Athens restaurant recommendation 11th Aug 2009

[FirstClassDiva]

My husband and I will be in Athens on his birthday (11th August) having flown in that morning ready to take the Star Clipper 4 days later to Venice. As it will be his birthday I would like us to celebrate it Greek style.

 

I posted on Trip Advisor also and was advised that O Tzitzikas ke o Mermigas is a good Greek restaurant. Given restaurant choices are such subjective things, I thought I would see if anyone here has a special favorite in Athens. We are staying at the Grande Bretangue Hotel but distance from there doesn't really matter as we'll catch a cab if need be.

 

We love Greek food, red wine, seafood, meat, vegies...actually we love everything :-). I would love to find somewhere with a good friendly atmosphere, great food and not full of tourists.

 

Thanks if you have any ideas :-)

[Fafos]

O Tzitzikas ke o Mermigas has quality food but is very expencieve... before 15-20 days we pay 250 euros just for tranditional meze without main plate (5 persons)..

 

What food do you like? fish-sea food or meat-tranditional recipes?

[FirstClassDiva]

We love seafood especially freshly cooked on the grill or coals. That does seem a bit expensive just for meze. I worked it out at $90 Australian per person so I do consider that a little pricey for one dish although in saying that, I am always happy to pay for good food but I also like to feel I have value for money....lol. Don't we all? :)

 

We both do love Greek food however and are open to anything. I was thinking about somewhere where Greek people would eat at because then you know its good :-)

[Fafos]

Well...

 

Ploes

The best view!!! fresh fish, seafood and meat.. prices 30-45 euro pp

 

Papanastasiou 60 Kastella, Pireaus

 

their menu: http://www.ploes.gr/menu/menu_english12.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

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Kastelorizo...

 

a group with 4 restaurants... a bit expencive but very quality seafood and fresh fish (if you go there you must taste kakavia soup:p)

 

website: http://www.kastelorizo.com.gr/index.php?lang=en

 

 

 

 

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Varoulko..

 

very beutifull view, quality food, huge wines list, a bit expencive (60-100 euro pp)

 

Pireos 80, Metaxourgio, Athens

 

 

 

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Milos Estiatorio...

 

Quality food and very popular.. a bit expencive (50-100euros pp)

 

Vas. Sofias 46 (Hilton), Athens

 

website: http://www.milos.ca/en/athens/resto/index.html

 

 

 

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Notes: many tranditional restaurants can find at Plaka and Psiri area..

if you want eat fresh fish you have the right go in their kitchen and choose the fish who you want to eat!..

The tips are in price.. if you want can pay something more (5-10euro are enough:D)

 

you must taste "Garides Saganaki", "Kakavia Soup", Mydia Axnista" and "Octopus on coals"

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Oh please don't tell people to go to Psiri. I thought it was my secret! Don't want it to turn into the Plaka!

[cruisemom42]

By the way, thank you Fafos for all your recent contributions to this board. It's nice to have the perspective of someone local.

 

Your recommendations for restaurants look great!

[Fafos]

Wendy The Wanderer... the real life in Psiri is after 1:00 AM:D

 

cruisemom42.. the problem with most of these restaurants is that opening the evening:(

[FirstClassDiva]

Oooooo Fafos....a million thank you's for your time in compiling this list. I'm in Athens long enough so I can try them ALL.

 

Oh and I won't tell a soul about Psiri :-)))

 

We are all so fortunate to have this amazing bank of knowledge to call upon for assistance and it is very much appreciated.

 

Athens here I come...crack open the wine :-)

[cberge]

If you do not choose one of the one's already mentioned try Daphne's right outside the Plaka...wonderful place/food and a favorite of a few of us who have been to Athens.Make reservation's when you arrive or ask the hotel to.

[Fafos]

If you do not choose one of the one's already mentioned try Daphne's right outside the Plaka...wonderful place/food and a favorite of a few of us who have been to Athens.Make reservation's when you arrive or ask the hotel to.

