Athens has become one of Europe’s most exciting dining cities. A new generation of chefs is reinterpreting Greek ingredients with confidence, while the city’s classic tavernas keep the everyday rhythm of the table alive. Here are six places that capture the range, based on current Michelin Guide listings.
Delta
Led by chefs George Papazacharias and Thanos Feskos, Delta holds two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star for sustainability. Based at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, its philosophy is built around reducing waste and presenting Greek cuisine to an international audience.
Spondi
In Pangrati, near the Panathenaic Stadium, Spondi offers contemporary French cooking under chef Arnaud Bignon. Michelin inspectors point to its vaulted dining rooms and two Mediterranean-inspired terraces. Guests can choose between à la carte and a Discovery tasting menu.
Tudor Hall
On the seventh floor of the King George hotel, Tudor Hall looks over Syntagma Square towards the Acropolis. Chef Asterios Koustoudis cooks refined modern Greek dishes with a focus on slow cooking, seasonal produce and close relationships with local producers. It has held a Michelin star since 2023.
Hytra
Set in the garden of the Megaron Music Hall, Hytra is a Michelin-starred modern Greek restaurant with a balcony for dining under the stars. Herbs come from its own kitchen garden, and a vegetarian tasting menu, Think Green, offers an alternative to the main menu.
Pharaoh
In Exarchia, Pharaoh is a Bib Gourmand restaurant where chef Manolis Papoutsakis cooks everything over wood or charcoal. The setting is industrial and lively, with an open kitchen, a large balcony and the occasional vinyl DJ.
Akra
Back in Pangrati, Akra is a Bib Gourmand counter-dining restaurant from chefs Giannis Loukakis and Spiros Pediaditakis. Guests sit beside the chef or at the wood-fired grill, the menu changes daily, and a front bakery scents the room.
Planning Your Table
The strongest Athens tables share a sense of place: Greek produce, a clear point of view and a setting that feels unmistakably of the city. Book ahead for the starred restaurants, and confirm opening hours and menus directly with each venue, as they change with the season.
Related reading: Italy in the Tropics: Southeast Asia’s Most Elegant Italian Tables and Istanbul Beyond the Postcard.
