48 Best Restaurants in Greece

One of the best brunch spots in Athens, this cosmopolitan space has won international awards for its coffee roastery and baristas. A beautifully restored Neoclassical building with an airy atrium and a large outdoor yard is the perfect place on pretty pedestrian Iraklidon Street to start the day’s expeditions in the shadow of the Acropolis. The coffee is famously good, roasted daily at their factory in Gazi, and available to take home for home brewing, but the bar mixes a fine cocktail, too.  

This historic waterfront café, family-run since 1958, is Aegina's go-to spot for pistachio specialties. Their counters overflow with traditional sweets like baklava and signature pistachio treats including fistikini marzipan balls and pistachio cheesecake. Enjoy harbor views from pavement tables while sipping their famous pistachio frappé.

Confections oozing syrup, loukoumades, and a perfectly classic assortment of gelato flavors make a pit stop at this old-fashioned sweet shop a must in the late afternoon.

Even weathered Athenians can't help but gasp at the vista from this restaurant, and the cuisine keeps the sense of awe going—so do the prices but if you're seeking a truly luxurious experience this restaurant is sure to provide it. Delicate as well as rich flavors, with a broad array of raw dishes like fish carpaccio or tartare and sushi rolls, Asian dishes like crispy duck with steamed pancakes, or Italian, like smoked burrata salad, asparagus risotto and mushroom ravioli, or linguine with lobster and black truffle, offer deep comfort and elegant delight. The cocktails are perfectly mixed, and the wine list is exciting.

Let's start with the view: the Acropolis, the distant mountains, and Syntagma Square below looking like a theater set from such a high angle. Add to that a sophisticated and modern Greek-Mediterranean menu of haute cuisine dishes and an excellent wine list, and you've got a winner. This classic and incredibly scenic restaurant on the rooftop of the legendary Grand Bretagne hotel, where a stream of world leaders, A'listers, and other major personalities have stayed over 150 years, makes for an idyllic fine-dining experience. Premium meats, hand-picked seasonal ingredients, and the freshest fish are served by gracious staff who know how to make guests feel special. Make the best of the stunning 360-degree views of the city by preceding your dinner at the buzzy outdoor Bar 8, sipping a beautifully mixed signature cocktail under a sky painted in sunset hues.

At the back of the Anargyreos and Korgialenios School, overlooking Kaiki beach and the waters beyond, sits this lovely pine-shaded café. Named after the John Fowles classic (Fowles was a teacher at the school back in the day), the Magus Art Cafe is set in the school's beautiful gardens. The coffee is good, the snacks decent, and the cocktails satisfactory but these consumables are merely a secondary reason to spend a few magical hours here.

The coffee here is pretty special, but what really steals the show are the delightful desserts. Treat yourself to one of the maison speciality waffles, the honey-soaked French toast, a chocolate cheesecake, or the deconstructed banoffee pie (a British pie made from bananas, cream, and caramel), all with an innovative twist inspired by pastry chef Dionisis Alertas. If you're feeling peckish you can grab a serving of the gastro-fare dished out here, more at home in a fine dining establishment than a café.

Totem poles, colorful coconut lamps, tiki masks, and a raffia roof make this beach bar endearing in its evocation of the South Pacific, as if the setting wasn't transporting enough. Serving omelets, fruits, yogurt, and sweet Greek coffee for breakfast, the rest of the day runs an eclectic Asian-Mexican menu, alongside pasta and pizzas. Loved for over 25 years, it attracts a bohemian crowd who appreciate the diverse soundtrack and cracking cocktails.

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.

Tables sit right in the sand, a few feet from the waterline, and platters of grilled octopus, sardines, and ouzo-friendly mezedes land fast and fresh. Owner Pavlos and his wife Lia open from breakfast till midnight; come early for coffee and loukoumades (doughnuts), stay late for moonlit seafood at prices locals praise as old-school Aegina.

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.

