Athens Food Guide: Where To Eat & Drink (2026)

ATHENS | Athens has always had a great food and drink scene, but for a long time, visitors tended to view the city as a stopping point en route to the islands. Post COVID, the city has experienced a food and drink renaissance. Attracted by its Mediterranean climate and affordable rents, people have flocked to the city and opened numerous exciting hospitality venues.

The result of this is a city that has a food and drink scene that mixes traditional and modern, new and old. You can enjoy souvlaki at places that have been operating for over 100 years, and contemporary dishes at venues which are redefining what Greek food can be.

No matter where you choose to eat, one thing that you’ll notice is the produce. Greece is famed for its fertile land and high-quality produce, and food here tends to champion that.

In this Athens Food Guide, updated for 2026, I’ll tell you the places to visit if you want to experience the best food and drink in Athens. Are any of your favourites listed below?

At-A-Glance: Athens’ Best Food & Drink

Syntagma & Center

72H Artisanal Bakery

Part of the wider Ergon House development (see later on in the list), 72H Artisanal Bakery is the place to visit if you want Greek baked classics done right –  wonderful 72hr slow-fermented sourdough, and the best cinnamon scrolls in Athens. There’s traditional and creative flavour options, made using the best quality local produce.

You’ll also find a rotating selection of sandwiches, along with a variety of excellent hot and cold espresso and filter coffee.

Mitropoleos 23, Athina 105 57

Baba au Rum

Since opening in 2009 to much acclaim, Baba au Rum has remained one of the best spots in Athens in which to enjoy a cocktail. It’s a cosy spot, not at all flashy that lets its warm service and excellent drinks do the talking.

On the menu, you’ll find over 400 rums from around the world, rum takes on classic cocktails, and fantastic cocktails featuring other spirits. Combined with a great selection of music, Baba au Rum is the kind of place you could easily spend the entire night in.

Kleitiou 6, Athina 105 60

ERGON House

ERGON House is the Athens flagship from the ERGON team, who are behind one of my favourite Thessaloniki food spots, ERGON Agora. It’s a hotel, marketplace, bar, and restaurant in one. The hotel itself is a fantastic choice for lovers of good food, but even if you’re not a guest, there’s a lot on offer.

The market on the ground floor is home to a greengrocer, butcher, fishmonger, roastery, deli, and a home and kitchenware section. It’s filled with some of the best quality produce and artisan foodstuff in Greece. There’s also a bar and restaurant which celebrate the best of Greek cuisine, and the bakery that I mentioned earlier in this list, 72H Artisanal Bakery.

Mitropoleos 23, Athina 105 57

Fellos

If you’re looking to try wines from some of Greece’s most exciting up-and-coming independent winemakers, then Fellos is the place for you. It’s a modern space, opened in 2024, housed in what was a textiles factory.

There’s 40 wines available, 10 of which you can enjoy by the glass. The list, selected by sommelier Vasiliki Galani, is always changing. You’ll also find an assortment of interesting spritzes and aperitivos, made using Greek ingredients. For food, it’s a tight menu of Greek bar snacks and things between bread, with international flourishes.

Voulis 39, Athina 105 57

Kennedy

Combining brilliant wine and one of the best sound systems that I’ve experienced in a bar anywhere in the world, is Kennedy. It’s the brainchild of Christos Kondos, and an offshoot of his cultural and lifestyle magazine/journal, Kennedy.

The menu showcases minimal-intervention French wines, and every bottle is available by the glass. There’s no kitchen, but you can order from a selection of local cheese, charcuterie, and bread.

As for that sound system, it plays music from Christos’ personal CD and vinyl collection, and is so good that as you head towards the bar from the street, you think there’s a live band playing.

Gennaiou Kolokotroni 31, Athina 117 41

Wild Souls

Wild Souls is a nut-and-seed-based deli. They offer an assortment of snacks made using nut butters, a great variety of vegan cheeses, superfood bowls, fresh-cut salads, sandwiches, coffee and wine. In the retail section you’ll find things like nut butters, different flavours of halva, raw nuts, and jams. Their halva is some of the best that I’ve tried.

Voulis 7, Athina 105 62

Pangrati & Ambelokipi

Akra

During the day, Akra operates as a cafe and casual lunch spot, with the front counter of treats baked in-house, and excellent coffee enticing diners. There’s a full lunch menu, and by night, it’s in full restaurant mode.

