Where to Enjoy Street FoodThe most popular Greek street food but also fast food is souvlaki (plural souvlakia). It comes in three basic forms, tylihto, i.e. wrapped in pita bread, served on a kalamaki skewer, or served open on a plate. It consists of small pieces of meat (mostly pork although chicken or lamb may be offered) and vegetables such as tomatoes, onion and green peppers grilled on a skewer over charcoal. It is usually served in a pita (a form of pre-baked, partially leavened flat round bread with a diameter of approximately 15 cm) sandwich with garnishes and sauces, or open on a dinner plate, most often with french fried potatoes. You will find places serving souvlaki in every neighborhood that respects itself and in unbelievable numbers. Some are just a hole in the wall or canteen-style, others are like fast food joints. Make sure to try it, or you've never really visited Athens!
Greece ranks second in the world when it comes to best, most preferred cuisine, according to TravelAtlas, based on 100,000 questionnaires. Greece gathered 4.73 points, second to Italy's 4.78, and best dishes were chortopita, antikrysto and ribs. Best Greek products were Santorini fava beans, Maleme Chania oranges, and Pine-Thyme Honey of Crete. Most favorite dishes were Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers, Stifado, Mydia, and Pastistio. Ntakos salad, Greek Salad, Meat Balls, and Fried Squid ranked at the top, best cheese included graviera from Crete, while best desserts included galaktoboureko and bougatsa. Athens, in particular, is also well known for a variety of pies, such as tyropita (cheese-pie made with layers of buttered phyllo and filled with a cheese-egg mixture), spanakopita, (a variation with spinach), as well as bougatsa (a sweet version with sugar and cinnamon). Tyropita comes in several varieties, such as: Kourou, surrounded by a thick pastry; Sfoliata, surrounded by puff-pastry; Horiatiki, made in a pan, Tyropitakia, bite-sized, Skopelitiki, made in the shape of a twirl, and many, many others. Regular tyropita fillings usually consist of feta cheese, egg, butter and yogurt. However, kasseropita contains kasseri instead of feta cheese and, unlike regular tyropita, does not contain yogurt. Tyropita is usually eaten in the mid-morning by Greeks as a snack. Typical Greek breakfast consists mostly of coffee, although this gradually improves with the younger generations that became aware of the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We should not neglect to include here, canteens serving vromiko, i.e. all styles of hot dogs, but also quality variations of street food in food trucks parked in strategically selected spots, mostly at late night.
Ariston Bakery Lombotessi, 10 Voulis St., Syntagma
tel.: 210 322 7626 since 1910, traditional Greek pies Chicken Chef, 1 Amynandrou St & Kolokotroni, Koukaki tel.: 210 923 44 54 all about chicken, take away and delivery only Etnico, 22 Kolokotroni & Havriou Sts., Syntagma tel.: 211 411 3880 ethnic Latin-American street-food, till late at night Falafellas Street Food, 51 Aiolou St, Agias Eirinis Sq. tel.:210 323 9809 excellent falafel street food Feyrouz, 23 Karori & Agathonos Sts., Downtown tel.: 213 031 8060 www.feyrouz.gr informal Lebanese restaurant serving classic street food, desserts & truffles, plus tea & coffee Fillo Food & Coffee, 11 Voulis St., Syntagma tel.: 210 321 5373 delicious traditional pies from all over Greece Guarantee, 41 Veikou St., Koukaki tel.: 210 922 6924 Daily except Sunday 10:00-17:00 excellent innovative sandwiches of top quality, our most preferred! Harry's Kitchen, 2 Axarlian Street, off Voulis St., Syntagma tel.: 211 115 2864 homemade-style pies Hoocut, 9 Agias. Eirinis Sq. tel.: 210 324 0026 - www.hoocut.gr excellent pita, souvlaki, etc. Kostas, 7 Philellinon St., Syntagma tel.: 210 322 8502 the best souvlaki there is! - lunchtime only Mam, Pesmazoglou & Stadiou Sts., and Panepistimiou & Ippokratous Sts, Downtown tel.: 210 321 4338 - open 7:00 to 18:00 excellent kuru tyropita cheesepie Mozzart Pizza, 1 Chrisospiliotissis St., Downtown tel.: 210 321 4183 pizza, what else? Mikro Politiko, 8 Dionyssiou Areopagitou St., Acropolis tel.: 210 321 7879 souvlaki, kebab, etc. lunch only Mirch, 109 Ermou St., Monastiraki tel.: 210 323 9759 Indian cuisine, take-away and delivery Neoklassiko, 20 Karageorgi Servias & Lekka Sts., Syntagma tel.: 210 331 8810 souvlaki - kebab - grilled meat Not Just Falafel, 16 Romvis & Perikleous Sts., Syntagma tel.: 210 321 1393 middle East food exprerience PanDora, 1 Lembesi St., Acropolis tel.: 210 922 7782 handmade traditional pies and Greek cuisine Pera, 57 Aiolou & Vyssis Sts., Agias Eirinis Sq. tel.: 210 323 2368 oriental Street Food The Pie Shop, 16 Voulis St., Syntagma tel.: 211 403 7328 excellent home-style savory and sweet pies Po' Boys BBQ, 12 Agatharchou & Lepeniotou Sts., Psyri tel.: 210 323 4672 - www.poboysbbq.gr authentic Southern BBQ and the low and slow smoked meats in the Athenian audience Poke Hawaiian Sushi, 7 Petraki St., tel.: 210 322 6653 a small street food restaurant in the heart of Athens, specializing in Poké bowls, the Hawaiian version of sushi Street Wok, 21 Aiolou, Monastiraki tel.: 213 040 1446 - www.streetwok.gr To Koulouri tou Psyri, 23 Karaiskaki St., Psyri tel.: 210 321 5962 the source for the best koulouri sold in Athens Zisis, 3 Athinaidos Street, Agias Eirinis Sq. tel.: 210 321 1152 - www.zisisfish.gr delicious and inexpensive take-away and sit-in seafood |
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