36 Best Restaurants in Attica and Delphi, Greece

The wine barrel by the front door is the first hint that this cozy ouzeri, tucked into a side street off the harbor, is a place to sit back, relax, order the house tipple, and indulge. The dark-wood setting is truly gorgeous, and daily specials present some innovative takes on the classics; the stuffed onions and the pork with plums are especially delicious, while the six-hour slow-cooked lamb leg deserves a special mention. A old standby is the pork bebelis, sliced tenderloin slathered in a delicious pepper and cream sauce that is best liberally mopped up with bread—the ultimate Galaxidi comfort food.

This family-run taverna at the foot of Mt. Parnitha is popular for its mountain views and cozy fireplace in the winter, as well as for its serene garden with tall plane trees providing a much needed respite from the summer heat. The menu is built around grilled meat, mostly ribs and chops, served by the kilo on heaping platters. Accompaniments include lightly fried zucchini, eggplant chips for dipping in the yogurt-garlic tzatziki, and delicious pies of wild greens wrapped in thick, hand-rolled phyllo.

A traditional stone house built in 1850 in the center of Delphi is the setting for hearty lunches and dinners. In winter, dine near the fireplace and relish hot soups, lamb chops by the kilo, and grilled local talagani cheeses. In summer, the leafy terrace is one of the best seats in town, with salads, pastas and fish dishes blancing out of the traditionally meat-heavy mains.

This family-run restaurant on the waterfront serves the best Kefalonian meat pie according to many of its adoring customers, but before verifying the rumor, try the grilled haloumi with honey, octopus marinated in vinegar, and feta-stuffed lamb wrapped in vine leaves—all of which are designed to capture the smells and tastes of the island. The layout is mostly traditional, with simple square tables arranged in the usual sequence throughout the interior and roofed outdoor section, but the red walls, chairs, curtains, and wall art are a nice change from the ubiquitous blue and white in Greece.

While living in South America, owner Nikos Milonas learned how to carve beef, how high to fire up the grill, and exactly how to time a perfect medium-rare steak (size XXL!). The meat-loving population of Greece has been benefiting from his expertise ever since. Salad and home fries round out both the luncheon and dinner menus. On a clear day you get a peek at the sea from the large veranda. The decor is simple, without frills, just like the menu. It is advised to call in and order your meat in advance (or as soon as you sit down), as wait times can be long.

Arachova's oldest taverna (more that a hundred years old) still draws gargantuan crowds—causing occasional staff surliness—simply because of the amazing food. Lamb with oregano, and beef in a red sauce are both served with hilopites, the thin egg noodles cut into thousands of tiny squares, for which the area is known. Sample the fried formaella (a mild local sheep's-milk cheese); the hortopites (pastries filled with mountain greens); or the bourekakia (grilled beef patties stuffed with formaella or Gouda cheese). The brusco red wine comes straight from the barrel here.

Nothing in the simple restaurant design detracts from the view of the beautiful Itea gorge from the large, open veranda. Even in the colder months, a glass canopy protects the seating area and allows diners to look out year-round. Start with rooster soup and peppers stuffed with melted cheese. The house specialty is a must: the wild boar stifado is cooked with plenty of baby onions and fresh tomato sauce. The chef has been trained in France and likes to add tasteful twists in traditional Greek recipes. The restaurant is a favorite with tourist groups, so it can all can get quite lively all of a sudden.

This esteemed seafood restaurant first opened here in 1924, and it's aged well. Athenians flock year-round to share a seafood platter and bottle of white wine or feast on tongue fillets stuffed with fresh shrimp, or an appetizer of scorpion-fish croquettes. There's meat on the menu, too, but most opt for the fresh grilled fish that is brought daily from Kalimnos, Patmos, and the Leros islands. Oysters and prawns are also a specialty. But it's not just the food that attracts locals to this family-run restaurant: there are also elegant wood-beamed ceilings (the ceiling is partly retractable, so on a good night you can dine under the stars) and a superb view of the coast, all just 35 minutes' drive from downtown Athens. Reservations are essential during weekends.

This spot feels a bit like meat corner: a steakhouse opposite another steakhouse, next to a grillhouse—and, bizarrely, a krav maga dojo. But George's trumps them all. What started out as a butcher's shop in 1951 has expanded over the decades, prompted by regulars from the old U.S. Airforce Base before it shut. Back then this area was dubbed "Burger City," and little has changed. Steaks and biftekia (thick, grilled, hamburger-like patties of ground beef and pork served without a bun) still hit the plate with regularity. The service is fast, so don't be disappointed if all the tables are taken; there's a continuous stream of diners coming and going. You get value for your money here.

Front tables at this lively and friendly spot, a perfect stop after a day at the beach, are nearly immersed in the sea, and others are tucked into a Mediterranean garden. Family matriarch Isidora orchestrates the delicious homemade meals, many including fresh fish of the day, accompanied by rich seasonal salads and fresh village bread.

