Yeast-doughnut balls deep-fried to a crisp shell, dressed in honey syrup and cinnamon, the Greek dessert sweet served hot from the pan in Athens.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
Loukoumades trace their lineage to ancient Greek honey doughnuts called enkrides, written about by Athenaeus in the 3rd century AD. The modern Athens loukoumades shop is Krinos on Aiolou, fried on the same recipe and decor since 1923. Lukumades on Aiolou is the modern reinvention since the 2010s, with cream fillings and chocolate toppings. The classic order remains a portion of nine round doughnuts with honey, cinnamon and a Greek coffee on the side.
Common allergens: Gluten
Tip from the editors. The batter should be wet and sticky, not dough-like. If you can roll it in your hands it is too thick; add more water.
Krinos on Aiolou is the 1923 loukoumades shop near Syntagma with a seated counter at the back where locals order honey, doughnut and a Greek coffee.
Why locals love it: Loukoumades shop since 1923 with seated counter at the back; tourists queue the takeaway window, locals know to sit down for honey, doughnut and a Greek coffee.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the seated counter at the back is the destination, not the takeaway window.
Lukumades on Aiolou and Agia Irini Square in Athens is the modern loukoumades shop, where the classic Greek doughnut comes filled with cream or topped.
Try: Loukoumades doughnuts with fillings and toppings
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
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