A Guide to the Best Street Food in Athens

Looking for probably the most mouth-watering avenue meals in Athens? Keep studying…

Every journey to any vacation spot, to be full, should embrace the native flavours and aromas of the place you’re visiting. A responsible pleasure of each journey is to attempt the road meals that’s obtainable, beginning with distinct native flavours but in addition together with native variations of common avenue meals from different nations. 

Athens is an actual paradise of gastronomy, the place the customer can discover and check out every part. High gastronomy, nationwide cuisines, native cuisines, patisseries, and bakeries, but in addition glorious avenue meals. This article maps the preferred Greek avenue meals in Athens and the place to search out it. We begin with extraordinarily distinctive native flavours, however we additionally check with beloved worldwide avenue meals.

See additionally: A Guide to Athens, Greece

Join this connoisseur meals tour to take pleasure in an genuine Greek breakfast, go to conventional meals shops and check out mouth-watering Greek desserts.

Where to search out the most effective avenue meals in Athens

For actual native flavours, be certain that so as to add the under avenue meals to your “must eat in Athens” record.

Koulouri

Although you’ll have heard lots concerning the wealthy recipes of Greek delicacies, you’ll be stunned to study that the Athenians’ favorite breakfast is the koulouri. It is a small round bread made with flour and yeast and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Sometimes it’s crunchy, typically comfortable, but it surely’s all the time tasty and wholesome.

Some historians consider the koulouri originated through the Byzantine interval. It then grew to become common in Thessaloniki when the Greeks from Asia Minor introduced it to town in round 1922. That’s why you’ll usually discover it referred to as koulouri Thessalonikis.

In Athens, you should purchase it in bakeries, avenue distributors, and, at the moment, specialised shops that promote totally different variations of the basic koulouri. But you’ll be able to eat the most effective koulouri in two locations:

• The first one is Koulouri Tou Psirri (Georgiou Karaiskaki 23, Psirri), a workshop that has been round since 1960 and produces the identical scrumptious koulouri all these years. It can be this koulouri that you just discover at a lot of the avenue distributors in Athens.
• The second level is the well-known Takis Bakery (Misaraliotou 14, Koukaki), very near the Acropolis. Takis Bakery is one thing like an establishment for the residents of the Koukaki neighbourhood. With a household custom of baking bread since 1961, it’s truly the primary bakery to introduce the koulouri Thessalonikis to Athens.

Loukoumades

These are Greek doughnuts which have a spherical look and a pleasant golden color. They are made with flour and salt and are coated with honey syrup and cinnamon. This dessert most likely comes from Ancient Greece, the place it was made and awarded to the winners of the Olympic Games.

In at the moment’s Athens, there are numerous outlets which have loukoumades on their menu. However, the most effective ones you’ll be able to attempt are in two outlets that preserve a decades-old custom and in a single that desires to supply a extra fashionable model:

• Krinos (Aiolou 87, Athens) was established in 1923 and was the primary main patisserie in Athens with a sitting corridor. It grew to become well-known for its loukoumades served with honey or scorching chocolate.
• Loukoumades Ktistaki (Sokratous 59, Omonoia Square) is a small place hidden within the streets round Omonoia Square. Since the Nineteen Fifties, it has been making scrumptious small loukoumades, crunchy on the surface however comfortable and filled with honey syrup.
• On the opposite hand, Lukumades (Aiolou 21, Monastiraki) is a contemporary place that, aside from the basic model, provides loukoumades injected with many authentic flavours and added spreads on the highest in addition to gelato on the facet.

Cheese Pie (Tiropita)

Another favorite morning snack of the Athenians that accompanies their espresso is the cheese pie (“tiropita” in Greek). There are many variations of cheese pie. You can discover it with puff pastry (sfoliata), with shortcrust dough (kourou), or with conventional phyllo filled with varied forms of cheese. But the unique is all the time made with feta.

In the centre of Athens, there are three outlets that make cheese pies that basically stand out and have grow to be a part of the gastronomic historical past of town.

• The first one is Ariston (Voulis 10, Syntagma Square), which is a small bakery that has stood in the identical place since 1910 and treats the folks of Athens with its well-known kourou cheese pie. The recipe got here from Constantinople by its founder, Dionysios Lompotesis, and it’s nonetheless a secret.
• The second place is Mam (Pesmazoglou 3 & Panepistimiou 34, Athens) which opened in 1958 and nonetheless serves its well-known sfoliata cheese pie with a style licensed by the standard of the substances.
• Last however not least, Dodoni (Lykourgou 9, Omonoia Square) with glorious kourou cheese pie and 9 extra pies can be a beloved place of the locals.