 

 

yep.. is nice.. in there eating Hillary Clinton when visit Greece:D

 

is at Lisikratous st., 4 and the phone is (+30)210 3227971

 

http://www.daphnesrestaurant.gr/

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wendy The Wanderer... the real life in Psiri is after 1:00 AM:D

(

Yes, I remember that. We were jetlagged and up late, and wandered through the area from our hotel (Attalos). Had a great time listening to local musicians, which is what we like to do wherever we can.

[CintiPam]

Hi, Fafos, I am allergic to fish, so I am interested in your recommendations of any "meat/traditional recipes" restaurants not too far from the Athens Cypria. I will be in Athens in June, but jet-lagged, so I will have trouble eating dinner at 22:00, preferring 20:00 at latest.

 

Thanks for your advice. I have been enjoying your posts this past week.

[Fafos]

Hi, Fafos, I am allergic to fish, so I am interested in your recommendations of any "meat/traditional recipes" restaurants not too far from the Athens Cypria. I will be in Athens in June, but jet-lagged, so I will have trouble eating dinner at 22:00, preferring 20:00 at latest.

 

Thanks for your advice. I have been enjoying your posts this past week.

 

allergic to fish? oh, sorry about that.. I can't imagine my self without fish 2-3 times per week:cool:

 

All restaurants and Tavernas in Greece have meat in their menu... your hotel is in very good location because you are near everywhere (Plaka. Psiri, Monastiraki, Syntagma)

 

A very good mezedopoleio-restaurant is Taki 13 at Psiri area... there are 2 rooms, one room easy and the other with live Greek music some nights (late -after 12:00AM- you can see why Greeks live every day like be the last:D).. is open at 7:00PM and has very quality food.. you must taste their red wine..

 

the location is Taki 13 Psiri and you must call them at 210 3254707 if you want find a table..

 

is 10 minutes walking from your hotel:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Diomeias+St+5,+%CE%91%CE%B8%CE%AE%CE%BD%CE%B1,+10563,+Greece+(Athens+Cypria+Hotel)&daddr=taki+13,+athens,greece&geocode=&hl=en&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=37.977018,23.727036&sspn=0.005776,0.009656&ie=UTF8&ll=37.977128,23.727486&spn=0.005776,0.009656&z=17

[yannisusa]

FirstClassDiva

Let me congratulate you on your selection of your choice of hotel Grand Bretange. It is one of the nicest and classiest hotels in Europe that attracts head of states and famous people. Churchill used to stay there when in Greece.

From your posting I see that you like good Greek food and red wine. My suggestion for a truly authentic Greek restaurant is the “Byzantino” in the Plaka area under the Acropolis. It is located on 18 Kithadineon street (a pedesrianized area in the Plaka) and a very short walk from the Grand Bretange.

My suggestion for an authentic Greek meal , will start with a shot of “ouzo” on ice, followed by a “Saganaki”(special Kefalograviera cheese) baked in a metal dish, followed by a “Horiatiki Salata (village salad), with the main dish of a fish called“Tsipoura” that is grilled to perfection and with a side dish of “Patates fourno” oven roasted potatoes’. The fish is served with the head on and if that bothers you, have the waiter remove it before serving. The red wine by the carafe is descent.

Athens is my home town and go there every year. My wife who was born in USA loves the Byzantino and if it was up to her she will be going there for lunch and dinner every day.

We will again go there this September.

Yannis

[Fafos]

FirstClassDiva

Let me congratulate you on your selection of your choice of hotel Grand Bretange. It is one of the nicest and classiest hotels in Europe that attracts head of states and famous people. Churchill used to stay there when in Greece.

From your posting I see that you like good Greek food and red wine. My suggestion for a truly authentic Greek restaurant is the “Byzantino” in the Plaka area under the Acropolis. It is located on 18 Kithadineon street (a pedesrianized area in the Plaka) and a very short walk from the Grand Bretange.

My suggestion for an authentic Greek meal , will start with a shot of “ouzo” on ice, followed by a “Saganaki”(special Kefalograviera cheese) baked in a metal dish, followed by a “Horiatiki Salata (village salad), with the main dish of a fish called“Tsipoura” that is grilled to perfection and with a side dish of “Patates fourno” oven roasted potatoes’. The fish is served with the head on and if that bothers you, have the waiter remove it before serving. The red wine by the carafe is descent.

