What to Eat in Athens: Local Dishes, Where Locals Eat & the Best Food Tours
What to eat in Athens: souvlaki and gyros, a meze table of tzatziki, dolmades and saganaki, Greek salad with feta, moussaka, and sweets like loukoumades and baklava - the dishes to order, where locals eat, and what to drink.
The short version: in Athens, eat souvlaki and gyros wrapped in pita, a cheese or spinach pie for breakfast, loukoumades dripping with honey, a warm koulouri from a street cart, and a long table of meze with ouzo in the evening. For souvlaki go to Kostas off Syntagma or O Thanasis in Monastiraki; for a real lunch, eat at Karamanlidika or the basement taverna Diporto near the Central Market. Drink Assyrtiko and Agiorgitiko with dinner and ouzo or tsipouro with meze. And if you only have a day or two, a guided food tour is the shortcut to the right counters and tavernas. Below: what to eat, exactly where to eat it, what to drink, and the food experiences worth booking.
Book an Athens food tour
Short on time? Let a local walk you to the right places.
Our top pick is the Street Food Tasting Tour: 3 hours, rated 4.9 from 4,129 reviews on GetYourGuide.
What to eat in Athens, and where to eat it
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it in Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Souvlaki (kalamaki) | Small charcoal-grilled pork skewers, eaten plain or wrapped in pita with tomato, onion and yoghurt or tzatziki | Kostas; Kalamaki Bar |
| Gyros and kebab | Meat sliced from a vertical spit (gyros) or minced-meat kebab, rolled in pita with chips | O Thanasis; Bairaktaris; Lefteris O Politis |
| Spanakopita and tyropita | Spinach pie and cheese pie in crisp filo, plus bougatsa (custard or cheese in filo): the Athenian breakfast on the move | Mam; Makedonikon |
| Koulouri | A ring of bread crusted with sesame, sold warm in the morning | To Koulouri tou Psyrri |
| Loukoumades | Small fried dough balls soaked in honey syrup and dusted with cinnamon | Lukumades; Krinos |
| Moussaka | Baked layers of aubergine, spiced minced meat and béchamel | Filippou; Rozalia |
| Mageirefta | The day’s pot dishes: bean soup, chickpea stew, stuffed vegetables (gemista), lamb kleftiko | Diporto; Klimataria |
| Meze and ouzo | Small shared plates, from saganaki (fried cheese) to pastourma, with ouzo or tsipouro | Karamanlidika; Ouzeri Lesvos |
| Paidakia | Thin lamb chops grilled over charcoal, sold by the kilo | Manari; Marathonitis |
| Anthogalo with honey | Whipped fresh cream from a historic dairy shop, served with honey | Stani |
Where to eat in Athens
The rule in Athens: walk one or two streets away from the Plaka souvenir lanes and the tables on Adrianou, and you are back among Athenians. The centre is compact, so you can eat souvlaki in Monastiraki at lunch, drink in Psyrri and have dinner in Pangrati or Exarchia, all on foot or one metro stop apart. Athenians eat late, and most tavernas only fill up from around 21:00.
Plaka, Monastiraki and Syntagma
This is where most visitors sleep, and it has the best of the city’s fast food. Kostas, on Filellinon near Syntagma, has been grilling since 1950 and keeps it simple: pork skewers or a beef patty in pita with tomato, parsley, onion and strained yoghurt instead of tzatziki. It has no seating and closes when it sells out, often around 15:00. On Mitropoleos at the edge of Monastiraki Square, O Thanasis is the classic for kebab on pita with onion, tomato and paprika, and Bairaktaris next door serves pork gyros and kebab with chips. For something different, Feyrouz bakes lahmacun (thin spiced-meat flatbread) and peinirli (a cheese-filled boat of bread) for around 15 euros a head. For a sit-down meal near Syntagma, Nolan holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing) for its mix of Greek cooking and dishes from further afield, at a low price for the quality.
