39 cheap eats rooms in Athens, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Athens: the places editors actually return to. All Athens food.
Diporto ★ 4.8
psyrri · Sokratous 9, Athina 105 52
Diporto on Sokratous and Theatrou has poured Attic retsina from barrels since 1887, a basement koutouki in Athens with no sign and a handful.
Tip: Lunch only from late morning until the pans empty, often by 17:00; no menu, no English spoken.
Kostas Souvlaki ★ 4.7
monastiraki · Agia Irinis Square 2, Athina 105 60
Kostas Souvlaki on Agia Irini Square in Athens has fired the pork souvlaki pita with its house tomato sauce since 1946, a counter run by the same family.
Tip: Open weekdays until 17:00 or until the meat runs out; closed Saturday and Sunday and cash is preferred.
Kostas Souvlaki ★ 4.7
monastiraki · Agia Irinis Square 2, Athina 105 60
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.
Tip: Open weekdays until 17:00 or until the meat runs out; closed Saturday and Sunday and cash preferred.
Karavitis Tavern ★ 4.6
pangrati · Pausaniou 4 Pangrati, Athina 11635, Greece
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.
Tip: No reservations are taken; arrive before 21:00 on weeknights and before 20:30 on Saturdays.
Pnyka Pangrati ★ 4.6
pangrati · Pratinou 13, Pangrati, 116 34
Pnyka in Pangrati Athens has baked since 1981 from a wood-burning oven, sourdough only with the stone mill in-house, with the Kotsaris family running.
Tip: The Pangrati branch holds the stone mill; the carob loaf is the long-keeper to take home.
The Black Salami Microbakery ★ 4.6
exarchia · Zoodochou Pigis 71, Athina 106 81
The Black Salami in Exarchia Athens is the microbakery of Antonis Kazakos and Bruno Pezzia, three daily sourdoughs, focaccia and Roman flatbreads with flour.
Tip: The open kitchen at the back is the show; pastrami sandwich on the day's focaccia is the lunch order.
Taf Coffee ★ 4.6
exarchia · Emmanouil Mpenaki 7, Athina 106 78
Taf Coffee on Emmanouil Benaki in Exarchia is the founding Athens third-wave coffee bar from 2009, an in-house roastery with the Rosebud blend as the daily.
Tip: The roastery on the bar is also a small retail shop; ask for the morning's single-origin filter.
Diporto ★ 4.5
psyrri · Sokratous 9, Athina 105 52
Diporto on Sokratous and Theatrou has poured Attic retsina from barrels in Athens since 1887, a basement koutouki with no sign and a handful of daily dishes.
Tip: Lunch only from late morning until the pans empty, often by 17:00; no menu, no English spoken.
Taverna tou Oikonomou ★ 4.5
petralona · Kydantidon 32, Athina 118 51
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.
Tip: No microwave and no menu; you point at the trays. Closes when the pans run out, often by 22:00.
Ariston ★ 4.5
syntagma-historic-centre · Voulis 10, Athina 105 62
Ariston on Voulis behind Syntagma in Athens has baked filo pies since 1910, a takeaway counter where the spanakopita is the order and the bougatsa.
Tip: Stand-up counter only; closed Sundays. The morning pies fly out before 10:00.
Krinos ★ 4.5
syntagma-historic-centre · Aiolou 87, Athina 105 51, Greece
Krinos on Aiolou has fried loukoumades on the same recipe and decor since 1923 in Athens, the back-row counter where the doughnuts come with honey.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the seated counter at the back is the destination, not the takeaway window.
Takis Bakery ★ 4.5
koukaki · Misaraliotou 14, Athina 117 42, Greece
Takis Bakery on Misaraliotou in Koukaki has baked breads and pies in Athens since 1961, three generations of the Papadopoulos family with 30 daily fresh.
Tip: Morning bread out by 07:00; the koulouri Thessalonikis is the breakfast order with a coffee.
The Underdog ★ 4.5
kerameikos-metaxourgeio · Iraklidon 8, Athina 118 51
The Underdog on Iraklidon in Thissio Athens is the third-wave coffee bar and micro-roastery from 2011, in a restored neoclassical building with a brunch.
