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Best Food in Athens You Should Try
Whether you’re looking for Michelin-star restaurants, or street food delights, Athens has it all. This sprawling metropolis of 2,929 km², with more than 664,000 residents is a haven for foodies, and those who love nothing more than great cooking.
There’s something for everyone when it comes to dining out in Athens, here’s some of the best food in Athens you can expect to enjoy.
Dolmades
Dolmades, one of the best food in Athens , are a favorite among both locals and visitors to try. They are a healthy alternative made from vine leaves since they are rich in vitamin K and A.
Each region has its own take on the filling, but typically in Athens, this would include rice, herbs, spices, tomatoes, and sometimes mincemeat.
Moussaka
No country uses eggplant (aubergine) better than Greece in its dishes, and Moussaka is the pinnacle of this. Lightly fried mincemeat (usually beef or lamb) is infused with onion, tomato, cinnamon and herbs, before layering with freshly sliced eggplant. But the key to this delightful dish is the light and indulgent white sauce on top, which gives it an extra dimension. You’ll be having food cravings for this when you return home!
Pastitsio
If you thought that Greek’s don’t do pasta – think again. Pastitsio is one of the greatest food dishes you’ll ever sample, that you’ll wonder how you lived without it.
This typical Greek dish, can be found in the many traditional restaurants in Athens and is typically more of a sit-down meal than street food.
Long tubes of pasta are layered, somewhat lasagne style, with mincemeat and a simply glorious white sauce topping that will have you coming back for more. If you like pasta, you will love pastitsio!
Koulouri sandwich
Greek street food might be considered ‘fast food’ but much of this uses natural ingredients making it a healthy option. One of the most enjoyed local delights of Athens is a ‘koulouri’ a Greek breadstick snack.
In Athens style a modern twist has been put on this, using them sandwich-style, by filling them with all kinds of delicious fillings – including cheese, ham and even eggplant. One of the best places in the city to enjoy this is at Oven Sesame in Monastiraki.
Feta cheese pies
There are several vendors offering pies in Athens if you’re searching for a fast snack. Fresh cuts of meat, feta cheese, spinach, and other vegetables and fruits are among the filling options. Of course, it’s worthwhile to try a local favorite while in Greece. All locals eat at Ariston because it serves the tastiest feta cheese pie in the city. Long lines outside, especially early in the morning, make it easy to identify. Their pies in the shape of a half-moon are as beautiful to look at as they are to taste!
Ice-Cream
Taking ice-cream to the next level, ice-cream rolls are the big thing for food lovers right now. Athens is not immune to this trend, and how to ‘IceRoll’ the place to go for quirky ice-cream delights.
You’ll have to head out to the suburbs of Glyfada to experience this cool dessert, which ‘cold fries’ ice-cream before rolling it up and service it. There’s a host of stunning flavors to choose from, including Black Forest ice roll and the custard-pie flavor. Decisions, decisions!
Fish soup
Athens restaurants frequently provide seafood, and fish soup is one of the best food in Athens. Served with a crusty roll or maybe even a pitta, this is comfort cuisine at its finest. With light lemon infusions and natural herbs and spices, it’s also one of the healthier meal options. Anywhere you go, from upscale fine dining to neighborhood cafes, you can find fish soup.
A team of foodies, cooks, and travelers. Alios Tours was founded out of our passion for Greek food. We share the delicious side of Greece.