At Hoocut, an A-Team of famous chefs (also behind Cookoovaya, on this list) aims to elevate souvlaki, the iconic Greek street food, with the best possible ingredients. Set inside a neoclassical building of the interwar period, a bakery, a butcher shop, and a grocery store provide the raw materials for the final product, which emerges from the main grill area. Finely chopped pieces of beef or mutton are wrapped in pita, while pork, chicken, and sausage are presented on open pita. And for those who don’t eat meat, Hoocut has a squid option, too. [$]

Run by a family with roots in Antakya, Turkey, Feyrouz is named for its matriarch and mastermind in the kitchen (who has no relation to the famed Lebanese singer). Inspired by the Balkan food of Istanbul and broader Levantine traditions, the family utilizes local ingredients to make various types of lahmacun, peinirli, lots of soups (mahluta is a favorite with red lentils, fennel, pumpkin, and chicken broth), and many different salads. In 2019, the family opened a dessert spot across the street, where diners can end their meals with Turkish kanafeh. [$]

Lukumades are an easy, popular dessert throughout Greece, but this shop consistently ranks high among customers with sweet tooths. The fried dough balls are made with flour, dry yeast, water, and starch, and the simplest renditions are served with honey and cinnamon. But here you’ll find them with more than a dozen toppings, including all kinds of chocolate, nuts, and ice cream. There are also stuffed versions filled with praline, banana, or lemon cream with wild cherry. [$]

Peas is one of a few but growing number of vegan restaurants in Athens, putting an animal-friendly spin on Mediterranean cuisine, according to owners Lila Pouliou and Maria Popa. Everything is made in-house, including vegetable-based protein substitutes like seitan and tempeh. Among the most popular options, check out their take on the famous Greek souvlaki with seitan and mushrooms. For dessert, don’t miss the famous raw tart with avocado, cocoa, and banana. [$$]

Sea bream carpaccio, dusky grouper with okra, and roasted and skewered squid kontosouvli instantly transport Travolta diners to the sea. Owners Anestis Lampropoulos and brothers Spyros and Vangelis Liakos formed exclusive partnerships with three fishing boats, which provide the restaurant with everything from fresh octopus to cod to crayfish. Try the beer brewed in-house with salt water from sea urchins. [$$$ – $$$$]

Located right in the center of the city, in an area known for its rich immigrant communities from across the MENA region, Falafel Al Sharq serves hundreds of locals and tourists every day. The cook, Ibrahim Elabd, and his brother Mahmoud originally hail from Egypt. Besides falafel, they serve Egyptian specialties like chicken livers cooked in spices, as well as marinated chicken and lamb kebabs. [$]

Inspired by a similar cafe in Scotland, Myrtillo Cafe is the first food business in Athens fully co-owned and co-operated by people living with disabilities. Among the dishes made with mostly organic ingredients, you can find homemade pies, such as the famous Sfakian cheese pie and the verdant fennel pie, along with sandwiches, baguettes, and bruschettas. The desserts are also delicious, with options including various cakes and sweet fruit pies. [$]

For over 90 years, this traditional tavern has sat in the same spot beneath the Acropolis, among the colorful little alleys of the historic Plaka district. Named for Theodoros Kolokotronis, one of the greatest heroes of Greek independence, the restaurant serves classics like moussaka, meatballs, tzatziki, and all kinds of roasted and grilled meats. While the food is good, the ambiance is even better. A couple of hours spent among the locals, singing and dancing to live Greek folk music, could make any outsider forget they’re just in Athens for a visit. [$$]

This tiny fusion restaurant not far from Syntagma Square has made a name for itself among the city’s food lovers. Chef Sotiris Kontizas combines his own Greek and Japanese roots to create comfort food without geographic limitations, like gyoza with beef cheeks, bean noodles with octopus and Kalamata olives, and ceviche fricassee with guelly jack. [$$]

East and West meet at Anadolu Mutfağı, where Kurdish chef and owner Selim Selguk makes Turkish dishes with Greek ingredients. Selguk arrived in Athens in 2003 as a political refugee from Turkey. Not long after, he set up his own restaurant to make what he knows best, Anatolian dishes like lamb kebabs, hünkar beğendi (smoked, spiced, pureed eggplant), perde pilavı (pilaf-stuffed dough), and baklava with pistachios. [$$]

Serbetospito, aka Nancy’s Sweet Home, is chocolate heaven on earth, though the epic catalog of sweets includes options for all sweet tooths, including vanilla and fruit-flavored treats. Owners Nancy Katsikari and Serafim Alexandris turn out traditional options like ekmek politico (semolina-based cake with syrup and kaimaki, the chewy local ice cream), as well as seasonal desserts that range from strawberry pie to Christmasy melomakarona cookies. Just take a look at the deli case and chat with the staff to find the ideal option. [$]

The namesake tastes of Damascus are not only delicious; they also support asylum-seekers and refugees living in Athens. Started as a project by NGO Za’atar — which focuses on providing resources and local connections to women, unaccompanied minors, LGBTQ refugees, and prisoners — the Syrian and Middle Eastern restaurant is slowly attracting more diners with its falafel, tabbouleh, and Beyrouti hummus with parsley. One recent favorite is mouhalabe, Syrian milk pudding with coconut, orange blossom water, pistachio, and rose. [$]

Located behind the Kallimarmaro stadium, where the modern Olympics started in 1896, this two-Michelin-starred restaurant sits at the top of fine dining in Athens. Chef Angelos Lantos (the first Greek chef to achieve two stars) is an expert ambassador of French haute cuisine. Among the signature dishes, try the langoustine with lemon, Petrossian Daurenki caviar, grapefruit, gentian, and celery. Or go for the crab with turnip, acacia honey, tarragon, and passion fruit. [$$$$]

