18 Best Restaurants in Athens, Greece

Elegant Aeglí Zappiou, an excellent, classic spot for a Greek coffee and bites experience, was reopened recently after an impressive renovation on its interiors that have now turned it into a classy venue for a multitude of events. Inside the Zappeion park that borders the National Garden and next to the open air Aigli cinema, it sprawls among fountains and flowering trees offering tranquility. It's an ideal spot to have a work meeting, read your book or relax with friends, and the restaurant serves a quality array of Greek and international dishes.

With one of the most refreshingly simple menus in Athens (it's limited to fried, crispy crayfish or shrimps and red mullet with a side of Greek salad and house wine), this taverna is always busy. On weekends lines form, as there is a no-reservation policy and because it's become an institution. Although located next to the seafront Naval Academy, there is no view to speak of—all the more reason to focus on the fresh flavors. Eating the shrimps with your hands will only add to the pleasure.

From flaky, buttery croissants to eggs Benedict on smoked salmon-covered brioche to many more sinful and super-satisfying bites and top-quality coffee blends, this is the ideal stop for a leisurely morning start or a quick, delicious escape from the city's frenetic pace.

A deli-cum-meze restaurant serving the authentic cuisine of the Karamanlides, who were once inhabitants of Cappadocia and Cilicia in Asia Minor. Huge hams, salamis, smoked camel meat, and cheeses hang in abundance over the counter and are displayed through a glass counter. Try the homemade pies baked in a stone oven with sudjuk spiced sausage, minced meat, or various cheeses and vegetables. Salad dishes include Maria's spicy cheese salad, tabbouleh, creamy chickpeas with avocado, and eggplant salad.

With a 100-year history and humble beginnings, Vassilenas was once a simple yet highly popular fish tavern in Piraeus that gained cult status among Greece's intelligensia and the world's glitterati for its 18-course set of mouthwatering seafood meze dishes. Today it has been taken over from the owner's grandson and modernized in every way, moving to the Ilisia location and taking a new conceptual direction, with polished decor and elegant service. The restaurant remains loyal to the authentic value of its traditional Greek-inspired dishes, tastefully made with premium quality and seasonal ingredients in a gourmet style, but also presents a highly contemporary perspective in terms of preparations. Seafood dishes like carpaccio, fish soup, grilled squid with cuttlefish ink and pulses salad, lead on to mains like grouper shoulders with kefir lime broth and braised veal with orzo. During summer the restaurant's garden, lit by strings of lights, makes for a particularly refreshing escape from urbanity. Vassilenas has since June 2022 also opened Vassilenas Blue  restaurant in Antiparos in the Cyclades.

Step out of Kallidromiou Street in edgy Exarchia and find yourself in a large, lovely courtyard full of little tables and abundant greenery. Ama Lachei has gained a loyal following for its decently priced, delectable Greek dishes always made with a fanciful flourish and with bona fide ingredients. You'll find scrumptious regional cheeses; seafood appetizers such as orzo pasta with Kozani saffron and tiny shrimps; succulent meats and sausages; and plenty of vegetarian options such as the makarounes Karpathou (a traditional handmade pasta from Karpathos island) with rocket and myzithra cheese. Do like the Greeks, and accompany them with a gratifying choice of regional wines and tsipouro (the local firewater), then linger on with your parea (group of friends) until late at night. Every day there are five to nine new daily specials.

For such a tiny spot in a narrow street just off Syntagma Square, this small but stylish vegan-vegetarian favorite has many devoted fans. The comforting food appeals to health-conscious diners who appreciate the friendly atmosphere and a menu including ethnic and macrobiotic cuisine. Options include mock burgers, pizza, heartwarming curries, and raw food desserts. Its vitamin-rich juices and smoothies helped start a juice bar trend in the capital. 

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.

Here you'll find contemporary, flavor-packed, and elegant Greek dishes you'll want to linger over for hours. Housed in a Neoclassical building where in 1915 wine and coal was sold, and which in the 1950s turned into the classic Barbagiannis taverna, Cafe Boheme moved from its former base on Omirou Street and opened here during the quiet pandemic years and has quickly developed a loyal clientele. Using fresh, seasonal, and high-quality ingredients inspired by recipes from around Greece with a touch of artistic inspiration, the cuisine at this friendly restaurant is fresh, unpretentious yet sophisticated, and worth returning to try more of. Don't miss out on the succulent grilled sea bream with crispy skin that's served with horta (wild) greens, the goat cheese and dried fig salad, or the turkey meatballs with a cumin-tomato dip. 