Athens is my home town and go there every year. My wife who was born in USA loves the Byzantino and if it was up to her she will be going there for lunch and dinner every day.

We will again go there this September.

Yannis

 

 

Geia sou Yanni:D

 

the best is if you find "free" tsipoura (non farmed) but is very special this fish and i you find will pay more 60-70 euro per kilo...

[CintiPam]

allergic to fish? oh, sorry about that.. I can't imagine my self without fish 2-3 times per week:cool:

 

All restaurants and Tavernas in Greece have meat in their menu... your hotel is in very good location because you are near everywhere (Plaka. Psiri, Monastiraki, Syntagma)

 

A very good mezedopoleio-restaurant is Taki 13 at Psiri area... there are 2 rooms, one room easy and the other with live Greek music some nights (late -after 12:00AM- you can see why Greeks live every day like be the last:D).. is open at 7:00PM and has very quality food.. you must taste their red wine..

 

the location is Taki 13 Psiri and you must call them at 210 3254707 if you want find a table..

 

is 10 minutes walking from your hotel:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Diomeias+St+5,+%CE%91%CE%B8%CE%AE%CE%BD%CE%B1,+10563,+Greece+(Athens+Cypria+Hotel)&daddr=taki+13,+athens,greece&geocode=&hl=en&mra=cc&dirflg=w&sll=37.977018,23.727036&sspn=0.005776,0.009656&ie=UTF8&ll=37.977128,23.727486&spn=0.005776,0.009656&z=17

 

Thank you for this very complete post, Fafos.

[Dbedros]

the problem with most of these restaurants is that opening the evening:(

 

Fafos, you are so correct. I will be in Athens for one day on 17 Nov 2009, which is a holiday. We have been to Athens before and thought that we would take a taxi to a restaurant for lunch. Most of those open for lunch appear to be in the Plaka area and we have walking limitations.

 

We love Greek food as it is close to our heritage and would appreciate recommendations for restaurants reachable by taxi from the port without a lot of walking. We like everything. I especially like the idea of meze, which will let me try alot of things in small portions.

 

Thanks inadvance for your help.

[Executioner]

I'm going to be in Athens on 26 September which our ship docks. We'll be there for roughly 7 hours we are planning on taking the Metro into Athens so we'll be on foot, I'm looking for a good place to eat lunch, relatively close to the Plaka would be nice (since I'll have two small kids with me (4,6). Can someone give a good recommendation?

[Fafos]

Fafos, you are so correct. I will be in Athens for one day on 17 Nov 2009, which is a holiday. We have been to Athens before and thought that we would take a taxi to a restaurant for lunch. Most of those open for lunch appear to be in the Plaka area and we have walking limitations.

 

We love Greek food as it is close to our heritage and would appreciate recommendations for restaurants reachable by taxi from the port without a lot of walking. We like everything. I especially like the idea of meze, which will let me try alot of things in small portions.

 

Thanks inadvance for your help.

 

Nov 17th is a holiday for schools and public offices... the shops are open... better don't go at the center of Athens because usual we have riots this day (special arround Syntagma square after noon)..

Kastella, is near port (read preview post about Ploes) and has many restaurants with "meze"... you can go to Microlimano too (is near port too)

 

Executioner@ every corner in Plaka has a restaurant... you can find easy that you want.. more of these restaurants have boards for read their prices and their menu...

[Hlitner]

We are also long time fans of Daphne's. It does not have the rooftop view of the Acropolis or the elegance of some higher priced restaurants, but it does have very good food and the location, just on the edge of the Plaka, in convenient for many hotels.

 

Hank

[Dbedros]

Thanks Fafos! We will try Ploes and post when we return in November.

[CintiPam]

We just returned from our fantastic Athens to Rome cruise on Oceania Nautica, and I post here to recommend highly the first-above-mentioned Tzitzikas and Mermigas near Syntagma Square for dinner. It is open throughout the day, and easily accessible by taxi. We ate there at 7 PM and the food was great. (Last September, we dined at Filistron on the pedestrian street just west of the Acropolis. The evening views from the lovely upstairs terrace were incredible, but we thought the food was very ordinary.)

