Food & Drink
Where Athens Eats
From Monastiraki souvlaki at dawn to Kolonaki cocktail bars at midnight.
Where to Eat
32 places
Diporto Agoras
No menu, no sign, no website. A subterranean marble-counter taverna in the Central Market that's been serving the same chickpea soup, grilled fish, and house wine since 1887. One of Athens' last genuine anachronisms.
Bairaktaris
The definitive Monastiraki souvlaki institution — pork skewers, gyros, and grilled lamb chops served with proper chips since 1879. Perpetually crowded, correctly so. Skip the tourist menu and order à la carte.
Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani
Part charcuterie shop, part meze restaurant — cured meats, aged cheeses, and Anatolian-Greek specialities in a beautifully tiled space. The taramosalata alone justifies the visit.
Strofi
A classic Athenian taverna on the south slope of the Acropolis — grilled meats, moussaka, and a rooftop terrace with unobstructed Parthenon views. The food is honest; the view is extraordinary.
Tzitzikas kai Mermigas
Modern Greek meze done properly — a long sharing menu of regional specialities, excellent grilled octopus, and creative twists on taverna classics. Two locations in central Athens; the Mitropoleos branch is easier for tourists.
Spondi
Athens' most acclaimed fine-dining restaurant — two Michelin stars, a French-influenced tasting menu using premium Greek ingredients, and a garden courtyard in a Pangrati neoclassical villa. Reserve a month ahead.
O Thanasis
The Monastiraki souvlaki counter that Athenians actually argue about — charcoal-grilled kebabs in flatbread, without fuss or ceremony. The kalamaki pork is the benchmark.
Hytra
One Michelin star, a one-of-a-kind rooftop Onassis Cultural Centre setting, and a menu that reinterprets Greek culinary history with technical precision. The most intellectually ambitious kitchen in Athens.
Kuzina
A converted neoclassical building in Thissio with a terrace overlooking the Ancient Agora and Acropolis — the setting is exceptional. The modern Greek menu lives up to it: grilled fish, creative starters, honest execution.
Kostas Souvlaki (Plateia Agia Irini)
A hole-in-the-wall souvlaki spot that opens at 6am and sells out by noon. Pork skewers in greaseproof paper on Agia Irini Square — the city's worst-kept secret. Go at 8am for zero queue.
EKIBEN KITCHEN
A Japanese ekiben concept transplanted to central Athens — bento boxes built on railway-station precision with seasonal Greek-Japanese combinations. One of the city's most original lunch destinations.
Alex The Fresh Pasta Bar
Fresh handmade pasta crafted daily in an intimate Athens setting. Simple, ingredient-led Italian–Greek hybrid cooking with a short, rotating menu.
Manari Taverna
Open-fire Greek taverna from the team behind Vezene — whole animals, live coals, and the kind of cooking that made you fall in love with Greek food in the first place.
Birdman
Athens' best yakitori bar — charcoal-grilled skewers, Japanese whisky highballs, and vinyl records since 2017. Walk-ins welcome; gets packed after 9pm.
Iodio
Chef Georgianna Hiliadaki's daily catch restaurant — whole fish, raw bar, and ultra-seasonal Greek seafood in a stripped-back dining room. The menu changes with the market.
Akra
All-day Athens spot combining a serious bakery, restaurant, and wine bar under one roof. Naturally leavened breads in the morning, sharing plates by night.
Koita
Microbakery and dining bar with natural wine, open-fire cooking, and a groove-forward playlist. Book ahead — it fills fast.
1OAM apotheke
A contemporary Greek lifestyle brand that blends ancient wellness rituals with modern all-day dining. Herbal teas, natural wines, and thoughtful sharing plates in a calm Syntagma-area setting.
AbraOvata
Honest, ingredient-forward Greek cooking rooted in tradition — the kind of place where the olive oil matters and the portions are generous.
Voulkanizater
A beloved Athens institution — HiFi sound system, a serious kitchen, and a convivial bar that stays open late. Somewhere between a restaurant and a club for regulars.
Kora Bakery
Kolonaki's standout sourdough bakery — naturally leavened loaves, exceptional croissants, and dangerously good pastries. Weekday mornings only; sell out before noon.
Ithaki Restaurant Bar
Fine dining perched above the Athenian Riviera at Kavouri — one of Athens' most dramatic settings, with a terrace over the sea and a kitchen that matches the view.
ERGON House Athens
Ergon House is Athens' most ambitious food destination — a Michelin Key market, café, deli, and restaurant all under one roof. Come for breakfast provisions; stay for dinner.
Cinapos
Greek table cooking at its most considered — seasonal ingredients, regional recipes, and a strong commitment to the country's food culture.
Pharaoh
Wood-fire cooking and natural wines in a Exarchia loft, with vinyl sets from rotating DJs. Pharaoh made open-flame cooking Athens' most interesting dining movement.
Taverna Oikonomou
A family taverna since 1930 — barrel wine, grilled meats, and the kind of unchanged menu that takes 90 years to perfect. One of Athens' last working-class classics.
Klimataria
A Psirri institution since 1927 — barrel wine, slow-cooked stews, and live rebetiko music most evenings. The accordion starts around 9pm and the room fills fast. Order the lamb fricassee and stay late.
To Steki tou Ilia
The definitive destination for paidakia — enormous charcoal-grilled lamb chops served by the kilo with nothing but chips and bread. No pretension, no menu, just one of the great Greek eating experiences. The Thissio branch has a terrace.
Nolan
The most exciting kitchen in Athens right now — chef Sotiris Contizas fuses Japanese technique with Greek ingredients across a tight, precise menu. The wagyu gyoza with aged feta and the miso-glazed local pork are standouts. Book weeks ahead.
Seychelles
A low-key natural wine bar and kitchen in working-class Kypseli that became a pilgrimage spot for Athens' food crowd. The list leans Georgian and Greek; the food is seasonal, market-led, and unfussy. Feels like eating at a well-travelled friend's apartment.
Krinos
Athens' oldest loukoumades shop, open since 1923 on the edge of the Central Market. Hot honey-soaked Greek donuts fried to order — crisp outside, cloud-soft inside. Queue moves fast. Best eaten standing at the counter with a coffee.
Little Kook
A wildly theatrical café in Psirri that transforms its entire interior — and the alley outside — for each season. Think fairy-tale costumes, elaborate décor, and excellent cakes. Absurdly photogenic and genuinely fun. Queues form early on weekends.
Food Guides
4 guidesAthens Food Guide 2026: Where Locals Actually Eat
From Monastiraki souvlaki at 8am to Kolonaki cocktail bars at midnight — the essential Athens eating guide.
The Athens Souvlaki Guide: Where to Go, What to Order
Souvlaki is not one thing. This guide breaks down the differences — pork skewer, gyros, kalamaki — and maps the best spots in Athens by neighbourhood.
Greek Coffee Culture: From Kafeneion to Third Wave
Greek coffee is not one drink. This guide covers freddo espresso, ellinikos kafes, frappe, and the kafeneion tradition — and where to find the best of each in Athens.
Athens Food Markets: Varvakeios, Monastiraki Flea Market & More
The Varvakeios central market is Athens' most unfiltered food experience — fish, meat, spice, and noise in equal measure. This guide covers what to see, buy, and eat.
Book an Experience
Eat With a Local
Athens' food scene is best navigated with someone who knows which stall to skip, which taverna doesn't have a tourist menu, and where to get the best loukoumades in the city.