Digging into Athens, Greece 🍽️Tasting Athens: From Acropolis Bites to Local Hidden Gems

 

🍽️ Athens Food Journey

Athens, Greece

Here’s a look back at the restaurants I visited in Athens — the dishes I tried, and the streets where food lovers can enjoy a good meal.
Prices were quite reasonable, and if you’re a seafood lover like me, Greek cuisine will suit you perfectly.

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🏛️ The Reality of Finding Restaurants While Traveling

When you travel with a companion, meal planning is easy enough.
But when you’re on a solo trip, finding a restaurant becomes one of the hardest missions.

If you’re traveling with older family members, you have to find places that suit their taste — and even explain the menu!
In Greece, things get trickier in summer, when the scorching sun and siesta hours mean many restaurants close in the afternoon.
You might find yourself stuck in a loop of “walking → closed → walking again…” 😅

So this time, I skipped any advance planning.
I simply explored, found restaurants that looked nice, and stepped in when hungry.
After all, Greek cuisine is all about seafood and cheese!

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🍴 Common Dishes You’ll Find in Greece

• 🥗 Greek Salad

• 🍖 Souvlaki – grilled meat skewers

• 🌯 Gyros – Greek-style kebab

• 🧆 Soutzoukakia – spicy meatballs with rice

• 🦑 Octopus, shrimp, and squid – grilled or fried

• 🧀 Cheese, Greek yogurt, and traditional cheese pies

• 🍸 Bread and raki are often served before meals, and fruit or dessert afterward.

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🍷 Best Areas in Central Athens for Dining

📍 Recommended Areas

• In front of Acropolis Station (Makrigianni Street)

• Around Theseiou Station (southwest of the Acropolis)

• Near Monastiraki Station (between Hadrian’s Library, Roman Agora, and the Sanctuary of Erysichthon)

• Adrianou Street, connecting Theseiou and Monastiraki stations

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🥂 1. Acropolis Station @ Elaea

You’ll likely eat before or after visiting the Acropolis Museum — it takes a while to explore!
Once you exit Acropolis Station, you’ll find plenty of restaurants along Makrigianni Street.

What I ordered:
🧀 Cheese Plate — I thought it meant cheese with something…
but it was literally a full plate of three kinds of cheese! Delicious but very salty — now I understand why it’s served with walnuts.

🐙 Octopus — soft, tender, and perfectly grilled.

🍨 Dessert was Greek yogurt, light and tangy.

🍸 I mistakenly ordered raki thinking it was non-alcoholic —
and ended up with two bottles of strong liquor 😂 Luckily, the staff switched it for cola and saved my evening.

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🍢 2. Theseiou Station @ Senso Café

Located southwest of the Acropolis, this is the street you reach when coming down from Philopappos Hill.
You can dine outdoors here while enjoying a view of the Acropolis.

What I ordered:
🥙 Souvlaki – grilled meat with pita bread
🥗 Greek Salad
🦑 Fried Squid – soft and flavorful, though quite salty; you’ll definitely need beer or cola on the side!

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🍔 3. Near Monastiraki Station @ Veranda

Close to Hadrian’s Library and the Roman Agora,
this lively area is filled with open-air restaurants and terraces.

What I ordered:
🍔 BBQ Burger – bigger and thicker than it looked in the photo, cooked perfectly through.
🍳 Greek-style omelet rice, rich in flavor and aroma.

💡 Tip: Lisiou Street nearby also has many great restaurants.

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🧆 4. Near Syntagma Station @ Ergon

From Syntagma Square, walk toward Mitropoleos Street, where small alleys are lined with restaurants.
At first, I thought this one was closed — but then I found the outdoor tables on the other side of the building 😄

What I ordered:
🌯 Gyros – Greek kebab with tender meat and tangy sauce

🥗 Greek Salad – every place serves it a little differently, so it never gets boring!

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💡 AI’s Recommendation!

Top 5 Traditional & Homemade Greek Dishes You Should Try 🍽️

1. 🥘 Moussaka – baked layers of eggplant, potatoes, and minced meat

2. 🍲 Pastitsio – Greek-style lasagna

3. 🧆 Keftedes – spiced meatballs with herbs

4. 🍋 Avgolemono Soup – chicken and lemon soup, creamy and refreshing

5. 🍞 Spanakopita – spinach and feta cheese pie

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🏺 Where Locals Eat in Athens

• To Kati Allo (Makrigianni Street)
  – Beloved by locals and travelers alike; homestyle Greek dishes.

• Oineas Restaurant (Monastiraki)
  – Retro décor, excellent seafood, and wine selection.

• Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani (Psiri District)
  – Famous for Greek charcuterie; a local lunchtime favorite.

• Avocado (near Syntagma)
  – Vegetarian-friendly restaurant offering Greek fusion dishes.

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✨ End of the Day
I spent the day wandering through Athens, tasting my way through its streets.
Greek food may be salty and bold, but within that intensity lies the flavor of the sea and the warmth of the Mediterranean sun.
It reminded me that “eating is part of traveling too.” 🌿