handheld doughnut hole-like pastries stuffed with a variety of sweet and salty fillings. Stop by the beautiful space in Koukaki in the morning for coffee and a sweet poffie with chocolate, caramelized raspberry, or coconut cream. Or come by in the afternoon for a glass of wine with a salty flavor like cheese and bacon, sauteed spinach, eggplant and peppers, or sundried tomato with olive paste. 35. Stone Athens Adrianou 31, Athens (Monastiraki Square) +30 210 322 2227 Visit Website The restaurant is ready to welcome you at all hours of the day. You will enjoy a healthy breakfast, delightful brunch, and Mediterranean flavors, and dine later in the evening, always with a view of the beautiful Acropolis. In their cellar, you will find exquisite wines and a wide variety of premium beverages. 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