Artfully marrying familiar Greek elements to creative license and ethnic exploration, the city’s gastro-tavernas have engendered a dynamic new scene. They are furthering traditional concepts via a deeper culinary exploration while providing an unpretentious, familial, and upbeat vibe.

36

Gifted chefs in this contemporary gastronomic landscape are approaching traditional recipes with playfulness and vision, adding personal touches inspired by their travels, cooking experiences, and tastes. They rely on fresh, seasonal and mostly local ingredients mainly sourced from small producers who supply quality homegrown products. Ultimately making high-standard cuisine more accessible to the people, these chefs essentially steer clear of fixed menus. Many dishes are changed daily, based on the availability and seasonality of ingredients.

Here we present our favorite gastro-tavernas in Athens, some of them very recently opened, that stand out and are well worth visiting if you’d like to get a real taste of this exciting type of cuisine.

01

Taratsa

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A newly opened, lively restaurant and bar brought to life by the team behind Ami Italian Bistrot and Bar in Front of the Bar. Situated high above Mitropoleos Square, it offers stunning views of both the Acropolis and the surrounding area. The decor channels a distinct ’70s vibe, while rhythmic tunes fill the space, creating a dynamic yet relaxed atmosphere. The kitchen, helmed by chef Alexandros Karakatsanis, delivers a menu inspired by Levantine and Greek flavors.

From the open kitchen, guests can enjoy a range of dishes, including house-made louza ham, delicious kebabs, and comforting options like chickpea stew or slow-cooked goat from a wood-fired oven. Handmade bread and pita serve as accompaniments. A standout dish is the beef short rib shawarma, served with salsify and Arabic bread—a must-try according to the chef. Another highlight is the rooster, cooked to perfection in the wood oven. And for dessert, the kunefe is a revelation: instead of the traditional kataifi, it’s made with bread, semolina, and cheese, offering a unique, pudding-like texture.

The bar menu also brings surprises, featuring drinks like a coffee and mint-infused Negroni or a complex, aromatic whisky soda. Cocktails such as the “Fattoush” and “Tabouleh,”, turn beloved Middle Eastern salads into flavorful beverages.

Mitropoleos 60, Syntagma

Website

02

Manari

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Set in Agioi Theodoroi Square, this new gastro taverna by acclaimed chef and restauranteur Aris Vezenes, in partnership with Lefteris Georgopoulos, is the talk of the town since it recently opened. With a focus on Greek meats and a “nose to tail” approach, the taverna emphasizes sustainable dining. This philosophy shapes both the menu and the dining experience, making it a must-visit for meat lovers looking for an authentic sense of Greece.

The taverna’s decor echoes its culinary concept – modern and minimalist yet warmly rustic. Scraped walls, exposed concrete, and weathered wooden tables are thoughtfully paired with pristine white tablecloths, blending tradition and contemporaneity in an inviting setting. It’s a place where the atmosphere feels relaxed, but the excitingly tasty food takes center stage.

The menu includes a variety of meat-forward dishes, with highlights like perfectly cooked lamb chops, tender lamb kidneys seasoned with thyme, and veal liver paired with punchy tomato vinegar. The lamb kebab, served with homemade pita and cooling yogurt, is a standout, while the pasta for two, slow cooked in rich meat broth, offers a hearty option. Other notable dishes include the aromatic pastitsio and lamb fricassee.

Website

03

Dopios

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A gastronomic venture of the Pitsilis family, in collaboration with celebrated chef Chistoforos Peskias, as chef consultant, this is a modern meze eatery. It is spacious, with a carefully designed interior with marble tables and straw-seat chairs, a mosaic floor, and colorful rugs, while the outside tables are set on the picturesque Ag Theodoron square.

Dopios serves classic Greek taverna meze dishes enhanced with Anatolian and Japanese cuisine elements. The specially tweaked traditional dishes proposed by Peskias are executed by chef Dimitris Malis, who uses top-quality, fresh ingredients. Examples include tyrokafteri, a classic spicy cheese dip, which, at Dopios, is served as a foam with sour cherry, as well as tzatziki avocado, fusing the classic garlic-and-yogurt dip with avocado for an oilier texture and richer taste. The Mani potato salad with orange, avocado, olives, and spring onion is another special dish combining earthy and refreshing flavors.