Bougatsa

This is is a Greek pastry (candy or salty) consisting of custard cream, cheese, spinach, hen or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo. Bougatsa is served sliced into small items and the candy one with powdered sugar and cinnamon on prime. The origins of bougatsa could be traced again to Constantinople and Byzantium. Bougatsa unfold throughout Greece after 1922 and was established as a preferred snack in Serres and Thessaloniki by the refugees from Asia Minor.

There are many locations in Athens that make bougatsa, however you’ll be able to eat probably the most genuine ones at three locations.

• Near the National Gallery, Makedonia (Michalakopoulou 27, Athens) makes glorious genuine bougatsa with a recipe from Serres. It has superb phyllo and wealthy cream.
• Another well-known place is Sante (El. Venizelou 74, Kallithea), within the suburb of Kallithea. It is a very legendary store that continues to be open 24 hours and serves freshly baked and scrumptious bougatsa with varied fillings.
• Finally, at Krinos (Aiolou 87, Athens), you’ll be able to attempt a bougatsa that prides itself on being authentically Athenian. It is made with puff pastry, stuffed with easy and candy cream, and served complete (not sliced).

Peinirli

This boat-like bread is a sort of open pie, containing cheese and different fillings. Its attribute is the buttery dough and the contemporary butter often added on prime. Its origin is in Turkey and its identify comes from the Turkish phrase “peynirli” which suggests “with cheese”. But, it’s also referred to as the “pie of the Black Sea” and is a highly regarded delicacy of Georgian delicacies (the place it is called “khachapuri”). In Greece, peinirli got here together with the refugee flows of the twentieth century. Although it is likely one of the hottest avenue meals in Athens, there are just a few locations in Athens the place you’ll be able to style it in its authentic type.

• Stamatis (Akadimias 77, Athens) is the place you should go to if you wish to style freshly baked peinirli. The peinirlis listed below are ready and baked in entrance of your eyes. The dough is just a little bit crispy and further tasty, whereas the number of fillings is kind of adequate.
• Another place for peinirli within the metropolis centre is Feyrouz (Karori 23, Athens). Born in Antioch, Turkey, Feyruz introduced together with her the flavours and aromas of the East and shares them generously via her small store. Among the scrumptious oriental dishes, the freshly baked peinirlis stand out. Here you discover distinctive mixtures of flavours and substances which might be sufficient to fulfill each want.

Souvlaki

The king of Greek avenue meals is unquestionably souvlaki. It consists of small items of meat grilled on a skewer. The authentic souvlaki is made with pork (however these days it’s also made with hen, beef, or lamb) and served with a slice of bread. But souvlaki can be served wrapped in pita bread together with tzatziki, tomato, onion, and typically fried potatoes. This model is known as tylichto (which suggests “wrapped” in Greek).

Apart from the meat on a skewer, tylictho may also be stuffed with gyro, kebab or burger. Although souvlaki eating places (“souvlatzidika” in Greek) have all the time existed in Athens, within the final 20 years there was an explosion within the variety of shops providing souvlaki. In this manner, it is extremely arduous to recommend which is the most effective.

However, the next 4 locations are actually value a go to:

• Ηοοcut (Agias Irinis Square 9, Monastiraki) is created by 5 well-known cooks who determined to open a souvlaki restaurant. They don’t attempt to innovate, however slightly create basic souvlaki wraps of their highest high quality model.
• Lefteris o Politis (Satovriandou 20 & Romvis 18, Athens), however, serves Athenians a model of tylichto with a well-cooked pita, juicy burger, tomato, and onion for 71 years.
• At the identical time, Prodorpion (Akadimias 52, Athens) is taken into account to serve the most effective pork skewers in downtown Athens. The meat is all the time freshly grilled and really juicy.
• Finally, if you wish to attempt the most effective tylichto with a kebab, you should go to Tomas Kebab (Sarkoudinou 49, Neos Kosmos). Here Tomas and his sons, with conventional recipes from their homeland, Armenia, make a novel lamb kebab wrapped in a pita with onions and tomatoes.

Sandwich

The sandwich is a well-liked snack for all hours of the day in Athens. For a few years, the time period “vromiko,” which suggests “filthy” in Greek, was largely used to explain sandwiches in Athens. These sandwiches are continuously cooked by avenue canteens utilizing low cost supplies (therefore the nickname). Also, it has lengthy been a favorite supper for folks coming residence from nighttime leisure. However, issues have modified and there at the moment are many alternative sandwiches obtainable, each by way of high quality and ingredient choice.

