The 10 Best Local Restaurant In Athens Greece
After a long day visiting the Acropolis, the only thing you want is to find the best Greek restaurant in Athens. Are we right? Don’t worry, after living two months in the capital of Greece, we made a list of the best restaurant in Athens. From the most traditional tavernas to the more modern options, you will find everything you need to discover and enjoy Greek food.
GREEK TRADITIONAL RESTAURANTS ON A BUDGET?
If you are wondering about the cost of restaurants in Athens, we can tell you that a lot depends on the zone where you are eating. Of course, if you will find yourself in Plaka your meal will be much more expensive than in Exarchia. But in general, visiting Athens on a budget is actually possible: you can find amazing apartments and save 25$ on Travala (if you need a guide on Athens neighbourhood, just click here) and tones of really nice restaurants where you’ll pay your meal just a few euros.
In a lot of restaurants you will also have free water and free appetizers like olives, small tomatoes and tapenade: a dream!
SOME FACTS ABOUT GREEK RESTAURANTS
Be aware that the service in Greece is slightly different than in other countries. In fact, waiters are not bringing you the plates following a normal order: you will have to specify in which order you want the food to arrive, otherwise they will bring you dish one by one. Moreover, if you want to drink a coffee after your meal, you will have to go to a bar because a lot of Greek restaurants are not including coffee in their menu. We found many good restaurants and bar in this guide, so we would recommend it to you at 100%.
Are you feeling lazy and want your meal at home? Don’t worry, e-food app exists! e-food is the Uber Eats of Greece and it’s working 24 hours on 24. The delivery is pretty fasts and the service is excellent!
“The Typical Bars In Athens”
HERE'S THE LIST OF OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN ATHENS
In this article, you will find our favourite restaurants in Athens. The list is following an ascendent order, from the cheapest price (5 euros) to the most expensive (35 euros). All prices are based on a normal meal for two, made of one entrance and two main dishes.
Are you ready to discover our favorite restaurants, their incredible menu and their excellent selection of wine? Let’s get started!
1. Panagos - Gyros Place
5 euros
Of course, a souvlaki! Their menu is offering only souvlaki, and they are really experts about it. Try that with chicken, vegetables, french fries and white sauce: literally delicious. We don’t recommend you to consume your souvlaki there, but instead just walk along Fokionos Negri Street and find a nice bench between the trees to enjoy your succulent meal like a local.
2. Οι Νοστιμιές της Μαίρης
15 euros
This restaurant is great. If you want to try the real Greek cuisine, you must come here, even if you are vegetarian or vegan. On their menu there are a lot of Mediterranean specialities to make your lunch or dinner unique. Our favourite dishes? Chickpeas with tomatoes, spicy meatballs in tomato sauce, moussaka and cheese pie. Don’t order too much: the portions are really consistent and a lot of times we took away part of the food.
3. Kyveli
15 euros
During our stay in Athens, this was our evergreen restaurants. Every plate was literally amazing. The tables are between the trees with the view on an orthodox church: we felt really fusioned with the city. We recommend you to try this modern taverna for their dishes of the day to discover some non-mainstream Greek plate. Our favourites? Orzo with vegetables, split peas with chopped onions and dakos salad with feta cheese, tomatoes and dry bread.
Ps: in this fabulous restaurant, they give you FREE water, crispy bread, black olives, small tomatoes and peppers and ouzo, the typical Greek spirit. Just amazing!
“Our Sunday Lunch”
“Grilled Squid With Greek Couscous”
4. Asia Minor
15 to 20 euros
Located in Kypseli, a bit far away from Plaka and the center, you will find Asia Minor, a restaurant with a success story. In fact, this Turkish restaurant was opened some years ago by a family of refugees. They offer traditional Turkish cuisine and the best pita bread ever! Every meat-based meal is just fabulous: tell them your tastes and they will find the best recipe for you. The portions are really big, so we suggest you take only a main dish for two!
5. RARAOU CANTINA
15 to 20 euros
This is a very popular tapas restaurant where people enjoy going out at night. Not so far from the Acropolis, in the neighbourhood of Exarchia, you will get lost on their long menu. They offer a tapas revisitation of traditional Greek meals, with vegan and vegetarian choices as well. That’s why, you will have a lot of choice, also in terms of budgets. Our favourites tapas are: homemade falafels with hummus and bread, and small fried shrimps. Raraou also offers a great wine list: try Greek wines and discover new tastes!
“Raraou's Small Terrace”
“Fried Shrimps and Hummus With Pita”
6. Tranzistor
20 euros
This is a young bar and restaurant with techno music and an effervescent ambiance. Located in one of the most popular areas of the city, Psirri, the Tranzistor is a place that both locals and tourists love. Their menu is perfect also for vegetarian or vegan and their list of Greek beers will leave you speechless. This place is perfect to dine out or just to have a cocktail at the bar. Our choice from the menu? Definitely the revisited quinoa-dakos-salad with dark bread!
“Alessia Reading The Menu In Front Of Tranzistor”
“The Lively Atmosphere Inside”
7. Nakama
20 euros
This Japanese sushi bar located in Exarchia is really a great place if you are missing Asian food during your travel. The sushi is really good, the decoration is minimal and the service is excellent. We loved their menu, but our favourites were definitely the “Black Mamba” and the “Oh la la”: you need to try them!
“Black Mamba Is Just Incredible”
“We Love Their Way Of Making Sushi”
8. Το λοκάλι
25 euros
This restaurant has a fantastic location right in the center of the city, not far away from Plaka. The only flaw is the service: they are not really well organized. The food is nice and we loved the fried gambas with homemade sauce and chips, and the eggplant salad. We suggest you try it if you want to eat in an Athenian garden, but prepare yourself to be patient.
“Their Delicious Melitzanosalata”
9. Seychelles
25 euros
As you probably read on your guide, this is one of the most famous Athenian restaurants, and we have to admit it: it’s really good. Unfortunately, since it’s in a neighbourhood where drug use and deal is frequent, two or three people came to our table asking us money and, after dinner, we saw them on the adjacent street taking heroin.
If you want to avoid this, we advise you to enjoy your lunch or dinner inside. The pappardelle and the grilled chicken fillet are worth the detour.
10. ΦΙΤΑ
30 euros
This is most probably the best restaurant we tried in Athens. The atmosphere is magic, we suggest you eat at the bar just in front the open kitchen. You will be able to admire the mastery of the chefs cooking your dishes in front of your eyes. You must try: Dakos salad, homemade chips and their fish selection. Their Greek wines are also great to crown your dine.
When we were there, in July 2019, they didn’t have the possibility to pay with a credit card, so we recommend you to have some cash with you.
“Their Revisitation Of The Greek Salad”
“The Food's Quality At ΦΙΤΑ Is Crazy ”
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0Updated on: October 15, 2022