Not far from buzzing Syntagma Square, Etnico takes diners on gastronomic journeys to Mexico, the Middle East, and South Asia. The global menu includes tacos and fajitas, falafel, tandoori chicken, and samosas, as well as dessert options and drinks to fulfill even more wanderlust. Don’t miss the margaritas (especially on warm summer nights) and the heady sangria. [$]

Greeks are known for their love of seafood, but there’s no fresher place to get it than chef Vasilis Akrivos’s restaurant set behind the central fish market. Dining at Aiolou68 (conveniently also the address of the restaurant) feels like eating by the sea on a Greek island. Along with well-spiced dishes like shrimp or lobster spaghetti, fish soup, and bouillabaisse, the restaurant serves fresh seafood prepared simply, best eaten with just a squeeze of lemon. [$$$]

With one of the most beautiful views in the city, looking out on the Acropolis, Hill Athens serves modern Greek cuisine from brunch to late dinner in the historic Thissio district. Chef George Nestoridis and his team skillfully serve a menu designed by award-winning chef Dimitris Dimitriadis. A blend of comfort food and traditional tastes comes through in dishes like octopus candied with aged tsipouro, or risotto that channels the flavors of Greek gemista (stuffed peppers and tomatoes). Take your pick from the large variety of wines to accompany your meal. [$$$]

Granada is decorated in colorful marble tiles meant to evoke Andalusia, a fitting setting for chef Dimitris Arsenidis’s blend of Spanish and Greek cuisines. Shrimp and chorizo empanadas come with romesco, while octopus is paired with fava beans and kapari (caper) jam. Accompany your meal with house-made sangria for the complete experience. [$$]

This throwback restaurant serves traditional Greek food a few minutes from the Acropolis, and it has become a natural hotspot in the area. The aesthetic is meant to evoke an Athens of decades past, with large portions and cheap prices to complete the fantasy. Try the meatballs, moussaka, and grilled meat and fish. Don’t forget to order some Greek wine. [$$]

You’ll find great food at Shedia, but it’s the great people who will keep bringing you back. The cafe-bar-restaurant occupies the ground floor of Shedia Home, an initiative that helps people struggling with homelessness. The famous Greek chef Lefteris Lazarou created the menu, but the kitchen is staffed with relative newbies (the only cooking expertise required for hire is knowing how to boil an egg). The seasonal menu utilizes organic ingredients while remaining affordable, with offerings like almond and pistachio-crusted salmon filet or marjoram-scented spaghetti with red peppers, singlino (salted pork), and minced pork. [$$]

You can get steak, pork, or chicken souvlaki at lots of places in Athens, but this is the only place to dine on the street delicacy beneath the loving gaze of the king. The story behind the Elvis Presley-themed eatery is a bit convoluted (the owners also run a bar that’s next door to a butcher shop named Elvis that was created for a popular Greek sitcom), but the owners ran with it, plastering the interior with posters and playing “Suspicious Minds” on repeat. If the ambiance somehow doesn’t appeal to you, the meats can also be taken to go, as can the freshly chopped fries sprinkled with salt and oregano. The shop’s huge success even led to a second location in the Pagrati neighborhood. [$]

Whether you’re an early riser or coming off a night of partying, stop by this 24/7 bakery in Psyrri, the city’s hippest neighborhood. The place is mostly known for its koulouri, thin, ropy breads similar to Jerusalem bagels or Turkish simit, which come topped simply with traditional sesame seeds, or decorated with sunflower seeds, dried grapes, or melted cheese. The bakery also serves a thicker variety of bagel stuffed as sandwiches, along with other baked goods. [$]

Since being named the first champion on Greece’s version of MasterChef, Akis Petretzikis has been a rising star in the Greek food scene over the last decade. At Kitchen Lab, his team serves the most satisfying brunches in town, including croque-madames, rich sandwiches, English breakfasts, omelets, and the ever-popular pancakes topped with combinations like toffee, banana, and crumbled biscuits. This location is most convenient from the city center, but two others further out offer more seating. [$ – $$]

This bistro and wine bar, owned and operated by restaurateurs Iza and Panos Kyriazis, breathes fresh air into the historic neighborhood of Plaka in central Athens. The wine list includes a wide range of bottles from both Greek and international vineyards, while chef Erasmia Balaska continues to prove herself a prodigy in the kitchen with dishes combining traditional and modern Greek cuisine. Try the milk-fed lamb youvetsi, a popular casserole prepared with orzo in a rich tomato sauce. [$$$]

You could walk by Stoa Fix and not even notice it. The “gastronomic cafe,” as mastermind Gogo Delogianni describes it, lies underground in a covered shopping court near Omonoia Square. Tables are arranged down a (surprisingly light-filled) hallway, with a green-and-white color scheme that makes the place feel small and cozy. The cafe does serve coffee, but later in the day you’ll also find burgers topped with provatina (mutton), roasted squash filled with goat cheese and almonds, and black lentils with rice, smoked trout, lemongrass, and peppers. [$ – $$]

Despite the location in Kolonaki, one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Athens, this pasta bar doesn’t require a second mortgage to afford its plentiful plates. After working in London and Paris, chef Alex Vasilatou returned home to Greece to open her namesake restaurant. The menu includes seven different choices of pasta, all with unique names, like the Cleopatra, a pappardelle in a spicy red sauce, and the Castaway, spaghetti alla chitarra with cured pork tenderloin. [$$]