Cold, raw dishes, and hot dishes cooked on the open fire impress equally at Akra. It’s unfussy food at its heart, made using the best quality seasonal produce, respecting tradition with exceptional technique and contemporary flair. Several of the dishes are finished tableside, adding a sense of theatrics to the meal.

Amynta 12, Athina 116 35

Create Coffee Roasters

A dedicated specialty coffee roastery by 2014 World Brewers Cup Champion Stefanos Domatiotis. Visit for exceptional single-origin pours and expertly roasted beans.

Kousianofski 23, Athina 115 25

Foyer Espresso Bar

A welcoming Pangrati espresso bar known for top-tier specialty coffee brews featuring excellent espresso and filter house-roasted and guest-roaster beans in a relaxed neighbourhood setting.

Vriaxidos 2, Athina 116 35

Moden

Located in the neighbourhood of Pangrati, Moden is a hole-in-the-wall café known for its excellent coffee and pastries. Owner/chef Paul Tsiolekas’s space is anchored by a central kitchen and bar where coffee is made and pastries are showcased.

Pastry-wise, its a mix of favourites and rotating seasonal creations baked two doors up each day. The apple crumble pie, if you see it available, is a must-try. For coffee, it’s classic options, plus a few house creations.

Prokopiou 2, Athina 116 35

Monokeros Bakery

Just a short walk from Moden, also in Pangrati, you’ll find Monokeros Bakery. It’s an artisan bakery and patisserie, opened 2023 by siblings Pericles Stamboglis and Eleni Theodosopoulou.

They’re particularly known for their bread selection, made using a wide variety of flours and grains, many of which aren’t commonly used in the city’s bakeries. For pastry, seasonal specialities are a highlight, and there are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. I’m a big fan of their trachanopita, a pie made using cracked wheat and fermented milk.

Eumolpidon 11, Athina 118 54

Psiri & Plaka

Ristorante Atlantikos

Ristorante Atlantikos is known for its high-quality seafood. The sea’s bounty, grilled or fried, served simply in a variety of ways. There’s a lot that’s enticing on the menu. I highly recommend going for a grilled and a fried option at a minimum. The mixed fried plate is a great option, featuring lightly dusted and fried school prawns, calamari, and anchovies, with lemon.

For grilled fish, it’s a choice of around 10 different fish depending on what’s fresh that day, served with lemon and a side salad. Other dishes include things like seafood pasta, soup, baked dishes, and salads.

Avrontos 7, Athina 105 54

Avli

Avli is a tiny, hidden spot that you’ll want to visit for affordable, traditional taverna-style Greek dishes, served in a homely, unpretentious space that used to be an alleyway in-between workshops.

The compact menu features classic taverna dishes cooked using recipes from Takis’ extended family. Things like keftedakia (crisp crusted fried meatballs with a moist interior); pan-fried meats and offal; dolmades, saganaki, and salads.

Agiou Dimitriou 12, Athina 105 54

Heteroclito

Staying on the topic of wine, another must-visit wine bar is Heteroclito. It opened in 2012 with the aim of highlighting the native grape varieties of Greece. Today, you’ll find just north of 200 Greek wines on the menu, with a focus on minimal-intervention producers.

The 20-strong glass list rotates monthly, and gives a snapshot of some of the most exciting wines in Greece at the time. Inside, it’s a cosy, warm space. I highly recommend an outdoor seat though. In amongst bustling Plaka, it’s a great place to people watch and soak in the lively vibe of Athens.

Fokionos 2, Athina 105 63

Koukaki & Neos Kosmos

Annie Fine Cooking

Annie Fine Cooking is a charming spot that’s about showcasing the best Greek produce, in a contemporary way, with an Athenian heart. Think familiar flavours and textures presented in a new and exciting fashion.

The kitchen is headed up by Konstantina Kasparidou, who has worked in kitchens across Greece’s mainland and islands. Konstantina sees Annie as an extension of her own kitchen, creating inspired dishes on a menu that can change daily based on what’s good at the market that day, and what’s inspiring her.