The menu includes a separate section featuring vegan and vegetarian selections. The rustic trahanoto, made with trahana pasta boiled in a vegetable broth with onion and caramelized cauliflower, manouri cheese, and sheep’s milk yogurt, is a standout item. As for meat dishes, the wild boar – while still available – from the Peloponnese’s Taygetus mountain range is slow-baked with vegetables, red wine, and chicken broth and served with dried prunes and leek. Another menu highlight, the meatballs, made with beef mince including a light touch of mint, are prepared to crisped perfection. Don’t forget to try the tres leches cream pie, a sublime dessert made with fresh milk, a layer of dulce de leche, and whipped cream.

Skouleniou 1, Syntagma

Website

04

Amore Spritzeria

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Amore spritzeria stays true to its concept, offering an authentic aperitivo experience with a playful Greek touch. This charming, brand-new addition to the lively Neos Kosmos dining scene presents old-world Italian aperitivo culture that’s very much set in Athens. Located on a bustling pedestrian street, this spot offers a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere, complete with small, checkered-tablecloth-covered tables and a curved bar stocked with Italian spirits. Outside, a handful of tables spill onto the sidewalk, creating an intimate setting ideal for people-watching as you enjoy your drinks.

The heart of Amore’s menu is the spritz selection, featuring popular Italian bitters like Aperol, Campari, Averna, and Cynar (made from artichoke). Alongside these refreshing, low-alcohol cocktails, the bar also serves classic aperitivi, including Negroni, Americano, Garibaldi, and the bittersweet Sbagliato, a mix of Campari, vermouth, and prosecco. For Martini lovers, their signature “dirty” version combines olive, anchovy, pickled cucumber, and caper for a drink that doubles as a snack. Wine lovers can choose from a rotating selection of six or seven Greek wines, with local beers and a unique organic tsipouro rounding out the drink list.

Amore’s small plates are simple but thoughtful, offering a range of Mediterranean flavors. From robust bread served with Greek charcuterie and cheeses to more creative bites like bottarga with roasted almonds or Dramas pichti (jellied pork) paired with caperberries, each dish complements the drinks perfectly. The banderillas—skewers of pickles, olives, cherry tomatoes, and anchovies – are a standout, as are the kariki cheese with figs and traditional Spanish tortas.

Website

05

Akra

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This restaurant thrives on spontaneity and innovation, offering a nearly daily changing menu that highlights fresh, seasonal Greek ingredients. With a philosophy rooted in celebrating raw materials, Akra transforms simple ingredients into extraordinary dishes through thoughtful yet creative combinations. The restaurant’s bakery, open in the morning hours, attracts visitors with its freshly baked goods, adding to the overall appeal.

Diners are treated to dishes like crunchy cucumbers and radishes straight from the morning’s organic market, served simply to awaken the palate. Grilled vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, and chanterelles, carry the smoky essence of the grill, while tender leeks dressed with olive oil and Xinomavro vinegar provide a bright, tangy contrast. Not to be missed are the zucchini blossoms stuffed with xinohondros (Cretan cracked wheat) and liver, or the succulent lamb with wild artichokes. Fresh naan bread, made with locally sourced wheat, is perfect for soaking up the flavorful juices.

Akra’s chef, Giannis Loukakis, and pastry chef, Spyros Pediaditakis, put together each dish with loving attention, blending traditional Greek flavors with inventive techniques. In a minimalist space designed by architect Myrto Kiourti, guests can enjoy an intimate atmosphere, with an open fire at the center of the room. The playlist ranges from Psarantonis to Velvet Underground, adding a unique touch to the dining experience. Accompanying the meal are fine local wines, perfectly paired with fresh breads and unforgettable dishes.

Website

06

Farbrika Tou Evfrosinou

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Opened in 2015 by chef Giorgos Gatsos and oenologist Athina Tsoli in Koukaki, this place serves slow-cooked meals in the form of tweaked traditional Greek recipes in a space inspired by industrial and art deco elements. The old mosaic floor, an eye-catching sculpted metal installation on the ceiling, the retro fridge, and brass chandeliers all combine to create a warm, intimate space.

Many of the goods used here are produced exclusively for this restaurant, including olive oil from Zakynthos, touloumotyri cheese from Kozani, as well as manually prepared olives from Astros in northeast Peloponnese’s Kynouria region. The chef buys the fresh goods needed for the menu daily. The majority of recipes here are meat-based, but you’ll also enjoy special salads, homemade pies and certain fish and seafood selections, including caramote prawns from Vonitsa.

