The Ultimate Athens Food Guide: Where to Eat All Day Long

If you are wondering where to eat in Athens, start here. I have lived in the Greek capital for almost five years and spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about my next meal. These are the restaurants, bakeries, and cafes I actually go to, not just the ones with good marketing.

Greek food is famous worldwide for a reason, but eating well in Athens is not just about ordering souvlaki in Plaka. Yes, you will find perfectly grilled meats and slow-cooked ladero vegetables swimming in good olive oil. You will also find modern bakeries reinventing spanakopita, specialty coffee shops that rival those elsewhere in Europe, and neighborhood tavernas where the menu has not changed in decades.

If you want places that locals return to, whether that is for a late-night burger, a long seafood lunch, or a proper Greek breakfast, these are my go-to spots.

Breakfast – Takis Bakery 

Misaraliotou 14, Athina 117 42
Hours: 7 AM – 9 PM

Aside from gyros or moussaka, the Greek food that I was most familiar with before meeting my Greek partner or moving to Athens was spanakopita, or spinach pie.

A simple pie that dates back centuries, spanakopita is synonymous with a delicious Greek breakfast, with a filling of spinach, cheese, onions, and sometimes dill, all tucked within flaky phyllo pastry.

To begin your day with a spinach pie, a traditional Thessaloniki koulouri, or a more modern twist on a traditional pie, head to Takis Bakery, one of my favorite bakeries in Athens, under the watch of the Acropolis in the residential yet modern Koukaki neighborhood.

A third-generation bakery with roots in Thessaloniki, Takis Bakery is everything you could dream of in a Greek bakery, with sweet and savory smells drifting down the street, fresh bakes overflowing from every corner of the bakery, and locals stopping by both for a chat and their daily bread.

What to order? I suggest the chicken pie, bougatsa, koulouri, and spinach pie. You can also grab a sandwich to keep with you for a snack later in the day, if you’re just too tempted.

Lunch – Elvis Souvlaki

Archimidous 1-5, Athina 116 35 & Ermou 112, Athina 105 63
Hours: 12 PM to 2 AM every day 

It’s lunchtime in Athens, and after what has likely been a busy morning wandering the city, sightseeing, and diving into Greek art and culture, you’ve most likely built up an appetite.

In this guide, I suggest saving a larger sit-down meal for dinner, but of course, feel free to swap the dinner options for lunch and vice versa.

In my opinion, and from my experience living in Greece, the country undoubtedly lives on souvlaki (and coffee, but we’ll get to that later!), and for me, there’s no better place to enjoy juicy, grilled souvlaki than at Elvis.

What is souvlaki, anyway? Souvlaki is basically any kind of meat on a skewer that’s grilled. That’s it. Sometimes vegetables are layered between the meat, and the options range from chicken and pork to beef or lamb kebab, with more “gourmet” choices like pork belly, lamb, and beef also on offer.

Elvis has become the gold standard for us when it comes to the best souvlaki in Athens, and you have two locations to choose from.

If you’re in the center of the city, head to the Ermou location, the long street stretching from Syntagma to Monastiraki. If you’re exploring the Panathenaic Stadium, the Pangrati location is ideal and perfect if you’re keen on a more local experience, as Pangrati is also a great neighborhood to explore on its own.

What to order? We always go for the chicken or pork souvlaki, as well as the sausage with leek and kebab (Maria’s favorite!). Don’t forget to order the country chips and BBQ sauce for dipping.

Coffee Break – Omsom Coffee

Veikou 110, Athina 117 41
Hours: 8 AM – 1 AM

From my experience, if you’re walking around Athens, you’re more likely to see people sitting and sipping coffee rather than alcohol, even in the evening.

Greece is a country that lives and breathes coffee, and apparently, Greeks drink around 5.5 kilos of coffee per capita each year.

While Greek coffee is the traditional choice, Athens also has an impressive and thriving coffee scene, with modern, high-quality, artisanal coffee shops and cafés popping up all the time. It’s difficult to keep up.

Our favorite spot in the city for an afternoon coffee break is Omsom Coffee in Koukaki, just a short walk from the Acropolis.

I’m always drawn to places that feel easy to settle into, somewhere between home and work. Omsom has that feel right away, with an open layout and wide windows that blur the line between inside and out.

Omsom is much more than just a coffee shop. If the mid-afternoon coffee and pastry craving hits, Omsom delivers.

With an added focus on pizza and pastries, they also bake delicious buns in a range of flavors, simple but enticing.

What to order? I went for my usual flat white, and Maria ordered a cold brew, and as a cold brew connoisseur, she was impressed.

For sweets, we ordered the chocolate babka bun and the black cherry and cream bun. While the babka was delicious, the black cherry and cream bun stole the show for us.