Tip: The cold brew is the order; the brunch at weekends pulls a queue from 10:30.
O Telis ★ 4.5
psyrri · 86 Evripidou str. & 20 Epikourou str., 10553
O Telis on Evripidou in central Athens has grilled pork chops over coals since the 1970s, the king-of-Evripidou-Street counter with chips, salad.
Tip: No menu; the order is pork chops with chips, salad, bread and red wine. Closed Sundays.
Ariston Pies ★ 4.5
syntagma-historic-centre · Voulis 10, Athina 105 62
Ariston on Voulis behind Syntagma in Athens is the 1910 takeaway-pie counter where the spanakopita is the order and the bougatsa is the breakfast on the way.
Tip: Stand-up takeaway only; closed Sundays. Pies are warm out of the oven all morning.
O Telis ★ 4.5
psyrri · 86 Evripidou str. & 20 Epikourou str., 10553
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.
Tip: No menu; the order is pork chops with chips, salad, bread and red wine. Closed Sundays.
Diporto ★ 4.5
psyrri · Sokratous 9, Athina 105 52
Diporto on Sokratous and Theatrou in central Athens has poured Attic retsina from barrels since 1887, a basement koutouki with a €10 lunch and no menu.
Tip: Lunch only from late morning until the pans empty, often by 17:00; no menu, no English spoken.
Karavitis Tavern ★ 4.4
pangrati · Pausaniou 4 Pangrati, Athina 11635, Greece
Karavitis in Pangrati has cooked the Athens taverna canon since 1926, a rustic room with a courtyard, barrels of house wine and the bekri-meze stew.
Tip: No reservations are taken; arrive before 21:00 weeknights and before 20:30 on Friday and Saturday.
Taverna tou Oikonomou ★ 4.4
petralona · Kydantidon 32, Athina 118 51
Taverna tou Oikonomou in Ano Petralona is the Athens mageirio that has cooked home-style food since 1930, with 15 to 20 daily dishes from the pan.
Tip: No microwave and no menu; you point at the trays. Closes when pans empty out, often by 22:00.
Pnyka Syntagma ★ 4.4
syntagma-historic-centre · Petraki 24, Historisches Zentrum, 105 63
Pnyka on Petraki in central Athens is the Syntagma branch of the long-running sourdough bakery, the destination for the buckwheat and zea ancient-grain.
Tip: Mid-morning is the best window; the low-gluten loaves often sell out by lunchtime.
Mind the Cup ★ 4.4
kerameikos-metaxourgeio · Aimiliou Veaki 29, Peristeri 121 34
Mind the Cup on Aimiliou Veaki in Peristeri Athens is a specialty coffee roastery and bar on a pedestrian street, a third-wave Athens destination outside.
Tip: The pedestrian street outside is the spillover terrace; closed Sundays from October.
Krinos ★ 4.4
syntagma-historic-centre · Aiolou 87, Athina 105 51, Greece
Krinos on Aiolou in central Athens has fried loukoumades on the same recipe and decor since 1923, a sit-down counter for the doughnut with honey and a Greek.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the queue moves fast and the seated counter at the back is the destination.
Falafellas ★ 4.4
monastiraki · Aiolou 51, Athina 10551, Greece
Falafellas on Aiolou near Monastiraki in Athens is the central falafel pita counter, where the takeaway pita is built on order with tahini, salad and chilli.
Tip: Queue runs longest at lunchtime; the meatball pita is the variant the regulars order instead.
Ariston Pies ★ 4.4
syntagma-historic-centre · Voulis 10, Athina 105 62
Ariston on Voulis behind Syntagma in Athens has baked filo pies since 1910, a takeaway counter where the spanakopita is the order and a coffee runs under €3.
Tip: Stand-up counter only; closed Sundays. Morning pies fly out before 10:00.
Falafellas ★ 4.4
monastiraki · Aiolou 51, Athina 10551, Greece
Falafellas on Aiolou near Monastiraki in Athens is the central falafel pita counter, fresh-built takeaways under €5 with tahini, salad and chilli.