 

Fafos, you are very helpful with your postings, but I differ with you regarding the cost of Tzitzikas; you must party with big eaters or drinkers to arrive at a 50 Euro per person price for just appetizers. Because we were jetlagged, we did not drink alcohol. We had the great 10-vegetable house salad, eggplant salad and fantastic chicken masticha for a total of 30 Euros for the two of us.

 

I also endorse a very reasonable lunch suggestion: the hot pies from Ariston bakery, also near Syntagma Square. We purchased three of them for the two of us and dined pleasantly al fresco by the curtain water feature in Syntagma Square for a few Euros. The pies were all good, but the mushroom pie is extraordinary.

 

Athens was lovely in June, and the Benaki and Cycladic museums were great places for visits in the heat of the day. (We had visited in September, so did not climb the Acropolis again.)

 

Hope this helps.

 

Pam

[Fafos]

We just returned from our fantastic Athens to Rome cruise on Oceania Nautica, and I post here to recommend highly the first-above-mentioned Tzitzikas and Mermigas near Syntagma Square for dinner. It is open throughout the day, and easily accessible by taxi. We ate there at 7 PM and the food was great. (Last September, we dined at Filistron on the pedestrian street just west of the Acropolis. The evening views from the lovely upstairs terrace were incredible, but we thought the food was very ordinary.)

 

Fafos, you are very helpful with your postings, but I differ with you regarding the cost of Tzitzikas; you must party with big eaters or drinkers to arrive at a 50 Euro per person price for just appetizers. Because we were jetlagged, we did not drink alcohol. We had the great 10-vegetable house salad, eggplant salad and fantastic chicken masticha for a total of 30 Euros for the two of us.

 

I also endorse a very reasonable lunch suggestion: the hot pies from Ariston bakery, also near Syntagma Square. We purchased three of them for the two of us and dined pleasantly al fresco by the curtain water feature in Syntagma Square for a few Euros. The pies were all good, but the mushroom pie is extraordinary.

 

Athens was lovely in June, and the Benaki and Cycladic museums were great places for visits in the heat of the day. (We had visited in September, so did not climb the Acropolis again.)

 

Hope this helps.

 

Pam

 

Welcome back Pam... I'm glad who you have a nice trip...

 

about prices at Tzitzikas and Mermigkas... you take a salad and 2 "mezedes" and pay 30 euro without alcool and this is cheap??.. this is very expencive for Greeks!! Last Saturday in a traditional "Ouzeri" at Athens:

 

3 persons... 1 salad politiki, 2 barbecued octopus, 1 stuffed squid (over 500 grammars), 1 mussels sizzle, 1 cuttlefish cooked on charcoal and 5 beers we pay 47 euro:p

[CintiPam]

Welcome back Pam... I'm glad who you have a nice trip...

 

about prices at Tzitzikas and Mermigkas... you take a salad and 2 "mezedes" and pay 30 euro without alcool and this is cheap??.. this is very expencive for Greeks!! Last Saturday in a traditional "Ouzeri" at Athens:

 

3 persons... 1 salad politiki, 2 barbecued octopus, 1 stuffed squid (over 500 grammars), 1 mussels sizzle, 1 cuttlefish cooked on charcoal and 5 beers we pay 47 euro:p

 

Thanks, Fafos, we really enjoyed our time in Athens.

 

About our difference regarding the prices at Tzitzikas; I did not say that Tzitzikas was cheap. But I believe that an excellent dinner with good service and pleasant surroundings for 15 Euros per person is far more reasonable than your stated amount of a dinner there for 50 Euros per person. Also, we did not consider the chicken masticha a "mezedes" but rather a main course. Anyway, I stick to my recommendation of this place for a nice meal at any time of the day in a very central location.

 

Certainly for a truly cheap meal, the pies from Ariston cannot be surpassed.

 

Pam

[Fafos]

Well, we have different filosophy about food.. that who you eat is a little start for me before main plates:p

 

I know about nice service but I can't pay these prices just for service...:D