Psyrri and the Central Market
Psyrri, just north of Monastiraki, is the neighbourhood to eat in for lunch and to drink in at night. Karamanlidika started as a cured-meat deli and is now a meze restaurant: order the pastourma (spiced cured beef) sandwich, saganaki with pastourma, and the fried pans of soutzouki sausage; expect around 25 euros a head. A few steps away, Diporto is a basement taverna with no sign and no menu: a handful of pot dishes such as chickpea stew and bean soup, simple salads and house wine. Go early, at what Athenians call Greek breakfast time, because it is now well known. Klimataria on Theatre Square dates back to the 1920s, pours house wine from the barrel and is good for gemista and lamb kleftiko, at around 20 euros a head. For grilled lamb and mutton in big portions, book Manari. For a modern dinner, Linou Soumpasis & Co. is listed in the Michelin Guide (Michelin listing) for seasonal Greek cooking; it is priced above most of Athens.
Koukaki and Makrygianni
The quiet streets behind the Acropolis Museum are full of small hotels and apartments. Kalamaki Bar on Drakou has been grilling for about 15 years: pork, chicken thigh, beef, lamb and halloumi skewers, Greek wines and pavement tables. To Kati Allo, near the museum, has no menu: you eat the day’s home-cooked dishes for around 20 euros a head.
Kolonaki
The smart neighbourhood under Lycabettus Hill eats old-school. Filippou has fed Kolonaki since 1923 with stews, soups, ladera (vegetables cooked in olive oil), pastitsio and moussaka on white tablecloths. For bread, sourdough focaccia and sandwiches, go to the bakery Kora, and for vintage pastries, Désiré.
Exarchia
The student and bohemian quarter has the cheapest good tavernas in the centre. Rozalia on Valtetsiou is a busy, casual taverna for grilled meats, meze, moussaka and house wine. Ama Lachei sets communal tables in a converted school courtyard for modern Greek sharing plates. Ouzeri Lesvos cooks the food of the island of Lesvos, with around 17 ouzos to choose from; try the red mullet and the preserved mackerel. For a bigger night, Pharaoh on Solomou holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing) and cooks everything over wood or charcoal; expect around 50 euros a head.
Pangrati and Mets
East of the Panathenaic Stadium, Pangrati is a residential neighbourhood where Athenians go out to eat. Mavros Gatos on Polemonos has been a meat taverna since 1963, known for its lamb chops and home-style stews. Marathonitis is a third-generation basement taverna whose lamb and mutton chops are a city-wide reference. Akra holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing): you sit at the counter while the chef cooks at the wood-fired grill, and there is a bakery at the front. For the special night, Spondi holds one Michelin star (Michelin listing) for contemporary French cooking in vaulted rooms and on two terraces.
Quick picks
- Classic taverna dinner: Klimataria in Psyrri or Rozalia in Exarchia.
- Cheap and fast: souvlaki at Kostas, kebab at O Thanasis, lahmacun at Feyrouz.
- Special night: Spondi in Pangrati, or Linou Soumpasis & Co. in Psyrri.
- Best for the signature dish: Kostas for souvlaki, Karamanlidika for meze, Marathonitis for lamb chops.
Names link to Google Maps for directions. We checked these places in October 2026. Opening days change, especially out of season, so check before you go.
The markets
The Varvakios Central Market on Athinas Street is the city’s belly: a covered hall of butchers and fishmongers, with fruit, vegetables, olives, cheese, nuts and spices in the streets around it. Go in the morning, when the stalls are full. Inside the market, Oinomageireio Epirus, founded in 1898, serves goat stew and soups to market workers, and To Steki tou Maki is a family-run seafood taverna that cooks fish from the stalls. Karamanlidika and Diporto are both a few minutes’ walk away. Up the road at Omonia, Stani is a historic dairy shop for yoghurt with honey and nuts, rice pudding and anthogalo, and close by, Lefteris O Politis has served a minimalist beef kebab pita since 1951, at under 3 euros.
