29 Fabulous Athens Restaurants
Athens is home to some of Greece’s best restaurants, but the city is big, sprawling, and chaotic. Each neighborhood also has very distinct vibes, so figuring out where (and what) to eat takes some good planning.
Simply having a list of the best restaurants is no good; if you’re sightseeing in Plaka, you’re not going to want to get on a bus or subway and head 45 minutes to Piraeus for lunch. If you’re thinking of a romantic seafood dinner by the water, you probably shouldn’t plan on mid-afternoon sightseeing in Exarcheia. There’s more to it than you think!
So, to help you out, I’ve put together a guide to some of Athen’s best restaurants in 11 of my favorite neighborhoods!
More Greece travel info
Table of contents
Foods to try in Athens
Meal times in Greece
Tipping at restaurants
29 Great Athens Restaurants
Typical Greek and Athenian Dishes to Try
Spanakopita
Spanakopita literally translates as “spinach pie”. And, no surprises here, that’s what it is! It’s a savory pastry made with flaky filo dough that’s filled with cooked spinach, feta cheese, and some herbs. The traditional way to eat it is in the morning with a strong cup of Greek coffee.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki can be found all over the world now, especially in countries and cities that are home to the large Greek diaspora so they’re fairly well known. They’re skewers of grilled meat, typically pork or chicken, but also grilled lamb and beef. They’re often served with some pita.
Gyro
A gyro is basically a souvlaki sandwich, if you will. However, instead of grilling the meat, layers of it are stacked atop each other and then slow cooked rotisserie style on a vertical pit. The meat is thinly shaved and then placed inside a pita roll with vegetables, tzatziki sauce, and sometimes french fries. Street food heaven…
Dolmades
These are stuffed grape leaves. The stuffing is most typically just rice and herbs, but you’ll also often find some minced meat in there too.
Tzatziki
A thick yogurt-based white sauce that is flavored with garlic, dill, cucumber, and a dash of lemon juice.
Feta
Made from sheep’s milk, feta is a crumbly semi-soft cheese. While it’s used around the world, feta in Greece is not like elsewhere. You have dozens of different types and each region of Greece lays claim to the best cheese in the country. Can’t decide which to try? Sample them all!
Octopus
Octopus is popular all over Greece and Athens is no exception. You can find it cooked and prepared myriad ways, but the most common preparations are grilled or boiled with just a bit of olive oil and lemon as dressing.
Moussaka
Moussaka is actually a traditional dish throughout all of the Balkans and the Arab Mediterranean. It’s probably not even actually of Greek origin, but that hasn’t stopped the association with Greece! It’s a sort of eggplant lasagna - with layer after layer of thinly sliced eggplant coated in ground meat, cheese, and bechamel sauce. You can also find Moussaka with potato instead of or in addition to eggplant. Everywhere has their own twist.
Keftedes
Usually served as an appetizer or as part of a mezze platter, these are small meatballs made of spiced ground meat. Some recipes call for pork and beef while others opt for lamb as the primary meat. Drizzled with tzatziki and lemon and served alongside some pita and a feta salad, they’re a fabulous crowd pleaser.
Tyropita
Another breakfast treat, this is flaky filo dough filled with feta and eggs. It’s baked in the oven until it turns a lovely golden color and then usually cut up into little triangles for easy snacking!
Stifado
Found on menus in tavernas across the country during the winter, this is a hearty beef stew made with lots of red wine, cinnamon, onions, and garlic.
Fasolada
This simple little soup is made by adding white beans to a simmering base of tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, and spices and then adding vegetable broth. For Greeks, it’s one of their most iconic dishes. A perfect healthy treat for a cold day!
Meal times in Greece
There’s no two ways about it - the Greek eat late. If you’re coming from North America, expect all meals to be pushed a few hours later than you’re used to. In the case of dinner, you might need to go beyond a few hours!
Breakfast is usually done around 8:00 am. Lunch is a bit later than in North America, often starting at 2:00 pm. Dinner is much later - you should plan on meals beginning no earlier than 8:00 pm, and 9:00 or 10:00 will actually be more realistic by Greek standards.
Breakfast
The day starts later in Greece and breakfast is usually done around 8 am. Many Greeks hardly have breakfast and something typical would be a cup of coffee and a pastry, either savory or sweet. Something like tyropita (mentioned before) eaten on the go or at the counter while sipping a coffee would be normal. A heavy sit down breakfast is very uncommon.