The perfect way to combine a chic, tasty meal with excellent wines, this place (with siblings in Psyrri on Agatharkou 15, and Acropolis on Drakou 3--5) serves up plenty of oenological expertise and inspiration along with dishes like charcuterie and cheese platters, bruschetti with toppings like goat cheese, strawberry jam and balsamic, warm cuts like smoked tenderloin, salads, and, if you're there at the right time of year, fresh oysters. The extensive wine list includes limited-edition labels and the highly educated staff are more than happy to advise you on pairings and varieties. Group and private wine tastings are also on offer, and you can shop wine and food goodies in-house.

Small metal tables line either side of a steep pedestrian road leading from across the St. George hotel right under Lycabettus down to Dexameni Square, where one can peek through the glass to see the ancient Roman aqueduct. Throughout the year the greenery-surrounded café serves coffee, refreshments, and meze dishes to a chatty, vibrant crowd of all ages and styles. On the square you'll also find Cine Dexameni, one of Athens's old open-air cinemas that operates throughout the summer, and a playground.

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.

Melina is dedicated to its namesake, the dynamic Never on Sunday actress turned minister of culture, Melina Mercouri. Set on a scenic, village-style Plaka street framed by pink bougainvillea, the tables are always packed. On a hot afternoon try the club sandwich, creamy egg salad, or seafood salad; at night try the peppered fillet or "Melina chicken." The desserts here are good, too, including a rich chocolate sokolatina (pudding cake) and a syrupy orange portokalopita cake (made from shredded phyllo), with a strong Greek coffee.

Inspired in its decor and the names of the dishes on the menu by old Hollywood glamour, this was Athens's first farm-to-table restaurant. Having received several awards over the years for its top-quality ingredients—mainly organic and sourced from small producers—as well as its great service and many healthy comfort-food options, it's also set up in Kifissia and Mykonos. The all-day restaurant has an easygoing and upbeat urban ambience and serves creative as well as classic modern Greek, Asian, Mediterranean, and North American--inspired cuisine to suit all tastes, moods, and dietary requirements. You can head here for a full brunch, lunch, or dinner or order a great bottle of wine accompanied by several appetizers to share with friends. If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss out on the dairy and sugar-free olive oil ice cream, which comes in several indulgent flavors.

On a picturesque pedestrianized square, this is one of the oldest tavernas in Plaka (established 1932). Although not as great as it was during its glory years when intellectuals and artists sat here sipping retsina until the early hours, it's still well worth a stop. It is a district landmark—set midway between the Tower of the Winds and the Museum of Greek Popular Musical Instruments. Most of the crowds prefer to relax under the courtyard's plane trees (which give the place its name) rather than dine inside the cozy dining room, at least when the weather is pleasant. Locals come here because the food is good Greek home cooking. Don't miss the oven-baked potatoes, lamb or veal casserole with spinach or eggplant, the stuffed squid, and the cheap but delicious barrel retsina. It's also open for lunch.

Halfway up Lycabettus hill (around a 10-minute walk up the steps from Aristippou Street) you'll find this sprawling café-bar with its sumptuous panoramic views over the city. Stop here for a coffee, aperitif, and sandwich (or more if you're hungry, as there is a restaurant area, too) with one of the most fantastic vistas in Athens. After being closed for some 20 years this is now a popular hangout year-round, offering tourists and locals a like a moment of magical respite surrounded by greenery.

Set in a 1930s building with a lovely courtyard seating area and hip, designy interiors, this is one of the area's new hot spots from breakfast time (with an ample menu to boot) to cocktail hour (with bar food selections). Creative sandwiches, with succulent fillings inspired mainly by Latin American cuisine, and salads are served throughout the day. If you feel like a wander, visit the ground floor studio of one of the owners, where he presents his handmade furniture. The upstairs floor hosts yoga classes, art exhibitions, and other artsy events.

A Kolonaki institution, this bistro-style traditional restaurant is slightly fancier and more costly than the normal mezedopoleio, with cloth napkins, candles on the tables, and walls decorated with writings by its famous patrons. The menu centers on delicate Greek classics (such as lamb with lemon or roast suckling pig) but also some international fare. The service is warm and professional and the clientele includes politicians and diplomats on their lunch break. For the freshest dishes, ask the waiter for the day's specials.