What to drink in Athens
Greek wine is the surprise of an Athens trip. The white to order is Assyrtiko, the mineral, high-acid grape of Santorini; the red is Agiorgitiko, the soft, dark-fruited grape of Nemea in the Peloponnese. Many tavernas also pour retsina, white wine flavoured with pine resin, which is better than its reputation with fried fish and meze. With meze, Athenians drink ouzo, the aniseed spirit, or tsipouro, the grape spirit, with ice and water. For a glass of wine in the centre, Heteroclito is the wine bar locals recommend, and Warehouse in Exarchia pours natural wine with modern small plates. For local spirits, the name Athenians give is Brettos in Plaka. To taste the wines where they are made, see our Athens wine tours.
Food experiences to book in Athens
Athens is a city of counters, basements and unmarked tavernas, which is exactly why a food tour pays off on a short visit: a local guide takes you through the Central Market, the souvlaki and pie shops and a meze taverna in a few hours, and explains what to order and when. A cooking class is the other good choice, especially if you want to take moussaka or spanakopita home with you. These are the best-rated options on GetYourGuide.
| Experience | Length | Rating (reviews) | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street Food Tasting Tour | 3 hours | 4.9 (4,129) | A first visit | Check availability |
| Greek Foodie Small-Group Tour | 4 hours | 4.9 (3,612) | A longer tour | Check availability |
| Greek Food Discovery Walking Tour | 3.5 hours | 4.9 (700) | Small groups | Check availability |
| Half-Day Ultimate Food Walking Tour | 4 hours | 4.9 (642) | Replacing lunch | Check availability |
Our pick: the Street Food Tasting Tour, rated 4.9 (4,129) on GetYourGuide.
Ratings as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Check the listing for live prices and availability.
Food day trips from Athens
The obvious food day out from Athens is wine country. The Nemea vineyards, home of Agiorgitiko, and the Attica vineyards east of the city are within a day’s round trip, usually with a tasting and lunch at the winery. See our Athens wine tours, and for how to fit a winery day into a short stay, our Athens food and wine itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the one dish to eat in Athens?
Souvlaki, eaten standing up, is the Athenian street meal: pork skewers or gyros in pita. Kostas near Syntagma and O Thanasis in Monastiraki are the classics. For a sit-down meal, order meze to share at Karamanlidika.
Where do locals eat in Athens?
In Psyrri around the Central Market at lunchtime, and in Pangrati and Exarchia in the evening: Mavros Gatos and Marathonitis for lamb chops, Rozalia and Ouzeri Lesvos for meze. Plaka’s main lanes are mostly for visitors.
Where can I eat cheaply in Athens?
Souvlaki and kebab cost a few euros at Kostas, O Thanasis and Lefteris O Politis. Feyrouz is around 15 euros a head, and Diporto, Klimataria and To Kati Allo come in at around 20 euros.
What should I eat for breakfast in Athens?
Do as Athenians do and eat on the move: a warm koulouri from To Koulouri tou Psyrri or a street cart, a cheese pie or bougatsa from Mam or Makedonikon, or yoghurt with honey and nuts at Stani in Omonia. If you have a sweet tooth, Lukumades on Aiolou fries loukoumades to order.
Do I need to book restaurants in Athens?
For the street-food counters, no: just queue. For Manari, the Bib Gourmand places such as Pharaoh and Akra, and Spondi, book ahead, especially at weekends.
What time do people eat in Athens?
Late. Lunch runs into the afternoon and dinner often starts at 21:00 or later. Old-school places like Diporto are morning and lunchtime spots, and Kostas closes when it sells out, often around 15:00.
Is an Athens food tour worth it?
Yes, if you have one or two days: in a few hours you see the Central Market, taste souvlaki, pies, loukoumades and meze, and learn where to eat for the rest of your stay. Compare them above.
Plan your Athens food trip
Best food tours in Athens · Athens cooking classes · Athens wine tours · Athens food and wine itinerary, 3 days
