We will be in Athens for 2 nights in mid September. We want to stay in at least one of the gourmet fine restaurants and there seem to be many. We would also like to dine at a more traditional restaurant but definitely not a tourist trap. We have been advised not to eat around the Plaka area. Hope someone out there has some good advice. Also we welcome advice for Naxos, Mykonos and Santorini.
thanks,
jjashworth

I enjoyed eating in the Plaka. There are many good places there. You might want to reconsider. Just avoid the guys who try to pull you in to their restaurant. And don't let a taxi driver take you to his favorite place by the sea.

"We want to stay in at least one of the gourmet fine restaurants"

Well, I'm not sure what restaurants have rooms...

Try The Winter Garden at Hotel Grande Bretagne for a place with the most fantastic atmosphere and sense of grandeur. Also try their other restaurants; nothing terribly groundbreaking, but good quality, solid menus.

Sorry, I meant eat, not stay. Has anyone eaten at Orizontes at the top of Lycabetuis Hill? It is supposed to have a fabulous view and woderful food.
We want one restaurant that is special with a great view and one that is traditionally Greek with great atmosphere.

The St. George Lycabettus hotel has some very nice restaurants including Le grand Balcon which is excellent with an amazing view. There are many excellent restaurants in that area in the Kolonaki.

what do you mean exactly by fine dining? different people have different opinons. how much per person do you want to spend?
also, a good view and fine dining do not usually go together within athens. how important is the view to you? let me know and i'll try and answer your question.

i agree that if you want more up-scale food you are unlikely to find it in plaka, although nearby psyrri has many wonderful restaurants, and is where many athenians head at night.

One lunch you shouldn't miss is O Thanassis souvlaki/kebab restaurant near the Monastiraki metro station. (Across the street there is a similar restauarnt called Savvas (Sabbas) but believe me, Thanassis is better!) Get the kebab plates, a horiatiki salad, and fried potates, along with a cold beer (or whatever you drink). Their fried peppers are hot and spicy and we usually order them too. You won't be sorry. One caution, if you go for Sunday lunch the place will be very crowded as it is traditional for greeks to go that day. Trying to get a table can be entertaining, if you are patient and the type of person who is amused by human nature.