When speaking about sandwiches, Guarantee (Veikou 41, Koukaki) is all the time a reference level. For the previous 34 years, it has been creating contemporary sandwiches within the coronary heart of the Koukaki neighbourhood. Here, the individuality, high quality, and number of selections make a distinction. Choose from greater than 150 totally different substances to create your individual sandwich.

Another selection is Amandine’s Bagels (Nikis 13, Syntagma Square), which creates ingenious sandwiches with freshly baked bagels utilizing French finesse.

Finally, top-of-the-line choices for avenue meals is Talking Breads (Spirou Trikoupi 11, Exarcheia). Here they use solely the highest-quality substances. Everything is ideal, proper right down to the final ingredient and the freshly baked butter bread. Despite the truth that many purchasers come right here for the burgers, we go for the 5 artistic sandwiches.

Pizza

Probably one of the vital well-known dishes on the earth is pizza. It was invented in Naples and since then, together with its variants, has unfold everywhere in the world. In Athens, you could find quite a few locations making pizza, because it is likely one of the Greeks’ most beloved dishes. The following 4 locations serve glorious pizza and are situated at or close to town centre.

• Every day at midday, Crust (Protogenous 13, Psyrri) opens and serves tasty, and real New York pizza. The substances are contemporary, and the dough is ethereal but crunchy.
• The most well-known pizzeria within the centre is School Pizza Bar (Agia Eirinis 8, Monastiraki). It serves Italian pizza with a couple of American tweaks and is continually busy. The dough is crunchy and paper-thin. It’s additionally intriguing how the restaurant is embellished to appear like a classroom.
• Another welcome discovery is Smak (Romvis 21, Athens). The dough, which is made and spiced for six days, is what makes the distinction, whereas the pizza has a specific type with raised edges.
• Tzaiant (Georgaki Olympiou 21, Koukaki) is a brand new pizzeria that has captured the eye of pizza fans. Here, you might attempt a pizza that deviates from the norm in 10 totally different mouthwatering mixtures.

Burger

It is a favorite avenue meals of hundreds of thousands of individuals world wide and has its rightful place within the hearts of the Athenians. Although twenty years in the past you could possibly solely discover burgers in quick meals chains, now they’ve acquired their very own separate place within the culinary historical past of this metropolis. Today you could find many variations of the burger, from probably the most connoisseur to the simplest avenue model. Three glorious choices for a tasty burger within the metropolis centre are these three locations.

• Tarantino Burgers (Dimitrakopoulou 17, Koukaki) has a fanatical viewers. Here, you’ll discover juicy, well-grilled beef burgers served on fluffy bread. Although there are quite a few choices and mixtures, they use solely chosen substances, so the flavour isn’t compromised.
• Pax Burgers (Aiolou 34, Monastiraki) is a self-service restaurant the place the burgers (for which you may have a selection between a burger of 140 gr and 200 gr) are additional tasty and well-grilled. The service right here could be very fast service regardless of the crowds which might be often ready to be served.
• Guerilla Chef Burgers (Solomou 33, Exarcheia) is a small burger joint that has grow to be the discuss of the city. Burger (single or double), bun, cheese, mayonnaise and ketchup are sufficient to compose one of many juiciest and tastiest burgers on the town.

Bao Buns

The steamed buns, which originated in China have conquered the world within the final decade and have grow to be a favorite avenue meals in Athens. They are made with fluffy white dough and stuffed with varied forms of meat, greens, and often spicy sauces. Athens isn’t any exception to this new development. Several eating places have added bao buns to their menus, and lots of specialised outlets are making them. Even the favored Greek quick meals chain Goodys has launched bao buns to its menu. 

• Thess Bao (Perikleous 30-32, Athens) is your best option to attempt a big number of bao buns. The buns are all the time freshly baked and with greater than ten tasty mixtures, which embrace vegan choices in addition to bao buns with burgers, you’ll absolutely have an issue deciding what to eat.
• Another glorious choice is Bao Bae (Kapsali 5-7, Kolonaki). Here, you’ll be able to select from seven tasty and ingenious mixtures of handmade buns. If you want to, you’ll be able to pair it with some high quality cocktails (that are served in a disposable glass to take with you in your stroll).

I hope the data above has persuaded you of the number of avenue meals in Athens. Of course, there are different areas and delicacies to discover. Although this an in depth information, nothing can evaluate to the possibility discoveries you can also make by yourself throughout a journey.