The best restaurants in Athens range from traditional family-run tavernas and modern Greek cuisine to fine dining with Acropolis views, across food-loving neighbourhoods like Plaka, Psiri and Koukaki. Pair a great meal with a guided food tour and tickets from My Greece Tours for a delicious Athens trip.
Eating well is one of the joys of the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover the best restaurants, food neighbourhoods, what to order and tips in full.
Where are the best restaurants in Athens?
The best restaurants in Athens span traditional family-run tavernas serving home-cooked Greek classics, modern restaurants reinventing Greek cuisine with a contemporary twist, and fine-dining spots with Acropolis views. They cluster in food-loving neighbourhoods like Plaka, Monastiraki, Psiri, Koukaki, Kolonaki and Thissio, offering everything from cheap, authentic mezedes to gourmet dining.
Athens is a fantastic food city, and its dining scene offers something for every taste and budget, from humble, authentic tavernas to sophisticated modern restaurants. At the heart of it are the traditional family-run tavernas and mezedopoleia, where you can feast on home-cooked Greek classics, moussaka, grilled meats, fresh seafood, slow-cooked stews and mezedes, in a warm, convivial atmosphere, often at very reasonable prices. Alongside these, a wave of acclaimed modern restaurants reinvents Greek cuisine with creative, contemporary techniques and beautiful presentation, using top Greek ingredients. At the upper end, fine-dining restaurants and stylish rooftop spots offer gourmet menus, some with stunning Acropolis views. The best dining is found across the city’s food-loving neighbourhoods, including Plaka, Monastiraki, Psiri, Koukaki, Kolonaki, Thissio, Exarcheia and Gazi, each with its own character. Whether you want a cheap, authentic souvlaki, a long taverna lunch or a memorable gourmet dinner, Athens delivers superb food. Knowing where and what to eat is key, set out alongside the guide to Greek food to try. Traditional tavernas are the soul of Athenian dining.
What are the best traditional tavernas in Athens?
The best traditional tavernas in Athens serve simple, home-cooked Greek food in a no-frills, family-run setting. Beloved spots include To Kati Allo near the Acropolis Museum, the grandmotherly Giagia Koukou, and the long-established Klimataria, dating from. They offer hearty classics like grilled meats, stews and mezedes at honest prices, often packed with locals.
The soul of Athenian dining lies in its traditional tavernas, the family-run kitchens serving the honest, home-cooked food that Greeks love, and seeking these out is the best way to eat authentically. These are typically no-fuss, no-frills places, often busy with locals, where the menu changes with what is fresh and the focus is on flavour and generosity rather than decor. Beloved examples include To Kati Allo, a tiny, traditional family-run taverna near the Acropolis Museum serving simple, good home cooking; Giagia Koukou, perfect for lovers of comforting Greek dishes made the way a Greek grandmother would; and the long-established Klimataria, dating back to, a classic spot for excellent grilled meats and Athenian staples. Such tavernas serve hearty classics like moussaka, pastitsio, slow-cooked stews, grilled lamb and chicken, fresh fish, and an array of mezedes and dips, usually with house wine from the barrel, all at honest, reasonable prices. Eating in one of these authentic tavernas, sharing plates over a long, relaxed meal, is a quintessential Athens experience. They are the heart of the city’s food scene, set out alongside the guide to Plaka. Modern Greek cuisine offers a different experience.
What about modern Greek and fine-dining restaurants?
Athens has a thriving modern dining scene reinventing Greek cuisine with creative techniques and shareable plates, at acclaimed restaurants like Karamanlidika, with its cheeses and cured meats, and Cookoovaya. For fine dining with a view, spots like Kuzina near the Ancient Agora offer rooftop terraces overlooking the Acropolis. These showcase Greek ingredients at their most refined.
Beyond the traditional tavernas, Athens has developed an exciting, sophisticated modern dining scene that has put it on the international food map. A new generation of chefs and restaurants reinterprets Greek cuisine with contemporary creativity, refined techniques and elegant presentation, while celebrating top-quality Greek ingredients and regional traditions. Acclaimed spots include Karamanlidika, known for its superb selection of Greek cheeses, smoked and cured meats and dishes given a modern twist, and Cookoovaya, offering inventive, shareable plates such as grilled octopus with fava. For dining with a memorable view, restaurants like Kuzina, near the Ancient Agora, have rooftop terraces where you can enjoy refined Greek cooking with the Acropolis and the Temple of Hephaestus as a backdrop. Across the city, stylish modern restaurants, wine bars and rooftop venues offer everything from creative meze to gourmet tasting menus, often at prices well below comparable cities. These modern and fine-dining options let you experience the exciting, sophisticated side of Greek gastronomy. They complement the traditional tavernas beautifully, set out alongside the guide to Athens nightlife and rooftop bars. The food neighbourhoods guide where to go.
What are the best food neighbourhoods in Athens?
The best food neighbourhoods in Athens include Plaka and Monastiraki for traditional tavernas and views, Psiri for eclectic tavernas, mezedes and seafood, Koukaki for local favourites near the Acropolis Museum, Kolonaki for upscale dining, and Exarcheia, Thissio, Gazi and Metaxourgeio for creative, local and varied scenes. Each offers a distinct dining character.