Devotees of loukoumades, deep-fried balls of dough soaked in honey, find ample satisfaction at this family-run café. Selections come in a multitude of preparations including with hazelnut praline, dark chocolate, white toffee, and sour cherry sauces. Combinations of several can be ordered by the skewer. If you don't have a sweet tooth, more lunch-friendly versions come with cheese, bacon, and sesame.

Perched across the road from the waters of scenic Vouliagmeni Lake, this traditional fish taverna has been serving the best of Greek fishermen's catches since 1889. With wonderful views of crystalline, aquamarine waters, Labros remains legendary for its mussel rice (mydopilafo), its seafood pasta, and its grilled fresh fish that arrives daily from all parts of Greece.

A captains' kafeneio (coffeehouse) from 1850 is elegantly decorated in a nautical theme with classic Chesterfield sofas and a character-filled setting in which to enjoy mussels—what Galaxidi is known for—served here in a saganaki, steamed, and in a pilaf. There's also seafood risotto and lobster pasta, as well as traditional non-seafood dishes such as homemade pies. Homemade sweets include walnut paste with kaymak (like clotted cream) ice cream.

Wonderful views over the best of the Athenian Riviera, the Vouliagmeni marina, and a small church shrine can make for an unforgettably romantic evening. The hip lounge atmosphere of this seafront café-restaurant is complemented by the Nouveau Greek menu created by chef Andreas Schoinas, with the healthy seafood and Mediterranean options standing out from the rest.

Locals and tourists pack the waterfront terrace, drawn in year-round by the quality of the seafood in this basic taverna with reasonable prices. Farm-raised crawfish (karavides) are simply boiled and sprinkled with lemon—a true delicacy. Crispy fried calamari and shrimp, tender grilled octopus, and whole fish such as chargrilled snapper are fresh as can be. Complete the feast with boiled greens, grilled eggplant salad, a large village salad, and a carafe of local wine.

It is well worth climbing the 263 steps leading from the main road up to the church of Agios Georgios, where the lovely smells wafting from the kitchen of this hilltop institution, from the 1930s, will prepare you for a tasty meal. Start with local specialty opsimotyri (tart yogurt dip) and the house salad of shredded red cabbage, carrot, and grilled mushrooms. Then, dig into a plump bifteki (ground-meat patty) flavored with parsley, or dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) with a creamy lemon sauce. The lamb stewed on vine leaves is also a favorite with regular clients. Reservations are essential during winter weekends, when there is Greek live music and the impromptu party continues until the early morning hours.

It's the ambience and aroma of cooking fish and seafood that draw many passersby into this quayside restaurant, but it's the taste that keeps them in their seats for hours on end. Skordalia with mashed potatoes, crispy sardines, and melt-in-your-mouth octopus are but a few of the specialities on the menu. Hostess and owner Rosa Aggelatos also adds much to the fun with her acerbic wit and service, especially when discussing her love for classic Japanese motorcycles. The seating area outside is also one of the best in town to watch the yachts come and go from the marina.

Sit among the pines, take in the view of the sea, and snack on the traditional pites (homemade pastry pies, typically stuffed with cheese and spinach) before indulging in the best fresh seafood in the area. The scent of grilled fish wafts in the air, whetting the appetite. Sample mussels infused with saffron; crispy, salty fried anchovies; tender octopus in a wine sauce; and tomato-slathered shrimp and orzo, then sit back and contentedly stare over the water.

Some tasteful antique decorative touches lend this portside house a quaint feeling, but in warm weather the terrace is the place to be, to watch the world pass by while enjoying a wide-ranging menu. Aside from a good choice of grilled meats and fish, there are some wonderful seafood and vegetarian pastas, along with a nice selection of salads.

In the winter you can warm yourself at your choice of several fireplaces in this old stone house that's been deemed a historic building by the state, and look out at the excellent views of the mountains. Tirokafteri, a piquant cheese spread, is the perfect accompaniment to the stone-ground country bread to start. Follow with a sampling of the large purplish Amfissa olives, fava (mashed yellow split peas, lemon, and raw onions), or the potent skordalia (garlic-mashed potato spread). Meat dominates the mains: rooster with hylopites (tiny pasta squares) in tomato sauce, stuffed lamb shank, and even excellent burgers.

The Theorodakis family keeps a watchful eye on the kitchen and on the happiness of their customers, who can choose between the spacious dining room or the large sheltered veranda with a stunning valley view. The menu is heavy on meat dishes, either grilled, boiled, or simmered in the oven, but vegetarians can put together a small feast from boiled greens and other homemade meatless Greek classics, like sweet peas in tomato sauce and stuffed cabbage leaves.