Tip: Queue runs longest at lunch; the meatball pita is the regulars' variant.
Krinos Loukoumades ★ 4.4
syntagma-historic-centre · Aiolou 87, Athina 105 51, Greece
Krinos on Aiolou has fried loukoumades since 1923 in Athens, the €5 portion of doughnuts with honey at the back-counter seated room. At Aiolou 87.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the seated counter at the back is the destination, not the takeaway window.
Taverna tou Oikonomou ★ 4.4
petralona · Kydantidon 32, Athina 118 51
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.
Tip: No microwave and no menu; you point at the trays. Closes when the pans run out, often by 22:00.
Karavitis Tavern ★ 4.4
pangrati · Pausaniou 4 Pangrati, Athina 11635, Greece
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.
Tip: No reservations are taken; arrive before 21:00 on weeknights and before 20:30 on Saturdays.
Little Tree Books and Coffee ★ 4.3
koukaki · Kavalloti 2, Athina 117 42
Little Tree on Kavalloti in Koukaki is the small bookshop café near the Acropolis Museum in Athens, a quiet room with filter coffee, handmade sweets.
Tip: The pavement bench faces the Acropolis Museum; closed Sundays in winter.
Lukumades ★ 4.3
monastiraki · Aiolou 21, Athina 105 51
Lukumades on Aiolou and Agia Irini Square in Athens is the modern loukoumades shop with filled and topped doughnuts and a hipster-leaning counter just steps.
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
Ariston ★ 4.3
syntagma-historic-centre · Voulis 10, Athina 105 62
Ariston on Voulis behind Syntagma in Athens is the 1910 takeaway-pie bakery where the morning Greek coffee comes alongside the spanakopita on the counter.
Tip: Stand-up counter only; closed Sundays. The morning pies fly out before 10:00.
Lukumades ★ 4.3
monastiraki · Aiolou 21, Athina 105 51
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.
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani Deli ★ 4.3
psyrri · Sokratous & Evripidou 1, 10552, Athina
Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani on Sokratous in Athens runs a takeaway deli alongside the mezedopoleio, with pastourma sandwiches and a cured-meat counter.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The deli counter at the front sells meats by the kilo to take home.
Lukumades Aiolou ★ 4.3
monastiraki · Aiolou 21, Athina 105 51
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.
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
Kostarelos Kolonaki Café ★ 4.2
kolonaki · Patriarchou Ioakim 30-32, Athina 106 75
Kostarelos in Kolonaki Athens is the dine-in dairy of three generations of cheesemakers, where morning espresso comes with a cheese sandwich and a Kolonaki.
Tip: The morning rush ends by 10:30; the lunch sandwich service runs through to 15:00.
Drupes and Drips Coffee ★ 4.2
koukaki · Zitrou 20, Athina 117 42
Drupes and Drips in Makrygianni near the Acropolis Museum in Athens flips between third-wave coffee in the morning and a spritzeria in the evening.
Tip: Coffee runs through the morning; the bar flips to spritz and Italian wines from 13:00 onwards.
Venetis 1948 Kifisia ★ 4.1
kolonaki · Leof. Kifisias 320, Kifisia, 145 64 Athina
Venetis 1948 in Kifisia is the original founding store of the Athens Venetis bakery chain, a destination for Greek breads, tsoureki at Easter and pies.
Tip: Multiple Athens locations; the Kifisia 1948 store is the founding bakery with the widest stock.
Bairaktaris Pita Counter ★ 3.9
monastiraki · Pl. Monastirakiou 5, 10555, Athina
Bairaktaris on Monastiraki Square is the long-running Athens souvlaki counter from the late 19th century, with a takeaway pita window onto the square open.
Tip: The pita window faces the square; the sit-down room behind is a separate tip and bill.
Bairaktaris Pita Window ★ 3.8
monastiraki · Pl. Monastirakiou 5, 10555, Athina
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.
Tip: The pita window faces the square; the sit-down room behind is a separate bill.