Knowing the city’s food-loving neighbourhoods helps you find the best places to eat in Athens, as each district has its own dining character. Plaka and Monastiraki, in the historic centre, are full of traditional tavernas, some touristy but many excellent, and offer the bonus of Acropolis views, especially from rooftops. Psiri is one of the most exciting food areas, packed with eclectic tavernas, ouzeris, mezedes spots and seafood restaurants buzzing late into the night. Koukaki and Makrygianni, near the Acropolis Museum, have become a hotspot of beloved local tavernas and modern eateries favoured by Athenians. Upscale Kolonaki is the place for polished, fashionable restaurants, wine bars and people-watching, while bohemian Exarcheia offers authentic, affordable and creative dining with a youthful edge. Leafy Thissio, lively Gazi and up-and-coming Metaxourgeio round out the scene with everything from tavernas to trendy new openings. Wandering these neighbourhoods, you will find tavernas, street food and restaurants to suit every mood and budget. A guided food tour is a great way to discover them. The neighbourhoods are your dining map, set out alongside the guides to Psiri and the Athens street food guide. A few tips help you eat well.
What tips help for eating out in Athens?
For eating out in Athens, dine late like the locals, seek tavernas busy with Greeks for authenticity, order a spread of mezedes to share, and step off the busiest tourist streets for better value. Book popular and rooftop restaurants ahead, embrace the relaxed pace, and consider a guided food tour. Tipping is modest, around 5 to 10 percent.
A few tips help you eat well and authentically in Athens. Embrace the local rhythm by dining late, as Greeks typically eat dinner from around 9pm, and treat meals as long, sociable affairs rather than rushed ones. For the most authentic, best-value food, choose tavernas that are busy with locals rather than those with tourist-menu boards and touts on the main drags, and do not be afraid to step a few streets away from the busiest tourist areas, where quality often rises and prices fall. Eat the Greek way by ordering a variety of mezedes, small shared plates, along with salads, dips and a main or two, to sample more dishes and share generously. Book ahead for popular restaurants and especially rooftop spots with Acropolis views, which fill up, particularly in the evening and in peak season. Consider joining a guided food tour to discover hidden tavernas, street food and local specialities with expert insight. Remember that tipping in Greece is modest and not obligatory, with rounding up or 5 to 10 percent appreciated for good service, ideally in cash. With these tips, you will eat memorably in Athens, set out alongside the guides to Greek food to try and budget travel tips. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
What Greek dishes should you order in Athens?
In Athens, order classics like moussaka, souvlaki and gyros, grilled meats and seafood, and mezedes such as tzatziki, fava, dolmades, saganaki and Greek salad. Try local specialities, fresh fish, slow-cooked stews and pies, and finish with sweets like baklava or Greek yoghurt with honey. Sharing many small plates is the authentic Greek way.
Knowing what to order helps you eat memorably in Athens, where the food is fresh, flavourful and made for sharing. Start with mezedes, the small plates that are the heart of Greek dining: creamy tzatziki, smooth fava (yellow split-pea puree), melitzanosalata (aubergine dip), dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), saganaki (fried cheese), keftedes (meatballs), grilled octopus and crisp Greek salad with feta and good olive oil. For mains, the iconic souvlaki and gyros, skewered and spit-roasted meat in pita, are a must and brilliant value, while classics like moussaka, the layered aubergine and mince bake, pastitsio, and slow-cooked stews such as stifado are deeply satisfying. As a coastal city, Athens offers excellent fresh fish and seafood, simply grilled with lemon and olive oil. Savoury pies like spanakopita (spinach) and tyropita (cheese) make great snacks. Wash it all down with Greek wine, ouzo or tsipouro, and finish with sweets such as baklava, galaktoboureko or thick Greek yoghurt drizzled with honey and walnuts. The key is to order a generous spread to share, sampling many dishes the sociable Greek way. Eating like this is a highlight of any visit, set out alongside the guide to Greek food to try. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to book restaurants in Athens?
For popular restaurants and especially rooftop spots with Acropolis views, it is wise to book ahead, particularly in the evening and during the busy spring-to-autumn season, as they fill up. Casual tavernas and street-food spots usually do not need reservations, so you can walk in, though arriving a little early helps.
Where are the best restaurants in Athens?
The best restaurants in Athens span traditional family-run tavernas, modern Greek restaurants and fine-dining spots with Acropolis views, clustered in food-loving neighbourhoods like Plaka, Monastiraki, Psiri, Koukaki, Kolonaki and Thissio. They range from cheap, authentic mezedes and grilled meats to creative gourmet dining, all using excellent Greek ingredients.
Where do you find authentic Greek food in Athens?
You find the most authentic Greek food in Athens at traditional family-run tavernas and ouzeris busy with locals, especially in neighbourhoods like Psiri, Koukaki and Exarcheia, and on the back streets away from the busiest tourist areas. Order home-cooked classics and shared mezedes, and look for daily specials and house wine.
How much does it cost to eat out in Athens?
Eating out in Athens is good value compared with many European capitals. A meal at a traditional taverna with shared mezedes and house wine is inexpensive, street food like souvlaki costs just a few euros, and even acclaimed modern and fine-dining restaurants are reasonably priced. Tipping is modest, around 5 to 10 percent for good service.