The culinary landscape of Athens is undergoing a delightful evolution, especially for those who prioritise health, ethics and sustainability in their dining choices. Vegan restaurants are emerging across the city, signalling a growing interest in plant-based cuisine among locals and tourists alike. This movement is not just about excluding animal products; it’s about embracing a lifestyle that benefits personal health, animal welfare, and the environment.
For the global audience looking to explore Athens through its food, the city offers a rich choice of vegan options that go beyond the traditional Greek salad. These establishments are creating dishes that are as nourishing as they are flavorful, proving that vegan food can be both indulgent and health-conscious. It’s an exciting time for food enthusiasts to discover how Athens is integrating plant-based meals into its culinary identity.
This article aims to guide you through the vibrant vegan dining scene in Athens, showcasing how traditional ingredients and modern culinary techniques come together to offer a fulfilling dining experience. Whether you’re a dedicated vegan or a curious foodie, these restaurants promise an adventure for your taste buds, all while contributing to a healthier lifestyle and a more sustainable world.
Avit
Avit in Glyfada serves vegan dishes like avocado toast, smoothie bowls, and unique burgers including a popular bean patty burger in a sweet potato brioche bun with vegan cheese. The menu offers daily specials, buddha bowls, soups, wraps, and a variety of plant-based ‘mylks’ for speciality global coffees. Dessert options include banana bread and peanut butter truffles with red wine. The café focuses on sustainability with compostable packaging and is known for its cosy atmosphere and friendly staff. Website
Avocado: Food for Life
Athens’ first vegan-vegetarian restaurant, which has gathered a staunch following since it first opened in 2011, serving everything from salads and soups, poke bowls, curries and pizzas to macrobiotic dishes and wonderful smoothies, juices and desserts. The pioneering vision of its owners, who also run the NYSY Yoga Studio across the street, involves sophisticated and skilled know-how of nutritional, ethical and healthy eating, cooked in ways that make the food rewarding in terms of taste as well as wellbeing, not just providing tasty meat-free alternatives. Website
Winners
The menu at Winners on the ground floor of the Niki Athens Hotel features an exciting array of vegan dishes, starting from energising breakfast options to savoury all-day meals. Highlights include polenta pancakes served in a spicy tomato ragout, and a vegan satay bowl brimming with raw vegetables, quinoa, coconut milk sauce, and smoked tofu, all sprinkled with energizing seeds. Signature creations like the Beyond Meat Not a Cheeseburger, and Mac n Cheese with a creamy nut-based ‘cheez’ sauce and coconut bacon, reflect innovative twists on classic favourites. The Beetroot Latte stands out for its blend of beetroot, ginger, dates, and almond milk, offering a perfect start to the day. Other specialities include a unique take on smoked salmon using marinated carrots on sourdough and a fresh mango and yellow pepper guacamole, demonstrating Winners’ expertise in crafting flavourful, plant-based versions of traditional dishes. Website
Bamboo Vegan
This popular store combines a vegan mini-market and café, with plenty of smoothies and coffees with plant ‘mylks’, as well as vegan versions of traditional Greek pies and sweets, and daily salad bowls. Sandwich options are inventive, with choices such as the New York, with tofu ham and vegan cheddar, The Bronx, with pea-based turkey, and the No Chick ‘n Nugget with vegan ‘chicken’ nuggets, all made with homemade mayo and fresh salads. Website
Vegan Beat
Vegan Beat is popular for its Greek and street food-inspired dishes, with fans raving about its Big Boss Burger, lahmacun, and unique takes on moussaka, gyros, hot dogs, salads, smoothies, juices and burritos. The restaurant’s dedication to flavour and quality, using vegetables in creative ways for their dishes, has earned it glowing reviews. With a central Monastiraki location that makes it an ideal vegan stop amid sightseeing, and reasonable prices, it’s a must-visit for those seeking tasty vegan options, in savoury as well as sweet options. Website
Cookoomela Grill
Known as the first place to revolutionise the traditional Greek souvlaki experience by introducing an entirely vegan option, possibly the first of its kind globally, which even those new to vegan food rank among the best souvlaki they’ve had. Breaking away from souvlaki’s meat-centric origins, Cookoomela, named after a regional term for a type of mushroom, serves wraps filled with alternatives like mushroom (‘gyros’) and homemade sauces, including a fresh herb sauce and an organic soy yoghurt sauce. Meanwhile, their use of biodegradable packaging underscores a dedication to environmental sustainability. Website
Yi
This popular Glyfada place distinguishes itself as a premier vegan-raw restaurant, drawing a large, eclectic and health-conscious crowd with its top-quality gluten, sugar, and dairy-free offerings. It specialises in inventive hot and cold soups and is popular for its celebrated Burrito platter. The restaurant’s menu has a broad array of homemade plant-based cheeses and nut “butters” focusing on non-processed, raw ingredients to craft dishes like the nutrient-rich harvest veggie bowl, quinoa mushroom risotto, the veggie lasagna, gourmet pizza, zucchini noodle dishes, burgers, Lebanese wraps as well as some delicious raw desserts. Website
Crudo