Mernardou 4, Athina 117 44

Bel Ray

Located in Athens’ trendy Koukaki neighbourhood, Bel Ray is a great spot to visit any time of the day. The sun-soaked space, housed inside a former mechanics garage, is popular with locals for breakfast. As the day evolves, the all-day lunch and dinner becomes available, and by night it’s in bar mode, with excellent cocktails and an impressive selection of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Falirou 88, Athina 117 41

Blame The Sun

Located in the Koukaki neighbourhood, Blame The Sun is an independent local craft brewery and taproom pouring an exceptional lineup of fresh, creative beers right where they’re brewed.

Veikou 63, Athina 117 41

Dodeka Piata

A classic Koukaki neighbourhood spot serving traditional Greek meze and comforting tavern dishes.

Odissea Androutsou 36, Athina 117 41

Fysika / Pizza Dough!

Greece is home to some of Europe’s most interesting independent winemakers. There are winemakers experimenting with traditional Greek grapes and more, creating delicious wines that challenge preconceptions about what Greek wine can be. One of the best places in Athens to experience some of these wines is Fysika.

The rotating wine list contains an extensive selection of wines by the glass, and even more by the bottle. All bottles are available to drink in, or take away. Next door, you’ll find Fysika’s pizza shop, Pizza Dough!. It’s a selection of airy, blistered, wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas, made using a slow-fermented dough base and fresh toppings.

Dimitrakopoulou 17, Athina 117 42

Kalyvas Family Grill House

Kalyvas Family Grill House was opened by Ioanna and Joanna Kalyvas in 1993, taking over from a much smaller hole-in-the-wall grill spot they’d been operating around the corner since 1977. Today, Ioanna and Joanna’s sons – Thimios, Dimitri, and Kostas, run the show.

The menu is filled with psitopolío classics. An assortment of grilled meats like gyros, souvlaki, kebabs, and meat cooked on the spit. There’s also a selection of grilled veg and sides. It’s not a huge menu, but it’s a very appealing one.

Vourvachi 2, Athina 117 43

O Lolos

A cosy Koukaki mezedopoleio offering authentic, unpretentious Greek plates and drinks. I’ll be honest that there’s nothing particularly exceptional about this place, but I’ve been multiple times as the vibe is great, it’s near a few great local bars, and the no-nonsense food always hits the spot.

Geor. Olimpiou 5, Athina 117 41

Strange Brew

Another standout local craft spot in Koukaki, Strange Brew is operated by a crew of passionate homebrewers-turned-pro who serve up bold, boundary-pushing beers on tap in a welcoming taproom space.

Drakou 9, Athina 117 42

ΦΙΤΑ (Fita)

A contender for some of the most creative and innovative Greek food in Athens, is ΦΙΤΑ (“Fita”). Head chef Dimitris Dimitriadis, whose parents were farmers, focuses on market-fresh seasonal produce sourced from small, independent Greek producers. The menu leans heavily on seafood, vegetables, and legumes, and promotes lesser-known, sustainable fish.

When I visited, there were a handful of Japanese flourishes dotted throughout the menu, making me even more excited to eat here. Think technique, rather than ingredients. Greek produce and flavours, seen through a different lens.

Kyprou 19, Athina 117 45

Central Market & Omonia

Diporto

Diporto is a tiny hidden basement taverna located around the corner from Athens’ central market. It opened in 1887, and is a great spot to enjoy delicious, humble, affordable food designed for the working class, cooked with market-fresh produce.

There’s no menu at Diporto. You simply ask for a table and eat what’s given to you. Dishes are driven by the market, but more or less unchanged most days. A hearty vegetable stew with crusty bread to mop up the wonderful thick soup, lemony slow-cooked chickpeas, and grilled sardines. Maybe some Greek salad too, with house retsina wine served in a jug.

Theatrou Sokratous, Athina 105 52

Karamanlidika

The Karamanlides are a traditionally Turkish-speaking Greek Orthodox people native to the region of Karaman in Anatolia. If you want to try their traditional food, Karamanlidika is the place to go.

It’s a modern take on the “pastomageirio” that developed during Byzantine times. Salted and cured meats are the speciality here, along with meze-style dishes made using the best quality ingredients and produce from small-scale Greek producers. There’s also a grocery section, where you can purchase many of these ingredients for home.

Sokratous 1, Athina 105 52

Lefteris o Politis

Lefteris o Politis was opened in 1951 by Istanbul-born refugee Stavros Savvoglou, and has been serving up the same excellent pita wraps ever since.