The portions are hearty and ideal for sharing. The elaborate Lakonian Greek salad, with ingredients like orange, cherry tomato, peppers, spring onion, radish, Ikarian sea samphire, barley rusk and tsalafouti cheese dip is recommended. The fylo for all pies is rolled out fresh at the shop. The crisp and incredibly tasty Smyrna-style mince pie with feta, Kalamata graviera cheese, pistachios, and raisins is singular. The itsli kefte, bulgur wraps, with minced beef and pine nuts, fried golden and served with refreshing yogurt seasoned with sumac and fresh rocket, is another menu highlight. The honey-marinated veal, slow-cooked with red wine, loads of vegetables, spices, and herbs melts in your mouth.

Anastasiou Zinni 34, Koukaki

Website

07

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In the up-and-coming district of Neos Kosmos, this place was launched in 2018 by Fotis Foteinoglou and Thodoris Kassavetis, the venture’s co-owners and chefs. Their restaurant has a simple, urban chic interior, as well as an open kitchen that unleashes an array of mouthwatering grill and casserole aromas in the dining space. The large outdoor space with wooden tables and straw-seat chairs under trees is ideal for a relaxed meal on warmer days.

The menu’s main section is based on fish and seafood supplied from the island Sifnos and Mesolongi, in western Greece. It also includes several special salads, dips, and meze dishes prepared with vegetables, as well as certain dishes made with top-quality meat (beef, goat, and rooster). When in season and available, it’s worth trying the specially prepared cabbage, which is smoked, then grilled and served with pickled fennel, carrot, and celery, as well as chili oil. Exquisite, both in terms of taste and appearance, this dish combines sweet, sour, and spicy elements.

Seafood recipes range from exceptional raw dishes to slow-cooked angler stew, masterfully grilled squid cut into juicy pieces and served soft with couscous, as well as roe spaghetti. As for their meat recipes, you must try the beef cheek, simmered with various spices and red wine – if this dish happens to be served on the day you visit.

Dourm 1, Neos Kosmos

Website

08

Koutsou & Co

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Koutsou & Co, tucked away in a hidden arcade in Syntagma, is a new arrival in Athens that fits so well into its surroundings, you’d think it’s been there forever. The small spot has a sign featuring a depiction of chef Argiro Koutsou, who was head chef at Tzoutzouka in 2021. The self-taught cook is known for her unorthodox style and flair, blending traditional family recipes with innovative touches.

The kitchen here is tiny, but Koutsou saw potential, envisioning a contemporary taverna where the menu changes daily based on seasonal ingredients and market finds. This flexibility allows her to showcase inventive dishes, like stuffed spleen, which has quickly become a favorite among diners. The ambiance is cozy, with blue-painted chairs and sand-colored linens. Handwritten chalkboards announce the daily menu, which often includes beloved dishes like fried meatballs with mint and thick-cut golden fries, or her signature pastitsio with shrimp and sausage, served in individual clay pots. On one visit, the menu featured fava with lemony sausage, light and flavorful kefte meatballs, and a hearty wheat trahana from Arachova, paired with Tinos sausage and Sifnos manoura cheese.

Tourists and locals alike are relishing Koutsou’s cuisine, which steps away from stereotypical Greek dishes like moussaka or gyros. The restaurant offers a more personal, authentic taste of somewhat quirky, everyday Greek cooking. With just twelve rotating dishes, each meal is a reflection of the chef’s passion for fresh ingredients and bold flavors, like her Zakynthos-style lamb in red sauce or her seared pork with volaki cheese from Andros. Diners can pair their meals with select wines or premium spirits, ending with a simple yet satisfying dessert, like homemade yogurt with fresh strawberry preserves.

15A Xenofondos, Syntagma

Website

09

Seychelles

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The gastro-taverna, run by Anna Repousi, was launched in 2014 in Metaxourgeio. It is a modern, trendy, value-for-money food and wine spot with a cozy dining space that is almost always vibrant. Tables are also set outside, around the shop and across it, on lovely Avdi square.

Seychelles uses Greek quality products, emphasizing creative dishes inspired by traditional concepts. An extensive list of Greek cheeses, ranging from salty to buttery, figure prominently on the menu. They include aged Naxos arseniko, Ios goat’s milk kefalotyri, as well as Zakynthos gidotyri and ladotyri, plus softer cheeses, such as Metsovo chevre and cheeses that are perfect for charcoal grilling, including Chios mastelo.

In the salad category, we suggest you try the black-eyed pea salad, adroitly combined with smoked eel. Top meze dishes include smoked eggplant with tahini and caramelized tomato. Similarly, the Pappardelle in a tomato sauce with Komotini kavourma sausage and mild, refreshing gyalomyzithra cheese is a must. The meat dishes, which dominate the menu, include delicious beef cheeks, slow-cooked in a clay pot with various spices and accompanied with eggplant puree.

Kerameikou 49, Metaxourgeio

Website