Located in Glyfada since 2019, Crudo stands out for its non-pretentious gourmet vibe and unique recipes. The restaurant is in a bright and earthy space, beautified with small potted plants and floral tapestries, with a welcoming atmosphere. Specialising in vegan and raw dishes, Crudo’s menu features favourites like courgette and avocado tartare, a Poke Bowl with brown rice and roasted beets among other vibrant ingredients, and raw spring rolls filled with vegetables and sunflower cream, paired with a spicy ginger sauce. For those indulging in a healthy feast, options include a jackfruit burger with BBQ sauce, whole wheat linguine with mushrooms and cashew cream, and a burrito with smoked tempeh. The owner takes pride in Crudo’s nutritional programmes, offering weekly and monthly menus for those without the time to cook who seek balanced meals, alongside a three-day detox plan for a refreshing taste of vegan cuisine. Website
Holy Llama
At Holy Llama, a feast of vegan delights awaits, blending classic techniques with innovative twists. Customers are invited to indulge in their renowned Pistachio Wonder Wheel, a croissant marvel filled with rich pistachio paste and luscious patisserie cream, or to explore the monthly cruffin and croissant specials, inspired by the freshest seasonal produce. The bakery’s commitment to freshness and seasonality extends to its savoury selections as well, featuring handmade pies, tarts, and puffs that promise an unforgettable culinary journey. The baked goods menu is a testament to Holy Llama’s creativity and dedication to quality, offering a variety of viennoiseries, cookies, tarts, brioche, babka, and buns—all made by hand and baked daily. From breakfast and brunch to light lunch and early dinner options, each meal is designed to delight and satisfy, with a focus on wholesome, plant-based ingredients. Website
Mama Tierra
Formerly vegetarian but now fully vegan, Mama Tierra offers a unique fine dining experience catering to those seeking more than just casual eats. Alongside its famed vegan moussaka, which creatively replaces traditional ingredients with beans, aubergine, potatoes, carrots, and a coconut béchamel, the restaurant serves various multi-ethnic dishes. Guests can indulge in Greek classics reimagined, such as oven-baked souzoukakia with red sauce, alongside international favourites like falafel, hummus, guacamole, and macrobiotic salads. Not to forget, their innovative burgers made from vegetables or mushrooms offer a diverse palette of flavours. Mama Tierra stands out for its commitment to fresh, often organic ingredients, making it a preferred spot for a sophisticated vegan meal complete with a glass of wine. Website
The Vegan Vandal
In Pangrati you’ll discover a vegan restaurant that’s a treasure trove of street food delights. From burgers with pulled jackfruit to skewers of marinated mushrooms, the menu is a vegan’s dream. Special mentions include a sandwich with crispy, breaded cauliflower bites and a tofu sausage hot dog. With options ranging from the traditional Kimolos ‘ladhenia’ (a type of soft flatbread that’s topped with tomato slices, onions, and a generous drizzle of Greek olive oil) to mushroom souvlaki, eggplant pocket, the Vandal Burger, and chocolate brownie, this spot proves that vegan food can burst with delicious flavours, offering both takeaway and sit-down options. Website
Mother Vegan Cafe Bistro
Exploring new flavours that might change your dining habits is essential, especially with handmade, delicious vegan dishes and sweets available. Highlights include a gluten-free bean steak with kombucha and soy sauce, garnished with celeriac, onion, and nutritional yeast flakes, served with sweet potatoes, seasonal salad, and vegan BBQ sauce. Another must-try is the young jackfruit burger enhanced with onion, coriander leaves, chili powder, organic baked potatoes, homemade vegan mayo, and chickpea flour bread. Desserts like apple pie with organic apples and maple syrup, cinnamon-scented, and brownies with vegan dark chocolate, royal dates, and vegan Nutella, make a sweet part of a plant-based diet. Website
Treis Laloun
Treis Laloun in Gazi takes Greek taverna classics and replaces them with vegan dishes. Chicken, sausage, kebab, and meatballs, all accompanied by fries are some top favourites. Their carbonara stands out for its rich taste. The menu also features a noteworthy carbonara, ideal as a satisfying option after a long day. The restaurant’s decor includes unique touches like an old bicycle, decoupaged old pans, and a tree surrounded by vintage radios, creating a personal and inviting atmosphere. For a fulfilling meal, try their pea protein burgers or creamy mac ‘n cheese, and for dessert, the red velvet sponge cake with vegetable pastry cream and chocolate glaze. Website
Peas
Tucked away among Koukaki’s trendy spots, Peas is a vibrant vegan café known for its ethical approach and fresh, local ingredients, many of which are organic. Established in 2017 with a commitment to cruelty-free, flavoursome, and intriguing food, it offers a variety of dishes. Highlights include their unique take on traditional Greek souvlaki, jackfruit burgers, tofu nuggets, and especially the pea and rosemary pie. Peas operates with a zero-waste policy, avoiding plastic entirely, and even offering glass straws. The menu features a range of raw and gluten-free options, delicious wraps, savoury tarts, and the nutritious Buddha Bowl. Their raw apple pie, sweetened only with natural fruits, stands out for dessert lovers. Website
Veganaki
Meaning ‘little vegan’ in Greek, this cosy restaurant by the Acropolis Museum has a welcoming indoor space, unlike some vegan spots in Athens that only serve takeaway. Since opening in April 2018, it has become known for transforming traditional Greek recipes into delightful vegan versions, using fresh, flavourful ingredients. The owners take pride in homemade dishes like moussaka with red lentil mince and almond milk béchamel, and pastitsio made with soy mince. Their oven-baked falafel, wrapped in handmade Arabic pita, stands out as one of the city’s best, proving street food can be healthy and vegan. Besides Greek-inspired dishes, Veganaki serves a range of all-day vegan meals, Fairtrade coffee with plant-based milk options, gluten-free Mediterranean cuisine, and homemade desserts like raw tiramisu with agave syrup, ensuring a healthy, tasty, and guilt-free dining experience. Website
