Athens Food Guide
Markets, souvlaki and the best city eating in Greece
Overview
Athens is the best place to eat in Greece, mostly because it is a real city rather than a resort. Prices are reasonable, the market still drives the menus, and the range runs from three-euro street food to some of the most interesting modern Greek cooking anywhere.
What to try
Souvlaki and gyros
The city's default meal, and a genuinely high standard almost everywhere in the centre.
Mezedopoleio dinners
Long, slow tables of small plates with tsipouro or wine — how Athenians actually eat out.
Market lunches
Grilled meat and fish soup at the counters inside and around the Varvakios market.
Modern Greek cooking
A serious contemporary scene, particularly around Kolonaki, Pangrati and Koukaki.
Coffee culture
Freddo espresso taken slowly, at almost any hour, is an Athenian institution.
Where to find it
Psyrri & Monastiraki
Street food, late-night grills and a fast-changing bar and taverna scene.
Pangrati & Mets
Residential, relaxed and full of neighbourhood tavernas and wine bars.
Koukaki
Bakeries, small mezedopoleia and easy dinners a short walk from the Acropolis.
Kolonaki
Smarter restaurants, natural wine bars and people-watching cafés.
Practical tips
- Book dinner for 21:00 or later if you want the room at its best.
- Sunday is quiet in the centre; check that your choice is open.
- A morning food tour early in your stay pays off for every meal afterwards.
- Many of the best places are a ten-minute walk off the main tourist streets.
Related guides
Greek Street Food. 10 Must Try Eats in Athens
Athens, Greece — trying the delicious, quick, and cheap Greek street food of the historical city.
Mets: Discover Athens most charming neighbourhood
Mets is a small neighbourhood very close to all the main touristic attractions of the city center but not touristic at all.
Lowkey Athens — A Beautiful New Early Bar in the Heart of Athens
A new early bar on Chalkidonos street serving excellent cocktails and proper food — a calm, elegant place to unwind after work in central Athens.
Best Food Tours in Athens in 2026: How to Eat Like a Local
Which Athens food tour is worth booking in 2026 — market walks, evening mezedes crawls and private tastings compared, with prices, timings and honest advice.
Keep exploring
Browse the rest of the Food & Wine section, or find a food tour or tasting to book.