Dinner – O Lolo’s or F*Smashing 

Either the locals are starting to come out after a day staying cool from the heat if you’re visiting in summer, or if you’re visiting in winter, the sun has set, and Athens multitude of restaurants are beginning to fill up for evening meals and chats.

It’s dinner time in Athens, while technically dinner time in Greece can be anywhere from 9 PM to 12 AM! 

This is a hard one for me, as there are so many restaurants in Athens worthy of your dinner (this could do with a whole post of its own)! 

These are two of my current favorite restaurants in Athens for a sit-down meal. I’m giving two options, as in my experience, both the traditional side of food in Athens is astounding, but also the modern side of food. 

O Lolos

Geor. Olimpiou 5, Athina 117 41
8 AM – 12 AM

Back in the heart of Koukaki, the pedestrian street Georgiou Olympiou begins to fill with locals gathering with friends and family for meals, drinks, and long chats.

The street has a bit of everything, from bars and modern restaurants to indie cafés and traditional taverns, which is precisely what we’re here for.

O Lolos is a popular spot with locals and, in my opinion and experience, one of the best taverns in Athens for traditional Greek food.

The prices are fair, the portions are generous, and the atmosphere doesn’t get much more authentic. The menu is simple, which I always find most reliable; the service is quick and friendly, and the food is consistently high quality.

O Lolos is also a great choice if you’re keen to try a wide range of Greek dishes, from seafood and meat to traditional vegetarian options.

What to order? It’s difficult to know where to begin, but I suggest the fries, tyrokafteri (spicy feta spread), pancetta, calamari (one of the best plates I’ve had in Athens), and the eggplant dip. You won’t be disappointed. 

F* Smashing District

Miltiadou 11, Athina 105 60
Hours: 1:30 PM–11 PM Sunday–Thursday & 1:30–12:30 AM Friday and Saturday

Ok, so this one is definitely a wildcard, but after a remarkable meal here recently, I just knew I had to add it to this guide.

We’re huge burger fans, and whenever the craving hits, we’re on the hunt for the best burger in Athens, which is what led us to F* Smashing District, described as “elevated comfort food” and located between Psirri and Syntagma.

It somehow sits between a French bistro and a laid-back street food spot, a combination we didn’t even know we needed until we found it.

With smash burgers as their staple, we ordered a few different options, from the Jalapeño (my favorite) to the star of the show, the “Straight From Paris Madame,” along with the kimchi mac & cheese croquettes and their one and only dessert, quite literally titled “The Dessert.”

Everything was on point, from the jalapeño burger, perfectly spicy without being too much, a crisp and juicy smash patty layered with baconnaise and cheese and tucked into a soft brioche bun.

The “Straight From Paris Madame” came bistro-style in a metal dish, a classic burger with smoked cheese and fries on the side, all smothered in classic Café de Paris butter.

While the burgers were impressive, the kimchi mac & cheese croquettes were the real standout for me, piping hot fried mac and cheese balls with kimchi, a crisp coating, and spicy mayo on the side.

Maria, meanwhile, was completely taken by the dessert: a large cookie baked in a ramekin, crisp around the edges and soft and doughy in the center, topped with Nutella and salted caramel ice cream.

Need a drink suggestion? Order the passion fruit juice and tomato water. You won’t be disappointed.

Evening Drinks & Nibbles – Drunky Goat

Navarchou Nikodimou 5, Athina 105 58
Hours: Monday–Thursday 4 PM – 12 AM & Friday–Sunday 4 PM – 1 AM

If you’re still hungry or simply on the hunt for a nightcap and some small bites, there’s no better place to visit than Drunky Goat.

While many bars around Athens focus on international wines, Drunky Goat puts the spotlight on ancient and modern Greek wines, which, in my opinion, are still hugely underrepresented in the wider wine world.

They also serve impressive charcuterie plates and fresh bruschetta options. We like the “Drunky Platter,” a mixed tray thoughtfully arranged with ham, a selection of cheeses, chutney, olives, sourdough bread, mushrooms, and tyrokafteri.

If you still have room, they also offer blind wine tastings, a fun way to sample a range of wines without overthinking it.

Situated near Syntagma Square, the atmosphere is relaxed and calm, making it an ideal spot for a quiet conversation and a wine(d) down after a full day of exploring the city.

Athens is the kind of city where food quietly shapes the day. You eat when you’re hungry, sit when you feel like it, and somehow the hours pass without noticing.

This is just one way to eat your way through a day here, made up of places I genuinely return to. Swap things around, linger longer, or follow a recommendation from the table next to you. That’s usually how the best meals happen anyway.