Unlike the common gyros or souvlaki, the pita here is served with marinated long meatball-like kebabs, sprinkled with a bit of paprika and, if you choose the spicy option, chilli flakes. Along with meat, the pita is also filled with tomatoes, onion, and fresh parsley. And that’s it. It’s old school, and perfect.

Satandrou 18, Athina 104 31

Mokka Specialty Coffee

Mokka can trace its history back to 1923, when Chris Samourkas opened his first coffee shop on 44 Athinas Street. It evolved to become one of Greece’s largest coffee producers, BRAVO, which was sold to Sara Lee in 1994.

In 1999, the family purchased and renovated the 44 Athinas Street building, and turned it into a speciality roaster and café, Mokka. Today, it’s run by the 4th generation of the Samourkas family. The coffee is top notch, in particular, the traditional Greek-style coffee.

Athinas 44, Athina 105 51

Stani

Family-run Stani opened in 1931, moving to its current location in central Athens, in 1949. Famed for their high-quality dairy produce, Stani’s first, and flagship product, is their yoghurt. There’s cows and sheep milk yoghurt, with a variety of fat and straining levels available.

They also make rizogalo (rice pudding), cream puddings, loukoumades (Greek honey donuts), and dairy-based pastries like galaktoboureko.

Marilyiou 10, Athina 104 31

Varvakios Central Municipal Market

If you’re looking for the best fresh produce in Athens, you need to visit Varvakeios. Located in the heart of town, it’s the city’s main municipal market. Operating since 1898, you’ll find a kreatagorá (meat market), psaragorá (fish market) and a lachanagorá (fruit and vegetable market).

There’s also loads of vendors selling local products like nuts, olive oil, dried figs, dairy, and more. You’ll also find multiple tavernas and food and drink spots dotted around.

Athinas 42, Athina 105 51

Exarchia & Surrounds

behold theman

Athens’ specialty coffee scene has grown leaps and bounds in recent years. One of the best spots to enjoy a great cup of coffee is café, behold theman. Beans are from local roaster, Omsom Coffee Roasters, and are used to make classic coffee drinks, alongside creative creations. There’s also alt-lattes, house lemonades, craft beers, and other specialty drinks. Be sure to try their tasty cocoa-based drinks.

Stournari 6, Athina 106 83

Pharaoh

Pharaoh is a bar and restaurant located in Athens’ edgy Exarchia neighbourhood. The menu showcases the best seasonal produce sourced from independent Greek farmers and purveyors. Traditional dishes and classic flavours inform the menu, ranging from options that don’t stray too much from their origins, to exciting contemporary takes. Everything is cooked exclusively on wood-fired stoves, charcoal grills, and wood-fired ovens.

To drink, there’s over 400 Greek and foreign wines, with a focus on natural varieties. There’s also Greek craft beers and a great cocktail list, including plenty of non-alcoholic options.

Solomou 54, Athina 106 83

Line

Line is one of the most innovative bars that I’ve visited in recent years. Much of what you’ll find on the menu is made on-site. Seasonal fruits grown by small Greek producers ferment and are turned into complex, wine-adjacent concoctions they call “why-ins”, alongside cocktails and seasonal riffs on the classics.

The bar’s zero-waste philosophy also sees the kitchen and the bar working in tandem to great effect. On that, the food here is also excellent, with creative riffs on classic Greek dishes and bar favourites.

Agias Paraskevis 20, Athina 118 54

Tales Of Ales

I chanced upon Tales of Ales while walking around town one day, feeling like a beer. When I walked inside, I was rewarded with a tap list that’s one of the city’s best. Tales of Ales offers over 100 beers across its 12 taps and fridges. You’ll find core range and limited releases from some of Greece and the Balkans’ best craft breweries, along with international beers not often seen outside of their home countries.

Miltiadou 19, Athina 105 60

Tapfield

Another quality option for craft beer in Athens is Tapfield. Similarly to Tales of Ales, but not as extensive, you’ll find a list of local and international craft beers on tap and in the fridges.

Ναυάρχου Αποστόλη 4, Athina 105 54, Greece

Planning a trip to Greece? Check out my guide to 48 Hours In Athens for more top tips on things to do.