Athens Restaurant Recommendations

A couple of our favorite restaurants in Athens are Mani Mani and Psaras Taverna. We ate at Mani Mani 3 times. Both restaurants required reservations. We didn’t feel they were “touristy.” Edited to add: For a view of the Acropolis at night: Peacock Restaurant on rooftop of Hotel Hera.

To Kati Allo-- Chatzichristou 12, Athens, Attica, Greece

On the 'back side' of the new Acropolis Museum

When we were there it was unusual to hear other customers speaking English.

Did a dinner and lunch( twice).

Up the in the lovely Kolonaki residential neighborhood, above the Cycladic and Byzantine Museums, you will find a traditional Athenian urban taverna. Kafeneio, Loukianou 26, tel:2107237757. We ate outside, delicious food. We walked there and back from the Grand Bretagne.

"For a view of the Acropolis at night: Peacock Restaurant on rooftop of Hotel Hera."

How was the food?? Or should I go there for just a drink?

Forwarded to the Big Man ----

Janis mentioned Mani Mani above, and that was our top place. We ate there twice, on the same trip. We were also staying a very short walk from there, south of the Acropolis.

Food recommendations:

Fish, any time you can get it. Octopus is also a star - if it’s on the menu, it should be on your plate!

For breakfast, plan on plain Greek yogurt, and load it up with fresh fruit.

@Bob, regarding Peacock Rooftop at our hotel- the cuisine was okay. That said the meal didn’t compare to Mani Mani.

We were underwhelmed by To Kati Allo, despite the recommendations in RS guides and this forum. But it is authentic and "local."

Our favourite in Athens was frankly touristy, but in a good way. Greek folk music, grape vines. Its called Geros Tou Moria and its on the Mniskleous Steps, between the Acropolis and Monastiraki. Here is the Google Map: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Geros+Tou+Moria+Restaurant/@37.9732851,23.7277227,21z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x14a1bd3d4f8f12bb:0x17466327c0a7d24d!2sMnisikleous,+Athina+105+56,+Greece!3b1!8m2!3d37.9743238!4d23.7283477!3m4!1s0x14a1bd17f8fd55c9:0x9ae5fa11788cb99d!8m2!3d37.9733!4d23.7278?hl=en

From 2018 trip: Athinaikon Restaurant at Mitropoleos 34 . Swanky, a locals favorite, great service & food - reservations mandatory. Central Athens Hotel at Apollonos 21 - not the cheapest but far better than the price would indicate. Included breakfast great. Rooftop cafe limited menu but very good with a good view.

Thank you all for the recommendations!

With a Michelin Star, and absolutely the most welcoming staff and the most relaxing atmosphere in Athens - plus amazing food, too - we had a wonderful dinner at Botrini’s in 2018. It was very reasonably priced, for a Michelin restaurant.

Here’s an article about Athens Michelin restaurants - Botrini’s is the final one in the story, so I’d say they saved the best for last.
https://www.thisisathens.org/restaurants/fine-dining/michelin-star-restaurants

I also highly recommend Mani Mani. Fabulous sous. vide entrees. Easy to find but up the stairs.
Reasonable price with high quality ingredients.

Cafe Zeus in the middle of Little Anafi.

Prefer to stay away from touristy restaurants and dine with locals

The farther you move away from the Acropolis and Plaka, the less touristy you will get. :-)

I am generally all for "restaurants where the locals go", but in Athens, I am not so sure if that will work.

Well our favorite meals were definitely not gourmet. We loved getting a gyro and a beer for 2.50 euros. A bargain! We have tried getting a gyro here in US after getting back and none of them can compare. And the price, at least triple!
We ate at Mani Mani twice. It was good, but not excellent.

We have been in Greece 2-1/2 weeks now. We stayed in Athens for 4 nights in the Psiri neighborhood. If you like meat, including gyros, go to Aischylou Tavern Grill House on the back streets. It's delicious, funky, a lot of locals. We also enjoyed Rick's recommended Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani, a cheese and meat deli near the central market with a restaurant attached and above. It seemed to us that Psiri was less touristy than the Plaka and Syntagma Square area.