Lunch
Lunchtime in Greece typically starts at 2:00 pm. If you’re the type who does a very early breakfast and then wants to have lunch before noon, forget about it. You won’t find anywhere open yet.
Lunch isn’t the main meal in Greece and people tend to eat light. A gyro on the go, some meze to share, or a souvlaki and some salad might be all someone has. Another typical lunch would be magirefta which refers to typical dishes made in larger quantities on the stove or in the oven. They’re essentially pre-prepared steam table items.
That said, in Athens and many places around Greece that welcome tourists, restaurants are open at lunch and many serve full menus with all different types of food.
Dinner
Now it’s time to eat! Dinner in Greece is the main meal of the day and it’s a big one. But you might have to wait a while for it! In Athens and elsewhere, many Greeks won’t even head to dinner until 10:00 pm. A 5:30 pm supper is not a possibility here…
If you’re used to eating early, many restaurants in central Athens and some of the more touristed islands might be open as early as 7:00 or 8:00 pm, but they’ll almost certainly be quite empty then. This doesn’t mean they’re bad restaurants, it’s just that you’re very early for dinner by Greek standards! With that in mind, it’s a good idea to plan on a mid afternoon snack to tide you over.
Dinner is the perfect meal to try traditional dishes, seafood, and big platters of grilled meats. Whether you’re looking for traditional tavernas or fine dining, you have almost unlimited terrific options in Athens.
Tipping at Restaurants in Greece
Tipping in Greece is never mandatory, but it is fairly common, even if not always expected. When tipping in Greece, there’s no hard and fast rule on how much you should leave. If you’re at a traditional taverna or a simple restaurant, you might just round up the bill. For example, if your meal costs 37 euros, you could leave 40. At higher end establishments, 10% would be more appropriate, but again, it’s entirely discretionary.
At bars and cafés you wouldn’t normally leave a tip. The same goes for grabbing quick eats on the street.
Bear in mind that some restaurants may automatically add a tip, so you should always check your bill. In those cases, no additional tip is expected. If a tip is included, also know that you’re not obligated to pay it.
Sometimes there’s confusion over what might show up on your bill as “service” or “cover”. This is not a tip. It’s similar to the Italian coperto; a set fee that restaurants charge to cover the cost of service, silverware, place settings, etc. That fee is mandatory.
29 Great Athens Restaurants
Athens is a big city and there’s no point spending an hour in transit just to have a meal. So, rather than just give you a list of our favorite restaurants at random around the city, I’ve broken it down by neighborhood.
This way, no matter where you find yourself while out sightseeing, you can just open up this list and find a great restaurant no more than a few minutes away.
In the below list, each blue restaurant name is a hyperlink to the Google Maps profile of the restaurant. If you click it, you can see its location, photos, opening hours, menu, phone number, and reviews!
Great restaurants in Monastiraki, Plaka, Syntagma Square, & Thissio
1. Attalos Restaurant - Attalos is undeniably touristy, but in the historic center of Athens basically everywhere is. Here you can at least be sure that you’ll get fair prices and authentic Greek food.
2. TAF (the art foundation) cafe - This cute cafe and restaurants combines good eats and art & culture. It’s best for lunch.
3. To Kafeneio - This is a traditional “mezedopoleio” which is a restaurant that serves traditional mezedes. These are small plates, sort of like tapas, which are made for sharing with the whole table. You have both indoor and outdoor seating.
4. Café Avissinia - With home-style cooking and Acropolis views from their rooftop terrace, this is a good spot to take a break from all the sightseeing. Full disclosure, the view is better than the food, so keep that in mind.
5. Taverna Saita - Traditional Greek taverna with great food and a lovely outdoor setting.
Great restaurants in Koukaki
6. Skoubri - With a rustic-chic seaside/beach vibe, it should be obvious what the specialty here is. Skoubri is a perennially good choice for fresh seafood at reasonable prices. The cherry tomato salad, grilled squid, and sardines are always standouts. Indoor and outdoor seating available.
7. Lotte Cafe Bistrot - This café and bistro has funky retro and vintage decor and is great for quick eats, snacks, cake, sweet treats, and coffee & cocktails.
8. Takis Bakery - Local favorite for bread and baked goods. They have countless different types of small baklava, as well as other staples like spanakopita. Don’t miss the pistachio baklava!
9. Bel Ray - A cheerful and hip option for breakfast, brunch, light lunches, and drinks in the evening. The indoor dining area is airy and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. The style is very “renovated industrial” with high ceilings, brushed concrete floors, and some cool communal seating areas.
