Most peoples' experiences of Greek food will be as a fast food in the UK - hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Greek cuisine when you get to Athens. Of course there's the gyros (kebabs), and souvlaki (Greek equivalent of a burger) but try some of the local lamb or fish dishes to get a true taste of Greek cuisine.
You'll find that tavernas are the more relaxed, friendly eating establishments as opposed to estiatorion, which are more formal restaurants. Central Athens is packed with small restaurants, cafés and eateries, and our general rule of thumb is that if the place you're stood outside is populated with Greeks that it can't be all that bad. A lot of the restaurants around Plaka are aimed at tourists, but there are some genuine local places to be found and enjoyed.
If you're looking for the local tipple, try some Retsina, Ouzo or Metaxa, and you're sure to have a good night (but possibly a painful morning!)
Main Drinking Areas
Because we’re a hard working and dedicated lot at the FSF we took it upon ourselves to do some extensive research about where to go eating and drinking whilst in Athens. A tough job, but somebody had to do it.
There are many squares with plenty of bars in and around the centre of Athens. The Psyri area (Monastiraki or Thisseio stops, Metro Lines 1 and 3), just north of Plaka has a number of smart bars and restaurants which line the streets between Ermou Street, Athinas Street and Monastiraki.
Most evening bars are open from 7pm right through to the early hours of the morning and there are also bars that are open from midday through to 8 / 9pm.
A word of warning: if you are a single male, beware of friendly strangers approaching and starting conversations. You might be led to a pub where an outrageously expensive bill will be presented. This kind of pub scam has been happening for years, but the police can do little to help you if you’ve already paid. Two places to avoid are “Pub Love” and “New York Pub”, both on the same street in Plaka.
Irish & English Pubs
There are a couple of “Irish” (in the loosest sense of the word) pubs, including Mike’s Irish Bar at 6 Sinopis Street, Ambelokipi, which is reached by taking the metro to Megaro Mousikis station, followed by a 200 metre walk towards Athens Tower.
A more authentic Irish pub run and staffed by Irish folk is Molly Malone’s on Yannitsopoulou 8, Glyfada, a southern suburb of Athens famous for being the playground of the rich and famous, which is full of bars and restaurants, including the Brown Bear, the Sussex Inn and the Bayern Bierhaus. The area is linked to Athens city centre by the two main streets of Posidonos and Vouliagmenis and by the T2 tram which runs from Syntagma to Glyfada. You’ll need to go around 30 stops, but it will only cost you E0.60 each way.
Restaurants
When you fancy some food to soak up the beer you’ll find the usual selection of food outlets in the city centre, including the familiar sights of McDonalds, Pizza Hut and KFC.
If you want something more substantial to eat, then head to Psiri, the district beside Monastiraki metro station. Here you’ll find lots of restaurants, tavernas and bars.
