The short version: Athens eats on the grill and the meze table — souvlaki and gyros wrapped in pita, grilled meats and octopus, small plates of tzatziki, dolmades and saganaki, cheese pies, and Greek salad with a slab of feta. Finish with loukoumades or galaktoboureko, and drink tsipouro or Assyrtiko. Here is what to order.
At a glance
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Souvlaki & gyros | Grilled skewers / shaved meat in pita with sauce |
| Meze | Small shared plates — tzatziki, melitzanosalata, dolmades |
| Horiatiki | Greek “village” salad with a slab of feta |
| Moussaka | Baked aubergine, mince and béchamel |
| Loukoumades | Honey-soaked dough puffs with cinnamon |
The grill: souvlaki, gyros and more
Athens runs on the grill. Souvlaki (skewered grilled meat) and gyros (meat shaved off a vertical spit) come wrapped in pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and a few chips — the great cheap meal (our souvlaki vs gyros guide sorts out the difference). Sit-down tavernas add paidakia (grilled lamb chops), kontosouvli and loukaniko sausage. By the sea it’s grilled octopus and fresh fish.
The meze table
The real Athens experience is a spread of meze to share: tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic), melitzanosalata (aubergine), taramosalata (fish roe), dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), saganaki (fried cheese), fava (yellow split-pea purée) and warm pita. Add a horiatiki (Greek salad topped with feta and oregano), a wedge of tyropita or spanakopita (cheese or spinach pie), and a baked classic like moussaka or gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers). See Greek dishes explained for the full cast.
Sweets, drinks and where to eat
Finish with loukoumades (honey doughnuts), galaktoboureko (custard in filo), baklava, or thick Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. Drink tsipouro or ouzo with meze, and Greece’s revived wines — volcanic Assyrtiko, red Agiorgitiko — with dinner. Eat in the tavernas and meze houses of Psyrri, Koukaki and around the Central Market, not the tourist traps under the Acropolis. A food tour or a cooking class is the easiest way in.
To drink? Reach for a crisp, mineral Assyrtiko from Santorini — Greece’s great white — or an ouzo with meze.
Frequently asked questions
What food is Athens known for?
Souvlaki and gyros, a meze table of tzatziki, dolmades, saganaki and fava, Greek salad with feta, baked dishes like moussaka, and sweets like loukoumades and baklava — with tsipouro, ouzo and Greek wines.
What is the difference between souvlaki and gyros?
Souvlaki is meat grilled on a skewer; gyros is meat stacked and roasted on a vertical spit, then shaved off. Both are served in pita with sauce, or on a plate. See our full guide for the details.
Where should I eat in Athens?
In the tavernas and meze houses of Psyrri, Koukaki and around the Varvakios Central Market, and at the souvlaki joints of Monastiraki — away from the tourist spots directly under the Acropolis.
Taste Athens
Book an Athens food tour or a cooking class, or plan the trip from the Greece hub.
