Food of Athens, Greece: 15 Best Dishes in 2024
Indulging in the food of Athens, Greece is one of the best reasons to travel to the historic city. Athens has an incredible number of architectural treasures and famed sites to explore. That means you’ll do a lot of walking to build up a large appetite, making sampling the amazing food of Athens, Greece an integral part of any trip.
But what are the most popular Athens foods? Is it the same spanakopita and moussaka that you get at Greek restaurants in the United States? As with most European cities, you’ll find a few familiar favorites when exploring the foods of Athens, Greece. However, expect a lot more flavor and variety than you see on American Greek menus.
Take your taste buds on their own vacation and indulge in some of these unfamiliar dishes (and drinks). The flavors and aromas of Athens foods will be some of your best travel memories!
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Get a Taste of the Best Food in Athens, Greece
When you get your first look at a menu in Greece, you might be a little intimidated. The names of dishes are complicated to pronounce and if the restaurant doesn’t provide adequate descriptions, you may end up missing out on some of the best foods of Athens, Greece.
One of the best ways to figure out what to eat in Athens, Greece is to start with a food tour. Athens may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of the best foodie cities, but as you’ll quickly find out, it truly is a food lovers paradise.
Food tours in Athens offer the perfect way to acclimate to the city. Local guides will demystify the most common dishes so that you can confidently explore the city’s restaurants on your own. A food tour will most likely center around the Plaka, the neighborhood in Athens closest to popular tourist sites, so it’s easy to take advantage of other attractions as you explore the best eateries around.
The 15 Best Athens Foods To Try
1. Gyros
The gyro tops the list when it comes to Athens foods that you’ll recognize right away. No matter where you go in the city, you’ll encounter the familiar rotating stack of thinly sliced meats in storefront windows. It's challenging to miss because the aroma of the meat is almost impossible to ignore!
Gyro comes from the Greek word for “turn” and you’ll definitely want to take a turn eating as much of this slow-roasted meat as possible. Gyro meat varies from one restaurant to the next, but it typically includes seasoned lamb, pork, chicken and beef.
When you place your order, the meat will be carved right off the rotisserie and either served in a pita as a sandwich with additional ingredients like tomatoes and tzatziki sauce or as a platter with side dishes. A gyro sandwich is the perfect Athens food to refuel during long days of sightseeing.
2. Keftedes
Another Athens food that you’ll find just about everywhere is keftedes. Think of keftedes as Greece’s version of a meatball. Traditional keftedes are made with a combination of pork and beef, plus onions and herbs. They are often served with tzatziki as an appetizer but may be included in a main course.
That said, this food of Athens, Greece is not always made with meat. Potato and vegetable versions are common, and sometimes you’ll find keftedes stuffed with things like feta cheese or vegetable keftedes stuffed with meat. Kolokythokeftedes are a popular version made using shredded zucchini.
3. Dolmades
One of the best foods in Athens, Greece that you may not recognize by name is dolmades. This is the Greek word for “stuffed grape leaves” which are served in Greek restaurants throughout the United States. This Athens food is a bit of an acquired taste because the grape leaves are fairly briny and have a somewhat slippery texture. People either love them or hate them.
In the traditional preparation, dolmades are filled with spiced rice and small amounts of meat but you’ll likely be able to find versions without meat as well. If you’ve never tried this Athens, Greece food staple, it makes a good side dish for a light lunch with a serving of tabouli or hummus and pita bread.
4. Souvlaki
Anyone who has attended their local Greekfest has most likely fallen in love with souvlaki. This food of Athens, Greece is the Greek sister to the shish-kabob. It is typically made with either marinated pork, lamb or chicken cubes which are then threaded onto a skewer and char-grilled.
You can either eat souvlaki right off the skewer or slide the cubes of meat off and into a fresh, warm pita. Top with tzatziki if you can. This is one of the best foods in Athens, Greece to try from a street vendor. Just pick the one with the longest line because locals always know.
5. Spanakopita
The Athens food that will win any popularity contest is spanakopita, a hand pie made with spinach and cheese that is layered in puff pastry. You’ll find them literally everywhere because they are eaten for breakfast, as a snack and as a side dish for lunch.
Spanakopita is one of the most famous foods of Athens, Greece but expect every restaurant to have their own twist. Some versions are more complex, for example, with the spinach being sauteéd with onions and garlic, while others may be almost sweet depending on what type of cheese is used.
6. Saganaki
Speaking of cheese, one of the best things about Greek cuisine is their use of cheese as a main protein in various dishes. Saganaki is commonly seen as an appetizer and it’s the Greek version of fried mozzarella (without the breading). It may also be combined with orzo and shrimp or vegetables for main course dishes.
There are several types of Greek cheeses used in saganaki, including kasseri or halloumi. Both are firm, salty cheeses that don’t melt when grilled. Saganaki may be served by itself, drizzled with honey, topped with a spicy harissa sauce or with tzatziki and bread.
7. Octopus
When you are ready to get serious about Athens foods, start looking for menus that include octopus. Forget everything you’ve ever known, heard or read about how terrible and rubbery octopus is. The Greeks have mastered the technique of preparing this unusual and somewhat intimidating food.
Though it’s more common to find octopus on menus at restaurants on the coast or the Greek isles, there will be plenty inland as well and it’s a must-try food of Athens, Greece. Octopus contains a lot of water, so the preparation process starts by allowing the octopus to dry in the sun to eliminate it.
