39 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.  

Enjoy a cappuccino and an Italian panini standing inside Cafe Da Capo, or if you have more time, watch the world go by at an outside table. This place is usually packed with trendsetters and stern policymakers.

This beautifully designed patisserie offers a range of delicious bijou creations that look like works of art. Gorgeous and chic, they are the best sweet treats on the island and would not look out of place in a Parisian boutique. A breezy shaded terrace with views is a great place to take a break and indulge yourself.

If this is not the top patisserie-gelateria in Corfu, it's certainly among the very best. The store distributes its own brand of ice cream island-wide, and its cakes are made on the premises. They're best enjoyed, along with coffee, on the airy veranda or the roof terrace overlooking the magical view over Paleokastritsa and the west coast.

A short walk through Isternia's mazelike streets leads to an unexpected terrace in the shade of a plane tree that overlooks the Aegean. Sitting here makes you understand how the gods must have felt, idly toying with the people below. Grab a table at the front if you can, order a spritzer and soak in the rays of the dying sun—the view is one of the best in the islands, a pure blue wall of sea and sky.

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.

On a tiny pedestrian street a block back from the harbor, sweet sorcery takes place. Extraordinary creations are offered; minitarts, macarons, and éclairs that would grace the finest Parisian patisserie. The pastries are beautifully presented and look like they belong on a Michelin-starred dessert menu. Tea and coffee is served in fine china; choose the charming interior or the alleyway tables but be prepared for serious cake envy from passersby.

This old-school café is a hit among locals, who come for the homemade karydopita (a deliciously syrupy local walnut cake). This is best washed down with a cup of traditional Greek coffee and preceded by a delicious zucchini pie.

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.

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.

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. 

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!

Stop for an iced coffee and a game of backgammon at this all-day bar-restaurant in the heart of Plaka. If hungry, try a pizza, fresh salad, or pasta and and watch the world go by on buzzy Kydathinaeon square.

Located in a sweet little village a short distance from the main run of Paleokastritsa, this spot has an extensive menu of snacks and light meals, along with cakes and ice cream from local producer Corfu Dolce. It doubles as village store and post office, and has its tabled settled in a pretty cobbled backstreet.

On the road to the windmills, this is the prettiest place to relax over breakfast. Under a bougainvillea shade, healthy plates of yogurt, muesli, and fruits are perfect pick-me-ups to start the day, alongside classic eggs and crepes.

Crumb not only serves great coffee but also the best healthy options in Heraklion. Eggs are offered in a variety of ways, alongside energy boosting drinks and fruit-laden bowls. The shaded outside tables are an ideal place to reflect and recharge before returning to the fray of the city center.

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.

The most popular hangout in town serves homemade ice cream by day and cocktails by night in the cool, blue-cushioned interior and pebbled courtyard as well as on the rooftop terrace of a sea captain's house.

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.

A very cozy and atmospheric "hideout" with a colorful mix of traditional Greek and antique furniture, floral wallpapers, and warm paint shades (such as lavender, baby green, and peach). This is mostly a café, ideal for intimate catching-up with friends or a relaxed meeting. It serves snacks and homemade desserts as well as coffee, tea, refreshments, and craft beer.

Stop into this venerable old bougatsa shop for an envelope of flaky pastry that's either filled with a sweet cream and dusted with cinnamon and sugar, or stuffed with soft white cheese. A portion of each, served warm with Greek coffee, is a real treat.

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.

Tucked away behind the Rimondi fountain on a pretty pedestrian street, this little gem makes the best loukoumades---light and fresh doughnuts. Take one of the streetside tables, order a portion with honey and cinnamon, and ask for one of their homemade lemonades. If you want a coffee, be prepared for some theater; it is made by plunging a small pan into boiling hot sand to retain the delicate aromas.

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.

Yogurt-thick smoothies and scrumptious homemade cakes make this the perfect spot for a sugar kick. Gaze out over the yachts in the harbor and indulge your sweet tooth—the syrup-drenched baklava here is the size of a doorstop and every bit as satisfying as it looks.

Sip quality coffee in the pretty garden setting of a Neoclassical mansion-turned-museum. Whether you want to see the country's most extensive collection of coins spanning through the ages or just head for the café to meet a friend, the experience is always pleasant. The menu includes salads, light snacks, and desserts as well as wine and soft drinks.

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. 

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.