Great restaurants in Kolonaki
10. Dexameni Café - This cafe right at the foot of Lycabettus hill has lovely outdoor seating on both sides of a quiet street and is surrounded by trees and greenery. It’s a breath of fresh air and a great spot to stop for a light lunch or coffee and snacks.
11. Kalamaki Kolonaki - For when you don’t feel like a long lunch, but also don’t want to sacrifice quality, Kalamaki Kolonaki serves high quality Greek fast food with lovely presentation.
12. Oikeio - Cozy taverna with very cool interior and shaded outdoor seating. The service is always good and the food is home-style cooking with fair prices to boot.
13. Fresh Patisserie - Great baked goods from macaroons to full cakes. The treats are not particularly Greek, but they’re very pretty and very tasty too.
14. Carpo - Little shop selling coffee, chocolate and nuts. While there are a couple of seats, this is really a takeaway place and it is a shop, not a café.
Great restaurants in Petralona
15. Oikonomou Restaurant - Coming up on their 100-year anniversary, Oikonomou is always a winner for well-done traditional Greek food. This is the type of food and atmosphere that’ll make Greeks nostalgic about Sunday meals at their grandmother’s, so if you’re looking for an authentic experience, look no further.
16. Aschimopapo - Rustic, eclectic, and entirely unpretentious, this taverna and grill has a lovely garden and serves simple and traditional meals.
17. Ranteboú - Meze are the focus here, so it’s a great choice for sharing and trying many tasty small plates. The cauliflower is especially is especially good. Also be sure to have a glass of tsipouro or ouzo to wrap up your meal!
Great restaurants in Pangrati and Mets
18. Chelsea Hotel - Hip café and bar perfect for mingling with locals and making new friends. The bar is right at the corner of a busy intersection near the Panathenaic Stadium so it’s a great spot for a boozy break and some mid-afternoon people watching.
19. Mavros Gatos - A long-standing traditional grill & taverna. Come for the meat, stay for everything else! The lamb chops in particular are delicious. The seating area is large, so outside of prime hours or with a little advance notice they can accommodate bigger groups.
20. Spondi Restaurant - If you want to up your eating to the next level or are celebrating a special occasion, head here for Michelin-starred eats! Elegant chandeliers hang from the vaulted stone ceiling of the interior dining area and the walled back courtyard is an oasis of calm and privacy. The food is divine and the presentation and plating is stunning.
Great restaurants in Exarcheia
21. Ama Lachei - No longer the local secret it used to be, it’s still a lovely place with great small plates and warm service. The interior is very “modern farmhouse” and the garden seating area is endlessly Instagrammable. If that description scares you off a little, don’t let it. It really is excellent.
22. Rosalia - Rosalia is a city and neighborhood institution. This is hands down one of the best places to taste traditional, daily meals. The perfect place for a lazy Sunday lunch, pull up a chair at a table under the grape vines and let the hours pass by in good company with good food.
Great restaurants in Piraeus
23. To Steki Tou Artemis - A traditional taverna that’s been popular with locals for decades. It often has live music and the walls are lined with dozens of photos of staff, friends, visitors, family members, celebrities, etc. who have stopped by over the years. It’s located just a few minutes walk from the ferry terminal, so it’s very convenient if you’re departing or arriving to Athens at mealtime. The focus is on seafood.
24. Psaroskala Piraikis - A great fish taverna on the Piraeus seafront with ocean views. It’s big, so great for larger groups.
25. The Grandmother Elizabeth/Η Γιαγιά Ελισάβετ - A staple for simple, yet delicious fare at very reasonable prices next to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. It’s family-owned and operated and just far enough off the beaten path to make it feel like a local secret.
26. Flisvos marina - With too many options to choose a favorite, the marina is a good choice for more upscale restaurants. It’s located inside of Palaio Faliro park and is actually in Athens proper and not Piraeus.
Great restaurants in Kypseli
27. Dyonisos - A traditional spot for souvlaki, gyros, and daily-prepared fresh meals with seating right on Agios Giorgos Square. You can order a meal or, if you’re in a rush, serve yourself from the steam table items at lunch.
28. Bakalogatos - This small taverna and grill is charming and intimate. The interior is super cozy, but they also have outdoor seating for hot days. It’s located right on Fokionos Negri street.
29. O Platanos - A favorite restaurant of locals and families with a very nice garden. This is simple food so think gyros, souvlaki, meat platters, and salads.
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