An alternative to the classic Greek taverna can be found at this boutique-style restaurant. Owner and chef Dimitri Doxakis harnesses his experience working in kitchens in England, France, and Switzerland to create a fusion of French, Italian, and Greek cuisine, with dishes like chicken leg crusted in Parmesan, beetroot risotto, and a signature salad with green apples, avocado, and a lemon-honey vinaigrette. For dessert, few can resist the chocolate croquettes and mandarin slices in a vanilla cream sauce. The seating area is a modern cubist design highlighted with purple and green wall lights.

Famously known as Zonars until falling into new ownership recently, Athenee is one of Athens's most established and elegant restaurant-cafés, where a multitude of international film stars, academics, and politicians have sipped their coffee since 1939. Located on the cosmopolitan Voukourestiou street, the plush Art Deco decor, elegant atmosphere, and sophisticated crowd create a feeling of nostalgic old-style luxury combined with modern urban liveliness. Throughout the day Athenee caters to all culinary desires, offering plush brunches, modern Greek dishes, exciting varieties of sushi, mouthwatering pastries, and perfectly mixed cocktails.

For a fancy coffee (think espresso mixed with sambuca), sweet crepes, or an impromptu meal, stop at this restored Neoclassical-style mansion and watch the crowds on Apostolou Pavlou. The seating in the square in front of the restaurant bordering the ancient agora has one of the best views of the Acropolis in town.

Breakfast is served with a genuine smile at this friendly, family-run café, with superbly comfortable seating facing out to the crystal clear blues of Roussoum beach. The food here is nothing pioneering, but it's familiar, tasty, and well-priced.

This friendly family-run spot is named for the 2,000-year-old "dopia" olive tree that grows in the front yard. It's the perfect retreat for a cool drink or a home-cooked meal in a nicely shaded garden terrace. They also sell their own honey.

On a tiny street, across from Takis Bakery, one of Athens's best, is a small spot with outside seats that serves coffee and fresh juices in the morning and turns into something quite different from noon. As the clock strikes noon, you'll hear bubbles and the chatter intensify as drinks (especially Spudorato and other Buglioni wines from Italy, Aperol spritzes, and craft beer from Tinos island) are poured into glasses. These are happily paired with premium cold cuts and cheeses from Greece and around the world. The charcuterie and spritzes are served until midnight.

This harbor-front institution has something for everyone. It opens early with espresso, fresh juices, and breakfast, rolls through brunch, lunch, and snacks, then slides into easy dinner plates, sunset drinks, and late-night cocktails. Tea drinkers aren’t forgotten, with loose-leaf blends brewed properly.

Lovely spot in the center of the pedestrianized zone of Monastiraki. The sandwiches have top ingredients, the snacks are carefully prepared, the juices are freshly squeezed, and the coffee is artisanal.

Run by the Paros Kite Pro Center and EuroDivers crew, this is the best place to recuperate after a session on the waves. Great omelets and breakfasts are offered along with pizza, burgers, pasta dishes, and fresh juices. Indulge in retail therapy at the sister surf shop next door.

A cute little breakfast and brunch spot just up from Syntagma Square. Organic produce and homemade jams and cakes make this a great little find, though it's so tiny that it can only cater to a few people. Get there early—it shuts at 2 pm.

The colorful taverna-style restaurant is set in a bougainvillea-laced courtyard at the end of the "Dining Mile" in Ermoupoli. Local Cycladic ingredients are fused with modern techniques and cooking styles to good effect on the menu, with influences from Thessaloniki and the further Mediterranean. Presentation is intricate and picturesque and the service is welcoming from the proud husband and wife owners.

Whether you sit outside on the terrace or inside near the large glass paneled fireplace, you can observe life in this industrious little town as it hums by. Good coffee, teas, and rich hot chocolates accompany creamy desserts, and wash down toasted cheese and ham sandwiches with a glass of wine or craft beer. It's also the place to have a well prepared cocktail and experience Mtesovo's muted nightlife.

Created by a theater designer with plenty of playful vision and gusto, this cozy, friendly, and decidedly pretty café serves good coffee and some homemade refreshments accompanied by tasty bites like pies and salads throughout the day.

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.

A tasty stopover on the road up to Plaka, Mouratos invites you to indulge in home-baked delights. A panoramic view over Adamas and the sea is the setting for hearty breakfasts and Milian specialties. A special wine section is dedicated to the local offerings, a great souvenir.