Greek€monastiraki
Lukumades on Aiolou and Agia Irini Square in Athens is the modern loukoumades shop, where filled or topped doughnuts run €4 to €8 with espresso to go.
Try: Filled and topped loukoumades
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
Greek€monastiraki
Bairaktaris on Monastiraki Square in Athens has a takeaway pita window onto the square, a €4 pita that runs until 02:00 every day of the week.
Try: Souvlaki and gyros pita
Tip: The pita window faces the square; the sit-down room behind is a separate bill.
Greek€petralona
Taverna tou Oikonomou in Ano Petralona in Athens cooks home-style mageirio food since 1930, a €12 lunch plate from the pan with house red and bread included.
Try: Daily mageirio plate
Tip: No microwave and no menu; you point at the trays. Closes when the pans run out, often by 22:00.
Greek€pangrati
Karavitis in Pangrati has cooked the Athens taverna canon since 1926, a budget Greek dinner of bekri-meze, vine leaves and chops with house wine for around.
Try: Athenian taverna plate with house wine
Tip: No reservations are taken; arrive before 21:00 on weeknights and before 20:30 on Saturdays.
Greek€monastiraki
Kostas on Agia Irini Square in Athens has fired the souvlaki pita with its house tomato sauce since 1946, the €3 lunch counter that has fed the city.
Try: Pork souvlaki pita with tomato sauce
Tip: Open weekdays until 17:00 or until the meat runs out; closed Saturday and Sunday and cash preferred.
Greek€psyrri
O Telis on Evripidou in central Athens has grilled pork chops since the 1970s, the king-of-Evripidou-Street counter where the €10 plate comes with chips.
Try: Grilled pork chops with chips, salad, bread
Tip: No menu; the order is pork chops with chips, salad, bread and red wine. Closed Sundays.