Best Restaurants in Athens 2026

Thanasis

A no-frills souvlaki counter just off Monastiraki Square, one of the names Athenians argue about when the topic of the city's best kebab comes up. The kitchen turns out flame-grilled minced-meat kebab and skewers fast, wrapped to order in pita with tomato, onion and a thin layer of tzatziki. Seating is simple café-style tables on two levels, built for turnover rather than lingering.

Known for: Famous for kebab in pita since 1898

69 Mitropoleos St, Athens 105 55, Greece

Lukumades

A dedicated loukoumades shop near Monastiraki that treats the fried dough balls as a menu in themselves rather than a single dessert option. They're fried to order, so a portion arrives hot and crisp outside, soft inside, then topped at the counter. The space is small and counter-driven, closer to a café than a sit-down restaurant.

Known for: Traditional loukoumades (Greek honey doughnuts)

58 Eolou St, Athens 105 51, Greece

Strofi

A long-running taverna on the slope below the Acropolis, best known for its rooftop terrace that looks directly across at the Parthenon. The kitchen sticks to classic Athenian taverna cooking — grilled meats and fish, slow-cooked plates, simple salads — rather than reinventing anything. It's a favourite stop for people catching a performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus just downhill.

Known for: Rooftop with iconic Acropolis and Parthenon views

25 Rovertou Galli St, Athens 117 42, Greece

Kuzina

A modern Greek restaurant near the Ancient Agora in Thissio, with a rooftop that catches views toward the Acropolis. The cooking takes standard Greek ingredients and plates them in a more composed, restaurant style than a taverna — think sauces and technique alongside the usual mezedes rather than instead of them. The dining room and roof both lean toward a design-conscious, contemporary feel rather than rustic taverna decor.

Known for: Acropolis-view rooftop terrace

9 Adrianou St, Athens 105 55, Greece

Nolan

A chef-driven restaurant near Syntagma built around the pairing of Greek ingredients with Japanese and broader Asian technique — think olive oil next to soy and citrus, or Greek produce inside a bao bun. It's a tighter, more composed room than a taverna, aimed at a full sit-down meal rather than grazing on small plates. The menu changes with some regularity since it's built around a chef's tasting approach rather than a fixed list of classics.

Known for: Japanese-Greek fusion; innovative small plates

31-33 Voulis St, Athens 105 57, Greece

Taverna tou Psara

One of the older tavernas in Plaka, tucked on the steps of Erechtheos street below the Acropolis, specializing in fish rather than the meat-heavy menu typical of most Plaka tavernas. Whole fish is grilled simply and priced by weight, in the standard Greek seafood-taverna style, alongside calamari and a fish soup. Outdoor seating spills down the stepped street, which is the main appeal of eating here over an indoor room.

Known for: Plaka's top seafood taverna with courtyard seating

16 Erechtheos St & Erotokritou, Athens 105 58, Greece

Mpampis

An old-school souvlaki stand near Exarcheia, the kind of stripped-down spot with a grill up front and minimal seating that Athenians point to as an example of souvlaki done with no distractions. The menu barely extends beyond skewers and pita — pork, chicken, or a plain skewer with bread — grilled over charcoal and served fast. It draws a late-night crowd as much as a lunch one.

Known for: Neighbourhood souvlaki favourite; locals only spot

1 Themistokleous St, Athens 106 77, Greece

Café Avissinia

A traditional Greek restaurant set right on Avissinia Square in the heart of the Monastiraki flea market, built around mezedes rather than a single main-course focus. The food is classic small-plate Greek cooking — vegetable dishes, cured meats, fried plates — meant for sharing across a table rather than individual mains. The room has an old, cluttered, antique-shop feel that matches the flea-market setting around it.

Known for: Live rebetiko music weekends; rustic atmosphere

7 Kinetou St (Avissinia Square), Athens 105 55, Greece

Psaras Fish Tavern

Known for: Fresh fish sold by weight; outdoor terrace

16 Erechtheos St, Athens 105 58, Greece

Karamanlidika tou Fani

A deli-restaurant in Psiri that grew out of an actual charcuterie shop, so the cured meats and cheeses on the mezedes boards are the same product sold by the kilo at the counter. The style is Greek-Anatolian - pastourma, sausages, and pickled vegetables meant for sharing over raki rather than a plated main course. Seating is simple cafe tables around the shop itself, with a deli case as the visual centerpiece.

Known for: Artisan Greek charcuterie and cheeses; Ottoman-style cold cuts

1 Sokratous & Evripidou St, Athens 105 52, Greece

Mama's Kitchen (Mana's Kouzina)

Known for: Home-cooked daily specials; yiayia-style recipes

27 Eolou St, Athens 105 51, Greece

Ergon Agora

A large market-style space near Mitropoleos combining a Greek grocery counter with restaurant seating, so you can watch pies, cheeses, and cured meats being sold at one end while eating a plate of the same at the other. The food is Greek but presented in a market format - counters of cheese, charcuterie, and bread rather than a fixed sit-down menu. It's bright, busy, and geared toward quick, informal meals rather than a lingering dinner.

Known for: Gourmet food hall and market; excellent for picnic shopping

23 Mitropoleos St, Athens 105 63, Greece

Aleria

A modern Greek restaurant set in a restored neoclassical mansion near Metaxourgeio, with a courtyard that gives the space a quieter, more residential feel than most central Athens dining rooms. The cooking takes Greek ingredients - heritage pork, island cheeses, seasonal fish - and plates them in a contemporary, tasting-menu-driven style rather than the taverna format. Service is formal and paced for a longer dinner.

Known for: Elegant neoclassical mansion; seasonal tasting menus

57 Meg. Alexandrou St, Athens 104 34, Greece

To Kafeneio

A small traditional mezedes spot on the edge of Plaka, styled after an old-fashioned Greek kafeneio with marble-top tables and a short, simple menu rather than a full taverna spread. The food is basic Greek small plates - fried cheese, dips, grilled items - meant to go with a glass of wine or ouzo rather than a full sit-down meal. It's compact, so it fills up fast with both tourists and locals passing through Plaka.

Known for: Traditional kafeneio atmosphere; outdoor terrace in Plaka

1 Epicharmou & Tripodon St, Athens 105 58, Greece

Galaxy Bar & Restaurant (Hilton)

This is the rooftop bar and restaurant on the top floor of the Athens Hilton, built around a wraparound terrace with skyline views toward Lycabettus Hill and the Acropolis. The kitchen runs an international menu with Greek touches aimed at hotel guests and the after-work drinks crowd rather than a destination-dining audience. Seating is split between an indoor lounge with low sofas and an open-air terrace.

Known for: Panoramic 360° city views from the rooftop

46 Vasilissis Sofias Ave, Athens 115 28, Greece

Funky Gourmet

A Michelin-starred dining room in Kolonaki-adjacent Athens where the kitchen builds multi-course tasting menus around Greek ingredients reworked with modern technique - foams, gels, and unexpected textures replace anything you'd call taverna food. The dining room is formal and quiet, built for a slow, paced-out meal rather than conversation over ouzo. Expect tweezer-plated courses and a wine pairing list that leans heavily on Greek producers.

Known for: Two Michelin stars; molecular gastronomy

13 Paramythias & Salaminos St, Athens 104 35, Greece

Underdog

Known for: Specialty coffee bar with creative brunch menu

8 Ioannou Dragatsi St, Athens 105 53, Greece