6 Best Restaurants in Omonia and Metaxourgeio, Athens

Although it's named after one of the world's most exotic destinations, this restaurant is almost provincially Greek in its ingredients but postmodern in culinary attitude. In a neighborhood that's especially à la mode among artists from all over, the neo-traditional element is played up for its unpretentious and familial charm, but don't fool yourself, this place is decidedly "in."

Restaurants, including this multiple-award-winning Michelin-starred gem of Neoclassical design and inventive Mediterranean cuisine, are the reason Metaxourgeio's profile is on the rise. As soon as you arrive in the beautiful garden, lit with fairy lights and scattered with creative decor details, you'll want to stay for hours; the winter dining area indoors is very elegant, too, if less uplifting. Chef Gikas Xenakis's cooking is a serious candidate for notoriety, with two tasting menus, "Earth & Sea" or "Garden & Nature," as well as a pescatarian menu and a vegetarian menu, with a choice of five or six dishes and an excellent wine pairing option. There is also an excellent wine pairing alongside a wide-ranging wine list. 

Choose among classic specialties at this old-fashioned mezedopoleio (restaurant serving mezes) founded in 1932: fresh fish grilled or fried, delicately flavored pastas, delightful seafood and traditional meat dishes. Try the cheerful barrel red or ouzo, fine companions to your meal. The decor is no-nonsense ouzeri, with marble tables, dark wood, and framed memorabilia. It's a favorite of attorneys, politicians, and local office workers. A new branch of this eatery has recently opened at Mitropoleos 34, in Central Athens, with the same menu but a more modern interior.

The trendiest and most happening spot for coffee, snacks, and cocktails in Metaxourgeio, Ble Papagalos (Blue Parrot) on a large airy square, is an all-day communal destination. Always abuzz mainly with local youth but also people of varying ages, the charming hangout reflects the up-and-coming area's aspirations as an artsy, hip, green, and friendly locale. Try a fresh homemade dessert with your coffee by day or a light snack and drink by night as you watch the world go by. At night it also hosts swing parties and jazz-theme DJ sets.

It's the savvy locals' treasured secret—and one of Athens's oldest tavernas—where everyone wandering around Omonia Square has been welcomed through the years. Owner-chef Barba Mitsos keeps everyone happy with his handful of simple, delicious, and dirt-cheap homemade dishes, from the always exceptional horiatiki (Greek salad) and buttery gigantes (giant beans in tomato sauce) to saucy boiled meats with vegetables and tiny fried fish. Wine is drawn directly from the barrels lining the walls. As for decor, the feeling is authentic 1950s Athens. There is no sign on the door: just walk down the staircase of this corner Neoclassical building.

This place is serious about its coffee. It was the first new era, award-winning coffee brand from Greece, which not only selected excellent coffee bean varieties from around the world for its roastery, but also trains baristas in all that is coffee. Modern and ergonomic, it's one of the best spots in Athens for a cup, whether begotten by a variety of skilled hand drip and cold brewing methods or pulled from top-of-the-line machines.