Foodie that I am, I really get excited to try new restaurants everywhere I go. Athens definitely has some wonderful options to choose from and a lot of choices that are outside of the typical taverna options. Whether by the water or in the center of Athens I provided a bunch of options for traditional Greek food and beyond.
Vougliameni
Yalo
I loved all the elements of this salad. There was some crunch a bit of milk saltiness from the cheese and the dressing was excellent.
Fresh and delicious with a little salty bite. It is the perfect starter appetizer.
The scallops may have been a touch overdone but the sauce was lovely and the presentation was beautiful.
Not photographed was the fried feta with rose jam. It was such a unique rendition and really tasty with the evident floral note adding a nice sweetness to counter the salty feta.
I’d consider myself a black risotto conosseuir and this one was an exceptional rendition. It was so flavorful but not overpowering. Definitely a favorite. Also not pictured was the tuna steak which comes in a very generous portion and is perfectly cooked and seasoned.
Glyfada
Vittoria Gati
An excellent burratta salad with fresh ingredients and a tasty dressing. I highly recommend this.
I really enjoyed this dish overall. It had plenty of truffle flavoring and was satisfying but wasn’t heavy. The pasta was very al dente which is how I enjoy my pasta but when I say al dente, I mean perhaps even a touch under. It didn’t bother me in the slightest and I enjoyed the textural bite, but it is something to take note of.
Burger Joint
Glyfada is one of the hippest and trendiest areas of Athens. So many well dressed people with tons of options for food and drinks. One of the more casual go-tos for locals is Burger Joint. Their all black uniforms are adorable with a buffalo checker flannel tied around their waists. Another friendly wait staff and some great food.
I had The Duke Burger: Fontina, brie, double bacon, onion rings & Truffle mayo. So rich and delicious. The truffle mayo was definitely the stand out. Also what really impressed me were the salads. Definitely be sure to try the Tampa Salad: Mixed salad, orange slices, cherry tomatoes, dry cheese, black sesame seeds, crouton & orange vinaigrette, as well as the Watermelon Salad: iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, amazing little fried cheese balls, and balsamic vinaigrette. The mozzarella sticks are also a great go to and I love the onion rings with the BBQ sauce they are served with. For a great cocktail in the summer try the Dark Flower. I was not disappointed. Do not skip dessert!!! The Beast was a hit — warm brownies topped with ice cream and cookie crumbles, as well as the Snickers Cheesecake and the NY Cheesecake.
Pireas
Vosporos
Vosporos is a beautiful spot for dinner on the water with a cuisine that I think leans more Turkish/ Middle Eastern and is great for dining with large parties. We got two sampler platters meant for sharing, one for appetizers and a mixed meat platter. The appetizer platter contained foods and flavors that I have never had in my life. They were very tasty and had a complex sweet savory element to a lot of them.
This was not your typical Greek salad with a dressing that was almost comarable to a honey mustard. It was delicious.
You can never go wrong with a mixed meat platter and all the options including kebab, gyro, and souvlaki pieces were done well. The rice that accompanied it was also quite good as well.
The stuffed tsoureki was a showstopper and comes with a little presentation as well. We also ordered a bougatsa a cream like pastry and a kounefe which is like a fried cheese in kataifi with some pistachio on top.
Pailo Failiro
Nisos
Voula
Masati
The OG Skepasti for me. Mentioned before in my last Athens food round up, when I like to break from typical pita sandwiches, I gravitate towards Skepasti and Mesati does it best. Just when you think a souvlaki pita was already perfected, they added gouda and panini pressed it. This sandwich is phenomenal and I do not leave Greece without eating one. The Greek salad is also a perfect compliment.
Riviera Coast
Riviera is such a gorgeous spot. Right on the water with beautiful and trendy decor, great and attentive service, and amazing food. It is such a see and be seen type of place.
We ordered some appetizers to start. We had a mixed cheese platter however it was warm and fried, served with an amazing sweet marmalade. We also had roasted vegetables with a yogurt sauce. Another great choice. For my main, I chose the mushroom and truffle risotto. Absolutely delicious.
Family
The fanciest Dakos salad I have ever tried but definitely a great one at that. All the flavors and texture you’d appreciate in a typical Dakos salad but with a little refined element and added flavors with the puree
I enjoyed my entree and think that it is a hearty and tasty option that is almost fullproof.
Plaka
Kuzina
Kuzina is another trendier version of Greek cuisine but another hit in my book. As with many other restaurants in Plaka and the Monaistiraki area, it tends to be very crowded however the food is great and you have a great view of the Acropolis while dining. Definitely check out the Tarazza, where you will be unbothered by the street traffic and left only with the view. A regret on my part we didnt make it up there. Live and learn.
We ordered the salad with ksinotiri.
Alimos
Laos and Kalamaki (multiple locations)
Throughout Athens and all of Greece you will find so many souvlaki shops. We ordered in from Laos and Kalamaki. Granted this was my first sandwich of the summer, however these are EXCEPTIONAL. The spice on my pork souvlaki sandwich was such a standout. Two thumbs up for the pork souvlaki sandwich I had (Everything on it).
Rayen
Rayen is definitely the trendier side of Mexican cuisine and restaurant ambience. It is a nice choice if you are are looking to take a break from Greek food. The decor is beautiful and I enjoyed the background music although it is a little loud, so not really suitable for a family dinner with the old timers or date night where you are looking to get to know someone. My main entree was the Shrimp Tacos. They were extremely light and as you can see was more tortilla than filling. However I found them to be nicely flavorful. I also tried the Shredded Pork Tacos (not pictured) which were also definitely tasty and more bang for your buck. The pork skewer is basic but has some great spices on it. A safe bet but surely satisfying. It is currently temporarily closed but if and when it returns it is worth checking out
Petralona
Lemonanthos
Petralona is one of the oldest “towns” in Athens. Old buildings, narrow streets, and now up and coming restaurants and some bars. Our experience at Lemonanthos was superb. It started out when we asked for a table outside. There were none available at the time, however the kind server pulled a table from inside and put it on the street just so we can sit outside with our waters till another table became available. The service was excellent with such a friendly wait staff, and the food was also amazing.
We had a mushroom risotto which was so flavorful, creamy and overall excellent on all counts. We also had a delicious eggplant dish baked with different cheeses, Tyrokafteri which is a spicy cheese dip that you can never go wrong with, and Pappous salad (Mixed greens, tomatoes, cheese). We loved it all. For a traditional experience, order some Tsipuro 😉
