41 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. An old standby is the pork bebelis, sliced tenderloin slathered in a delicious pepper and cream sauce that is best when 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 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 balancing out the traditionally meat-heavy mains. This is easily the most ambitious of Delphi's crowd-pleasing eateries, and it never fails to disappoint.

The first words on most locals' mouths when you ask them where they like to eat are To Tsoukali. Owner Yannis Lambrakis prowls the kitchen dressed in black, emerging to chat at length with diners and talk them through a menu that takes some classic Greek dishes and, through assiduous preparation and little tweaks here and there, emerge as intensely flavorsome as you'll find anywhere, typically served alongside tagliatelle smothered in local cheese. As well as the best rooster you'll ever taste, the menu is forever changing, so just let Yannis talk you through it. Make a reservation because it fills up fast.

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.

Aqua Marina is an old favorite among locals. It's hard to resist its list of sweet treats, from a huge wedge of tasty baklava to a great splodge of galaktoboureko, a custardy classic topped in filo pastry and sweet-scented syrup. Stick to the desserts though—the savory stuff is a bit overpriced.

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 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, but you come here for the meat. The decor is simple, without frills, just like the menu. It is advised to call in and order in advance (or as soon as you sit down), as wait times can be long.

Ark is part of the Asteras Complex, an attempt to turn a strip of coast into your entire day: lounging, dinner, drinks, dancing. Ark, however, is focused on the culinary side, and under the guidance of chef Yannis Baxevanis it is a tempting affair. By day the café churns out smoothies, excellent coffees, and cakes; by night its waterside setting (including tables that line a jetty jutting into the harbor) indulges chef's Greek-French culinary leanings, from organic beef tenderloin served with a potato tart, to his signature wild local sea bass cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Fine views from the rear terrace overlooking the rock-topped clocktower and valley accompany tasty waffles, cakes, pastries, and coffee. This café dates back to the 1950s, though it had a makeover a couple of years ago. It's still one of the most adorable spots in town. 

This waterside restaurant (go through the bar Del Posto, above, to reach it) is one of the finest seafood spots in town—and there's some competition here. The dining area is level with the water, as the bay laps against the quay; you couldn't get closer to the sea without being in it. The menu is equally indebted to the ocean, working its way from head to the tail. Just pick a fish (bream, seabass, grouper, amberjack, etc.) and a style of serving, such as curried fillet, or roasted tail with a garlic and lemon sauce. There are ready-made pasta combos, of course, and the scorpion-fish linguine in a peppery shrimp broth is a delight.

Catch a coffee or freshly squeezed mixed-fruit juice at this popular hangout in tree-covered Lakka Square. This is where all the café-bars congregate, their terraces often spilling into one other. It can be a bit packed, but the croissants here are the best in town!

Arachova's oldest taverna (more than 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.

Everything here is geared around the view of the beautiful Itea valley 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 likes to add tasteful twists to traditional Greek recipes. The restaurant is a favorite with tourist groups, so it 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 appetizers 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. Reservations are essential during weekends.

There is nothing glitzy about George's, but it is a piece of Glyfada history. What started out as a butcher's shop in 1951 has expanded over the decades, prompted by regulars from the old U.S Air Force 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.

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.

Amid all the high-end dining spots, where mains typically start at around €25, there's something comforting in the familiar form of this old-school taverna that has been dishing up Greek comfort food since the early 1960s while all around it has changed. Little surprises about its menu, and portions veer toward the gargantuan. It doesn't have the seaside setting of others, but its pretty, whitewashed terrace is a peaceful spot to sample everything from meatballs to a whole red snapper. This is Greek food made simply and with care. 

The choice of dining spots as you head towards Sounion tends to skew between hotel offerings and small touristy places. This venerable old-stager offers a happy alternative, with a nice paved terrace garden in which to sample some of the finest seafood on the coast. Staff are friendly and helpful, while boat-fresh snapper and mackerel arrive fresh from the grill (and deboned if necessary) alongside poached octopus and marinated anchovies.  

This former kaffeneio (coffee house) from 1850 has been elegantly decorated in a nautical theme, and it makes a character-filled setting in which to enjoy mussels—the dish Galaxidi is known for—served here in a saganaki pan, 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 Shinas, with the healthy seafood and Mediterranean options standing out from the rest.

Locals and tourists pack the waterfront terrace, drawn in year-round (not all restaurants here stay open in the winter) 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. A good standby for the winter months when options are reduced. 

The antithesis of the noisy café-bars that proliferate across the road in Lakka Square. This is defiantly a tea shop; it has no pretensions to nightlife, it just serves wonderful teas in a variety of herbal and dried-fruit profusions on its rooftop terrace. Bliss. 

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 (dating from the 1930s) will prepare you for a tasty meal. Start with local specialty opsimotyri (a 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.

Seafood, particularly mussels and oysters, is the order of the day at this popular spot. A light, airy interior stretches into the street terrace and the staff err just on the right side of attentive. This is one of few spots in Glyfada where grilled, fresh sea fish—something that should be easy to get right on the coast—is rarely a letdown, and prices, which are always a tricky thing to gauge with fish, are accurately listed in the menu, so there are few surprises.   

There are two big rivals in the eyes of locals for the crown of best seafood in Glyfada: Barbouanki and Sardelaki. The former is fully franchised across Greece now; Sardelaki (meaning "sardine"), on the other hand, has stuck to the region where it all started, with restaurants in both Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, and feels a little more authentic because of it. It's also excellent. The Vouliagmeni branch might have the views, but this is where it began. A menu packed with fried anchovies, classics like saganaki shrimp (shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce with feta cheese), and grilled sardines with tomato and onion ticks all the comfort food boxes at a good value.

There was room in Vouliagmeni for a more hipster-friendly café. This avo-toast, açaí bowl, smoothies, grains, and sandwiches joint certainly fits the bill and has quickly developed a zealous following among Vouliagmeni's younger set. A welcome change of pace.