From there, many restaurants keep their process a secret, but your octopus most likely gets boiled in wine, marinated in olive oil and herbs and then chargrilled just before being served. It only takes one bite before you understand what you’ve been missing.
A tentacle of chargrilled octopus served with a little labneh and a glass of rosé is the essence of Greek cuisine. You’ll become an instant Athens foodie once you experience octopus cooked the right way and it will open the floodgates of culinary possibilities as you travel this region.
Don’t confuse octopus with calamari, another very common (and delicious) Athens food. Calamari is squid and is typically served flash-fried, similar to the way you get it in the United States.
8. Moussaka
One of the most important Athens foods to eat while in Greece is eggplant. Eggplant is widely used in Greek cuisine, but the most famous dish you’ll find it in is moussaka. Moussaka is somewhat akin to Italian lasagna in that it’s a dish made by layering vegetables and meats and topping with a creamy sauce.
Traditional moussaka is made with ground meat (usually lamb but can be beef), eggplant, tomato sauce and a rich béchamel sauce. As with lasagna in Italy, this Athens, Greece food varies from place to place and every restaurant has their own twist on this classic dish. Moussaka is the epitome of Greek comfort food, so be sure to indulge in at least one plate during a visit.
9. Lamb
Greece is one of the best places to go if you enjoy lamb. As with octopus, Greek chefs have mastered the art of preparing this protein so that it is moist and flavorful without being overly gamey. Lamb may be used in the souvlaki you find on the street, as a protein on a salad, ground up in dolmades or layered in your gyro.
Athens foodies will tell you that the lamb is usually the signature dish of fine dining restaurants where it is marinated in Greek yogurt and herbs before being grilled or braised. This Athens food is a nice alternative to your typical dinner steak, so be sure to give it a try.
10. Greek Yogurt
When you visit Greece, your hotel will most likely offer you a free continental breakfast. In Europe, this concept is a far cry from the sad breakfast buffet you’ll get in the U.S. A European breakfast is something worth getting up for.
The most common Athens, Greece foods you’ll find on the hotel breakfast spread typically include fresh deli meats, cheese and muesli (European version of oats with dried fruits like raisins) as well as savory cured fish and lots of pastries and other sweets.
But a staple of any breakfast in Greece is Greek yogurt and while this may seem like a fairly basic food to include on a list of best Athens foods, it should not be passed over. Thick, rich Greek yogurt will convert any yogurt-hater with a single bite. You’ll often find it topped with candied yellow raisins or other candied fruits. Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt, so paired with fresh baked goods and fruit, it is a true breakfast of champions.
11. Koulouri
Move over bagel — you’re in Athens now so reach for a koulouri instead. You’ll find this popular bread item everywhere. This Athens food is easy to recognize by its circular shape and because it’s usually coated in sesame seeds. When fresh, koulouri is delicious by itself but it is also often used as a base for a sandwich.
As with many of the Athens foods on this list, koulouri is sold via street vendors. This makes it an easy breakfast or mid-morning snack to pick up as you explore the city. Freshly cooked koulouri is so good that stopping by a koulouri vendor may become part of your daily routine during your trip!
12. Ouzo
One of the signature flavors of Greece is the anise-scented liquor called ouzo. Ouzo is enjoyed as a sipping beverage in Greece, typically after dinner, because it helps with digestion.
While the pungent licorice flavor can be very off-putting to some, you may find that it grows on you because it works nicely as a palate cleanser, especially after meals that involve copious amounts of garlic.
Ouzo is also commonly used as a cooking ingredient in the foods of Athens, Greece just as French chefs use Pernod in their preparations of seafood dishes. And yes, if you find yourself out late at a nightclub in Athens, you’ll probably be offered ouzo as a shot.
13. Olives
One of the distinguishing traits of the foods of Athens, Greece is the use of olives. There are familiar kalamata olives but you’ll also find other varieties including amfissa, chalkidiki and koroneiki.
Briny olives become the salt component of many Greek dishes and are also used as a garnish for anything, from pizza to fish to salad. You can also get a bowl as a snack to enjoy with a cold beer, glass of wine or shots of ouzo.
14. Assyrtiko
As you sample all the delicious foods of Athens, Greece, you’ll need something refreshing to wash them down with. As with Athens, Greece food, the wine names will be unfamiliar to most diners. White wine enthusiasts will want to try a Greek Assyrtiko. This grape grows well in Greece’s rocky, arid climate and it produces the perfect wine to pair with Greek foods.
Assyrtiko is typically clear in color (similar to vinho verde) yet tastes somewhat savory and a tad salty. It pairs perfectly with Greek foods that are more heavily flavored because it doesn’t compete.
15. Baklava
When it comes to the foods of Athens, Greece, the only thing more ubiquitous than gyros and spanakopita is baklava. This beloved dessert is the signature sweet that often ends a meal. Baklava is made by layering puff pastry with nuts and syrup or honey.
It includes a variety of different nuts, from pistachios to pine nuts. You may want to grab extra napkins when you order baklava, though most people prefer to lick every sticky bit off their fingers.
Eating new and unique foods is one of the best parts of any travel experience. The foods of Athens, Greece showcase the fruits of their proximity to the sea but also with a balance of hearty, terrestrial dishes. While you’ll always remember your visit to the Acropolis and the Parthenon, your flavor memories of the foods of Athens, Greece will likely last much longer.
For even more ways to explore Athens foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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