Bistros, trattorias and the everyday places where Athens actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Athens actually eats.
Karavitis in Pangrati has cooked Athens taverna food since 1926, a rustic courtyard with barrels of house wine and the bekri-meze stew that defines the room.
OrderThe bekri meze stew with stuffed vine leaves and a carafe of the house red.
TipNo reservations are taken; arrive before 21:00 on weeknights and before 20:30 on Saturdays.
Klimataria on Theatre Square in Athens has poured taverna food since 1927, the Psyrri institution where giant barrels line the wall and rebetiko plays most.
OrderGigandes plaki, slow-cooked lamb and a half-kilo of the house red from the barrels.
TipLive music runs most evenings from around 22:00; book a fortnight ahead for the weekend.
Diporto on Sokratous and Theatrou has poured Attic retsina from barrels since 1887, a basement koutouki in Athens with no sign and a handful.
OrderRevithia chickpea stew, sardines and a small glass of retsina from the barrel.
TipLunch only from late morning until the pans empty, often by 17:00; no menu, no English spoken.
Taverna tou Oikonomou in Ano Petralona is the Athens mageirio that has cooked home-style food since 1930, with 15 to 20 daily dishes brought out of the pan.
OrderAsk what came out of the pan today; the daily stew with a glass of the house red.
TipNo microwave and no menu; you point at the trays. Closes when the pans run out, often by 22:00.
Athinaikon on Themistokleous is the Exarchia ouzeri of record in Athens, an institution opened in 1932 that moved to its current corner in 1989 with vintage.
OrderThe shrimp saganaki, a plate of marides and a carafe of tsipouro from Tyrnavos.
TipThe Mitropoleos sister room is the modern outpost; the Themistokleous original is the destination.
Taverna Saita on Kydathineon is the rare Plaka room in Athens cooking for locals. The Zacharopoulou family has fried bakaliaros skordalia since 1970.
OrderBakaliaros skordalia, lamb chops and the grilled feta with the Byzantine-courtyard view.
TipPavement tables face the quiet end of Kydathineon, away from souvenir shops; book ahead.
Manimani in Koukaki cooks the food of the Mani peninsula in a neoclassical building near the Acropolis Museum in Athens: cured pork siglino and handmade.
OrderThe siglino with handmade pasta and a half-litre of the rosé from the Peloponnese.
TipClosed Mondays. Sunday lunch from 14:00 is the easiest service to find a window seat.
Mavro Provato in Pangrati Athens is the daily mezedopoleio favourite for small-plate Greek cooking, Greek wine by the glass and a sidewalk of regulars.
OrderThe smoked aubergine, the saganaki and a half-litre carafe of house white.
TipBook three days ahead for dinner; lunch tables on the pavement are walk-up after 14:00.
Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani on Sokratous is the Athens deli-mezedopoleio for Asia Minor cured meats: Karamanli pastourma, sausages and small plates.
OrderThe Karamanli pastourma board with sheep cheese and a carafe of tsipouro.
TipClosed Sundays. The deli counter runs 08:00-21:00 if you want to take meats home with you.
Tzitzikas kai Mermigas on Mitropoleos in Athens has cooked Greek small plates with seasonal ingredients off Syntagma Square for three decades.
OrderThe keftedakia and the kayianas allios with a glass of the house assyrtiko.
TipLunch from 13:00 is the easier seating; book three days ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner.
Atlantikos in Psyrri Athens is the central seafood pick: Avliton 7 fires the daily catch on the grill from lunch through to past midnight every day.
OrderThe grilled octopus, sea bream carpaccio and a chilled assyrtiko by the glass.
TipThe annex across the lane opens at 18:00 weekdays and 13:00 weekends; book the original room.
Taverna Platanos under the plane tree on Diogenous in Plaka Athens has fed the quarter since 1932, a courtyard room where slow-cooked lamb in lemon sauce.
OrderLamb in lemon sauce, stuffed cabbage rolls and a glass of retsina under the plane tree.
TipThe courtyard opens late spring; book ten days ahead for the Friday or Saturday seatings.
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