Athens restaurants

If you want an artfully presented Michelin meal with an Acropolis View, we loved the tasting menu for a splurge meal at Sense Restaurant. Current tasting menu options are listed as €105 and €125.

https://www.senserestaurants.com/

"Located on the 7th floor of the AthensWas Hotel, SENSE boasts a stunning panoramic terrace with truly spectacular views of the Acropolis at sunset."

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/attica/athens/restaurant/sense

Reservation recommended and there is a charge for no shows.

We had a great meal at To Kafeneio. It's off the main roads in a small alley and the food and atmosphere was amazing. We basically asked our waiter to order for us and went with his recommendations and had the best dinner. The staff was awesome!

We have been going to Cookoovaya for years. Never disappointed. On our last trip to Athens we had dinner at Mani Mani which was very good too.

One of my favorite tavernas is located in the Central Markets on Athinas St. called Epirus.

Classic Greek atmosphere, nothing fancy or over the top, nothing presented like a work of art or Michelin Stars just great traditional Greek food.

You walk in and see the serving area of pans of food and you get to pick what ever you want.

No Gyros, no souvlakis but home cooked food at affordable prices.

Closes early so get there late afternoon or early evening and eat where the locals go.

Also in the Municipal Market, and in the same style as Epirus suggested by Tommy, but on the other side of the market (north):

Aris Tavern

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4icxGBiwkypGXzy3A

In the upscale Kolonaki neighborhood, I recently found a restaurant worth the trip. Very pretty decor, very good homemade food, reasonable prices: Mpirmpilo (Birbilo) . A 5-minute walk up the street from the restaurant takes you to the Lycabettus cable car.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KtKcjigYkGxc3YNQA

For a fun evening (and nighttime) experience, head to the Kerameikos neighborhood, on the small pedestrian street Sofroniou (near the Kerameikos metro station). Bars and restaurants are everywhere. Very few tourists.

The Place by Coco-Mat https://maps.app.goo.gl/9ktPvxxAL2yAoFzY7

A Liar Man (bar) https://maps.app.goo.gl/kEnVvnXumjr6wN9L8

Skordopiste (with live Greek music). https://www.facebook.com/skordopisti/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/w1QL612jkpyiQzGP6

These are all so great! Thank you.
Our next stop is Nafplio if any suggestions there.

JoLui:

I've been to the other tavernas in the Central Markets and find them more traditional and non-touristy and excellent food.

Most will offer food other than Souvlaki and Gyros which are fine but if you want more classic Greek Food these tavernas are good options.

Tommy,

Now it remains to be seen whether Renee will like the tripe and snails that are sometimes in the daily specials. :)

I’m from the Puget Sound and I’ve grown up on oysters, clams, mussels and goey duck but tripe is a hard pass (but we have two in our group that I bet will give it a go). I’ve had snails in France because I was told they taste like clams (not true) but once was enough. Plus I’ve spent the summer killing the little .… in my vegetable garden.

Thank you again for all the recommendations.

Re NAFPLIO - Renee, I could go on & on about tavernas there ... but will save time just by recommending this marvelous NONcommercial website - http://www.visitnafplio.com/really-useful-info/eat-and-drink-in-nafplio.html Also click EVERY link in this superb website, created by an expat who's lived in Nafplio much of year for maybe 20 years. Her advice on walks, swims, sights etc etc is Gold... AND she updates continually.

A bonus of Nafplio is the sunsets (better than Santorini) seen from the comfort of cushioned sears in canopied cafes all along the seafront promenade ... get there early, for best seats, no pressure to keep ordering. Sometimes it's so relaxing, you don't feel like gettng up to go to a restaurant... in that case, just settle back, order a pizza or sandwich and another Mythos. As a taste of Nafplio, here are pix from RS ace contributor Stanbr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720319228274/
Another of his superb albums also includes photos at Ancient Sites nearby - https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72157632094108982/with/8214991649

Renee:

There is a famous tripe recipe that goes back decades called Patsa. I've never had it but at some point I will.

I'm an adventurous eater and like to try anything I've never had before.

Check out this website for Patsa and what it's good for:

https://www.athensguide.com/patsa.html

There is another famous old time Greek Specialty called Kokoretsi which is sheeps internal organs!

I know it sounds awful but it's quite good but it's hard to find unless you go to some old time Greek taverna.

If you are interested in looking at my Greek Food photos at places I've eaten all over Greece including Athens (some may not be in open anymore) but most will serve the same dishes or even ones you've never had before) check out this:

https://tinyurl.com/yyrqkp2x

Snails are not cooked the same way in Greece as in France (no butter, garlic, or parsley).

Anyway, I recommend avoiding ALL restaurants located on the main pedestrian street in front of the Acropolis Metro station, (Makrigianni Street). Tourist traps guaranteed.

And Tommy's photos made me thirsty. :)

Some Greek drinks:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BJqwdAcMjPnM5UmX7

JoLui:

Just looking at these photos again is why I keep going back to Greece every year!

Most of the tavernas in the tourist zone in Athens are good but it's very crowded, hectic, higher priced and doesn't offer all the real Greek Food you can find anywhere in Greece if you seek out where locals go!

You can't discover all of Athens in a few days, and you have to want to. When you have time to wander outside of Plaka, Psyri, Makrigianni, and other tourist zones, which isn't easy when you come to Athens for the first time (or even the second), you can find some nice places, whether restaurants, bars, shops, concert halls, open-air cinemas, nightclubs.

It's actually like in all big cities.

Regarding Nafplio, I didn't stay there for weeks, but it was enough time to know where the locals go. And it's not in the old town, where there are only about 150 permanent residents left.

Jo Lui, I am aware of the food treats beyond Old Town ... that's just another reason I'm a fan of the "Visit Nafplio" editor ... she now has added some favorites beyond Old Town, with good descriptions, plus tips on the best fast-food places, breakfasts, and bars with good snacks. These change, so keep checking back..

Janet,

I could add a few places in Nafplio (new town) that aren't mentioned on visitnafplio.com.

For example,

Pidalio Tavern

Kallinis

We didn't like "Zournal," which is at the top of the list in the "Best places" section. Maybe it wasn't a good day.

We really liked the atmosphere of the open-air cinema Cine Nafplio, which I don't think is mentioned on visitnafplio. But don't be mistaken, they only serve snacks or popcorn (in addition to movies).

https://maps.app.goo.gl/fTa1VaLKT326QE7V6

The old town of Nafplio is the only place in Greece where we left a restaurant after sitting down at a table and spending 10 minutes looking for something interesting on the menu. I won't give the name of the restaurant, it's one of those on the port.

I never go to restaurants ON the port, or right on (or just off) main Square.

Don't overlook the Nafplio New Town for restaurants.

It's not that far to walk from Old Town and you'll find a nice assortment of tavernas where the locals go and prices are a lot lower than in the New Town.