Quick Lunch in Athens - Recommendations?

[Hydro ergo]

Hi All!

 

As I'm sure many of you have done, we've got a busy day in Athens.  We are going the DIY route and heading into town right away to see the Acropolis first.  After that we are hoping to also visit the Ancient Agora and Monistiraki Square.  Was hoping that someone might have a suggestion for a quick grab n' go type lunch in this area?  We would love some tasty Greek food, but don't want to sit and spend a long time at a restaurant.

 

thank you! 

[MeHeartCruising]

2 hours ago, Hydro ergo said:

Hi All!

 

As I'm sure many of you have done, we've got a busy day in Athens.  We are going the DIY route and heading into town right away to see the Acropolis first.  After that we are hoping to also visit the Ancient Agora and Monistiraki Square.  Was hoping that someone might have a suggestion for a quick grab n' go type lunch in this area?  We would love some tasty Greek food, but don't want to sit and spend a long time at a restaurant.

 

thank you! 

 

There are a ton of cafe type restaurants with outdoor seating along the streets in the Monistiraki area.  I seem to recall a fair number of places that had walk up windows where you could buy a kebab or gyro type handhelds and walk away and then find some place to sit down and eat it.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.  The area is a center of bustling activity.  Lots of places to eat that you can pick from.  Personally, I'd take 45 minutes to have a sit down lunch at one of the outdoor cafes and soak it all in.  Unless you have a really short day in port, you should have time.

[cruisemom42]

I agree with the above poster. You’ll easily find a place to eat a quick lunch in the area where you’ll be.

[marazul]

Restaurants in highly touristy areas are interested in giving you a tasty meal AND in turning over the tables.  Pick a nice outdoor taverna, enjoy the ambiance. You will get served quickly and be on your way. 

[Hydro ergo]

Thank you everyone, this is helpful. From what I had read in other sources there was a lot about lengthy meals around two hours. We plan to enjoy such an experience in other ports where we have more time available. There's so much that we want to see in Athens that we would rather do something quick. 45 minutes is definitely doable.  Thanks!

[cruisemom42]

54 minutes ago, Hydro ergo said:

Thank you everyone, this is helpful. From what I had read in other sources there was a lot about lengthy meals around two hours. We plan to enjoy such an experience in other ports where we have more time available. There's so much that we want to see in Athens that we would rather do something quick. 45 minutes is definitely doable.  Thanks!

As mentioned by one of the earlier responders, you will find restaurants where you order on the sidewalk through a window — generally souvlaki gyros and the like — then once you get it there are small cafe tables to sit and eat. It’s fast and good.

[Hlitner]

Guess you could always go to McDonalds!  :).  

[Milhouse]

Our most recent visit to Athens this spring was on a Sunday and quite a few of the places we wanted to visit/re-visit were closed.  

 

We enjoyed a relatively quick sit down lunch at a place called Atlantikos which is about a 5 minute walk from Monastiraki Square.  It's an inexpensive seafood restaurant where most people are eating on tables along the alleyway.  There are a few reviews on Google.  Enjoyed it.

 

We also grabbed a gyro from Bairaktaris' take-out window along Monastiraki Square.  Unfortunately it was probably my least fav gyro during our cruise.  

[ninjacat123]

We walked downhill after our morning at the Acropolis toward the start of the vendors in Monastiraki. Stopped at a sidewalk cafe called Sychophant. Had a delicious croqué madame and cappuccino.

[ninjacat123]

After that, we wandered and shopped through Monastiraki then stopped for some wine at a cafe up the hill from Hadrian’s Library called Klepsidra Cafe. Very charming and they did not rush us.