My 10 Rules for Eating Out in Athens (or any city, really)

Arriving in a new city can be overwhelming. Actually, it can be overwhelming even when the city isn’t new and you’ve been before. Especially in a foodie city like Athens where there are endless places to eat.

One thing I get asked all the time is how do you know where to go? How do you avoid the tourist traps and find the places with genuinely good food and a good vibe?

I do a lot of research before getting into Athens. Have a list (spreadsheet to be honest) of places to go.

Also over the years I’ve developed my own little set of rules. A little OCD perhaps, but they’re my rules. They’ve come from years of travelling and eating my way through cities, literally. Not just Athens, but pretty much everywhere I go.

Am I strict with them? Yes I am. Are they foolproof? Well, they’ve rarely let me down. where I share exactly where I eat when I’m there.

Rule 1: Never eat at places that have a big menu board out the front in multiple languages

This rule I’m quite strict with. Generally places like this aren’t too concerned about building a loyal clientele, they’re relying on passing tourist traffic.

Now I’m not saying they are all bad. They’re not. But when I’m in Athens I’m usually looking for places that care about their regulars and their reputation.

I’ve eaten at a few of these over the years and, if I’m honest, the food was rarely memorable.

Rule 2: Never eat somewhere where the menu is the size of a phonebook (showing my age here!)

If a restaurant is offering everything from pizza to sushi to burgers to pasta to souvlaki, chances are they’re not doing any of it particularly well. It’s a hard pass from me. I prefer my sushi from a proper sushi spot and the same goes for my souvlaki.

The best places I’ve eaten in Athens usually have short menus. That allows the kitchen to focus. A handful of dishes, often seasonal, done really well. And if you go somewhere and they tell you a dish has sold out, appreciate that. It usually means everything is cooked fresh and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

That’s the basis of Greek cuisine. Simple, seasonal ingredients with just a few things on the plate, cooked pefectly. When a taverna or restaurant has a short menu it usually means the kitchen is focused on exactly that.

Rule 3: Never go to a place where someone is standing outside waving a menu trying to get you in

If I see someone standing outside a restaurant or taverna, whether it’s in Athens or on the islands or anywhere, waving a menu and trying to convince me to come in, I’m already halfway across the street.

If a place is good, they usually don’t need to do that. They’ll have a steady local clientele that keeps them busy even when there aren’t many tourists around.

Rule 4: Never go to places that are ginormous

You see them. Big places with a few tables booked and the rest empty.

For me, whether I’m in Athens or at home, eating out should be a sensory experience. The taste of the food, the sound of the room, the smells coming from the kitchen, the atmosphere, the fit-out, it all plays a part.

Places that are too big are usually set up for volume rather than experience, whether that’s the food or the ambience.

Rule 5: Eat where the locals eat

This is a biggie and very simple. If a place is full of locals, there’s usually a reason, so make sure you eat there. This is where you find the real gems.

When I’m in Athens I always pay attention to who is actually sitting at the tables. If it’s locals chatting away over plates of food, that’s usually a very good sign.

Just off the busy tourist streets in Psirri there’s a small taverna called Mavros Gatos. You mostly see locals eating there. Over the years it has become one of our favourites and we go back every time we’re in Athens, often bringing family and friends with us.

If you go, order the potato salad and the village sausage. You can thank me later.

Locals know where the good food is. They’re not going back somewhere again and again if the food isn’t good. And a restaurant or taverna has to be good to maintain that clientele.

Many of the restaurants I recommend in my Athens Travel Guide are exactly this kind of place, the ones locals return to again and again.

Rule 6: I don’t eat at international chains

This is a personal rule of mine. When I travel, I’m not looking for the same food I could eat anywhere else. Like seriously, you can do without Maccas for a few weeks.

Part of the joy of travelling is discovering small family run places and local tavernas that have been doing things their way for years.

In saying that, I don’t mind some of the local chains like Grigoris for pites. Even though it’s a chain, it still specialises in local food and it’s often one of the first things I eat when I arrive in Athens.

Those are the places that give you a real sense of the city and its cuisine.

Rule 7: Don’t be afraid to venture outside the main tourist areas

Some of the best meals I’ve had in Athens have been a few streets, or even a few suburbs, away from the busy tourist spots.

Neighbourhoods like Exarcheia, Kolonaki and Pangrati, have some fantastic places to eat. They are local, relaxed and the food is often far more interesting.

I rarely eat in places like Monastiraki or Plaka. It’s beautiful to walk around, but when it comes to food I usually head somewhere a little more local.

The food scene in Athens has become incredibly creative and innovative in recent years. If you’re a foodie it would be a real shame to miss out on that by only eating in the obvious tourist areas.

Rule 8: I never do all-you-can-eat

This one is simple. I never do all-you-can-eat, full day meal plans or eat every meal at the hotel.

Many hotels, especially around the seaside areas, offer full board and some hotels in Athens do the same. Also some people are worried to venture outside for dinner. But honestly, what a shame it would be to miss the opportunity to explore the city and try different places to eat away from the hotel.

Limiting yourself to a hotel buffet is a real shame. In a city like Athens with such a vibrant food scene, it’s like missing a part of the soul of this colourful city.

I’ve even started skipping hotel breakfast buffets. There are so many interesting places to eat around town.

Heck, even grabbing a koulouri and a frappe while wandering the streets is far more enjoyable than an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast.

Rule 9: Always order the speciality of the place

If you go somewhere, always order what the place is known for. If I know what that dish is, I order it. If I don’t, I ask the staff what their speciality is and then I order that.

(Unless of course it’s offal… there I draw the line.)

Most tavernas and restaurants usually have a dish. The one people come back for again and again. That’s usually the one you want.

And while we’re talking about staff, always be nice to them. Service staff in Greece work incredibly hard and during the busy season they can easily be doing 12 hour + days. They’re also usually very helpful and more than happy to guide you through the menu.

Rule 10: If you see an older lady in the kitchen with a big apron, a yiayia, that is your cue to stay and eat there

You are almost guaranteed one of the most delicious meals you will ever have. Those hands have been making those dishes for decades. If they have a pita on the menu that is a must, it means it is hand rolled perfection. They know exactly what they’re doing and they’ve perfected those dishes just for you.

Those are my rules.

I did warn you at the beginning that I’m a little OCD about these things. They’re not scientific and they’re certainly not the only way to find good food, but they’ve worked very well for me over the years.

Athens is one of the most exciting food cities in Europe right now. From tiny neighbourhood tavernas to creative modern Greek restaurants, there is so much incredible food to discover.

If you’re planning a trip and want my actual restaurant recommendations, the places I personally return to again and again, you’ll find them inside my Athens Travel Guide.

Καλή όρεξη and happy eating.