If you are in Athens and type “Greek cusine near me” into Google, chances are you are not just looking for a restaurant that has Greek dishes on its menu. You want to eat well and try real Greek cuisine. So, you need to find a nice place near you and not waste your time in a tourist shop.
And here is the tricky part. In Athens, Greek food is almost everywhere. You can find hundreds of small restaurants, traditional taverns, but also more modern restaurants that have taken classic Greek recipes a step further. So the point is not just to find good Greek food near you, but to find the right one.
But what really is good Greek cuisine?
Many tourists who come to Athens often associate Greek cuisine with souvlaki, moussaka, village salad and tzatziki. We are not saying that they are not worth trying, but good Greek food is much much more. It has stews, grilled meats, seafood, pies, legumes, olive oil, mezes and hundreds of recipes from various regions of Greece.
Their common feature however, is the quality raw materials from Greek producers. A good Greek dish does not need complicated techniques. The ingredients are so delicious that you do not need to hide their taste and this is one of the things that characterize authentic Greek food.
What you should know before looking for “Greek cuisine near me”
By typing “Greek cuisine near me” into Google, you will find dozens of options near the location you are at that moment, just in a few seconds. However, don’t rush to choose the first result you will find. Do a quick check first. See photos of the dishes of each restaurant, see the prices and definitely don’t forget to read some of the most recent reviews.
Don’t just look at the overall rating. A restaurant may have more than 4.5 stars, but what people write in their reviews is more important. Do they mention specific dishes? Do they talk about fresh food? Are there Greeks among the customers? These often say more than just a number.
What to order
If it’s your first time trying Greek cuisine, don’t make the mistake of ordering a main course for each one of you. Greek food is better when shared. Start with some meze in the middle, a fresh salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, feta cheese, olive oil and oregano. Don’t forget to order tzatziki, tyrokauteri or eggplant salad. Then there are the meatballs, dolma, saganaki, fava, pies and of course feta cheese in many different versions. Then you can move on to the main courses and even share them, as most Greeks do. Some ideas for you:
- Moussaka with eggplant, minced meat and béchamel, with the layers binding together without making the dish too heavy.
- Souvlaki and gyros, one of the most characteristic street foods of Greece. Pork or chicken, pita, tomato, onion, potatoes and of course tzatziki.
- Don’t ignore the stews. Find a good Greek restaurant or tavern that has dishes of the day, such as gemista, giouvetsi, braised veal, pastitsio, lamb, broad beans, briam, giants and many more. These are just some of the dishes you might encounter on the table of a Greek family.
- Fish and seafood of course, since Greece’s relationship with the sea is timeless. Octopus, squid, shrimp and fresh fish are just a few of the options.
How we usually eat in Greece
Greek cuisine is not only about the food, but also about the way we eat. You might see a table of four with ten different dishes in the middle and everyone trying everything. This is completely normal for Greeks. They almost always order salad, appetizers, meze and main courses and share them. Eating can easily become a big gathering around the table with wine, beer, ouzo or tsipouro and lots of conversation. Often the meal lasts for hours and this is another integral part of Greek culture.
Where to find good Greek cuisine near you in Athens
If you are in the center of Athens, then you really have a lot of choices and within a short distance of each other. Monastiraki and Psirri have a lot of restaurants and taverns. They are two of the areas of the center that are crowded day and night.
Plaka is also a very good choice for food and has the advantage of being in one of the most beautiful parts of old Athens. However, you can also find very good food in less touristy places, such as Koukaki, Pagrati, Petralona and other neighborhoods of Athens.
How do you know if a Greek restaurant is good
There is no specific rule, but there are definitely a few things you should check. First, take a look at the customer photos. They are often more useful than the professional photos uploaded by the restaurant itself. Second is the menu. If you see seasonal dishes, daily specials and classic Greek recipes, then that’s a good sign. Third, look at the people in the shop. If you see families or groups of Greeks sitting around, then the owners probably doing something right. Fourth, don’t ignore the smells. Sometimes the grill is the best advertisement than any review.
Is Greek food suitable for vegetarians?
Although Greeks are known to love meat, traditional Greek cuisine also has many meatless dishes. Choriatiki, fava beans, dolmadakia with rice, briam, gemista without minced meat, eggplant salad, zucchini meatballs and many pies are just some of the options you have if you’re vegetarian.