Athens, Greece
Location
Cities change, and so does this guide.
Revisited and refreshed in October 2026.
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Athens is a city of contrasts, where ancient history meets a dense urban fabric and a distinctly Mediterranean rhythm, all underpinned by a slightly unruly quality that is central to its appeal. Classical landmarks rise above apartment blocks and tangled streets, neighbourhood squares spill into pavement cafés, and life often unfolds outdoors well into the night.
Both chaotic and intimate, polished and rough-edged, this is a city rooted in tradition yet constantly absorbing new ideas. In recent years, a new generation of chefs, bakers, hoteliers, artists and designers has added fresh energy to Athens without smoothing away its idiosyncrasies. Old workshops sit beside contemporary galleries, traditional tavernas coexist with ambitious restaurants, and improvised street life remains as important to the city’s character as its cultural institutions.
Our city guide highlight this many-sided Athens through the places that best capture its creativity, informality and evolving sense of style.
Perianth Hotel. Photography by Ana Santl Andersen.
Apollo Palm Hotel. Photography by Christos Drazos.
Apollo Palm Hotel
Tucked into a quieter pocket of Psyri, Apollo Palm offers a softer counterpoint to the neighbourhood’s busy streets. Rooms range from compact doubles to lofts and suites, including options with Acropolis views, while outdoor spaces play a central role in the experience: a leafy courtyard provides an unexpectedly secluded retreat at ground level and the rooftop opens the hotel back up to the city skyline. It’s an easy-going base for exploring Monastiraki, Kerameikos and the historic centre on foot.
AthensWas
Few Athens hotels place you quite so emphatically within the city’s archaeological heart. AthensWas sits directly on Dionysiou Areopagitou, the pedestrian promenade skirting the Acropolis, just minutes from the Acropolis Museum. Inside, the mood is clean-lined and contemporary: Greek marble and walnut are paired with Italian furnishings in a deliberately understated interpretation of classical refinement. The rooftop SENSE restaurant capitalises on the setting with an unusually direct view towards the Parthenon.
Conrad Athens The Ilisian
Reborn in 2026 as Conrad Athens The Ilisian, the former Athens Hilton retains the modernist gravitas that has made it a city landmark since 1963. The transformation preserves defining elements including Yiannis Moralis’ monumental marble façade while introducing a warmer, contemporary language of stone, timber and Greek art. Its 278 rooms and suites, extensive wellness facilities, restaurants and landmark outdoor pool position the hotel within the broader framework of Τhe Ilisian, a new multi-use destination that extends the building's relevance well beyond the confines of hospitality. (read more)
Conrad Athens The Ilisian. Photography by Nick Kontostavlakis.
Conrad Athens The Ilisian. Photography by Nick Kontostavlakis.
Ergon Bakehouse. Photography by Mirto Iatropoulou - Mia Dorier.
ERGON Bakehouse Athens
A hotel built around bread may sound like a gimmick, but ERGON Bakehouse takes the proposition seriously. An artisanal bakery and all-day eatery occupy the ground floor, while 29 rooms above translate the theme into calm, contemporary interiors of dark timber and warm cream, chocolate and grain-like tones, with subtle references to Japanese ryokan design. Centrally positioned between Syntagma and Monastiraki, it turns the simple ritual of freshly baked bread into the organising idea for an entire stay.
Fresh Hotel
Fresh Hotel’s 2023 expansion brought Italian designer Paola Navone and OTTO Studio into the fold, linking its original modernist building with a restored neoclassical property on Athinas Street. Navone approached the two contrasting architectures as a reflection of Athens itself, layering contemporary, neoclassical and folkloric references with graphic patterns, handmade ceramics and an emphatic palette of Greek blues. Several of the newer rooms look towards the Acropolis, while the rooftop restaurant, bar and pool terrace places the city centre firmly in view.
Kuka Luxury Suites. Photography by Vangelis Paterakis.
Kuka Luxury Suites
Set on a quiet Koukaki backstreet, Kuka Luxury Suites transforms a typical mid-century Athenian apartment building into a serene, residential-style stay within walking distance of the Acropolis. Interiors by Studio Bonarchi pair muted tones, dark timber and travertine with bouclé upholstery and bespoke furnishings, creating a restrained, tactile atmosphere. Accommodation ranges from suites to one- and two-bedroom apartments, including a ground-floor residence with a secluded pool and a penthouse with its own terrace and hot tub.
Max Brown Downtown
Formerly Dave Red Athens, this Omonia hotel was relaunched as Max Brown Downtown in 2025. Its 87 rooms retain an informal, playful spirit, with record players among the brand’s signature touches, while a rooftop overlooking Lycabettus Hill provides breathing space above the dense city centre. The appeal is as much about location as design: this is Athens in one of its grittier, more kinetic neighbourhoods, within easy reach of downtown markets, museums and the increasingly creative streets around Omonia.
Mona
Shila’s sister property swaps Kolonaki refinement for the rawer energy of Psyri. Housed in a former 1950s textile factory, Mona retains the property’s industrial DNA with exposed concrete, visible pipelines and distressed terrazzo floors softened by sheer fabrics, antiques and contemporary art. Its 20 open-plan rooms have an intentionally theatrical, lived-in quality, while the café, basement venue and rooftop extend the concept beyond accommodation into exhibitions, performances, supper clubs and other creative happenings.
Mona. Photography by Eftihia Stefanidi.
Monsieur Didot. Photography by Ioanna Roufopoulou.
Monsieur Didot
Behind a dusky-pink neoclassical façade near Kolonaki, Monsieur Didot feels more like an elegant private residence than a conventional hotel. The late-19th-century townhouse has just six rooms and suites, its original stucco ceilings, marble details and grand staircase carefully retained alongside restrained contemporary furnishings. Literary references are woven into its identity—the surrounding neighbourhood has long been associated with publishers and bookshops—giving this intimate guesthouse a cultured character that suits its quietly residential setting. (read more)
Monument
Monument occupies an 1881 mansion by Ernst Ziller, the architect who helped define the neoclassical face of modern Athens. Following a painstaking restoration, its nine rooms retain elaborate painted ceilings, tall windows and generous proportions, set against muted colours and contemporary Scandinavian furniture. The result avoids the stiffness sometimes associated with historic hotels: intimate and quietly luxurious, yet firmly connected to the surrounding streets of Psyri, whose workshops, restaurants and everyday bustle unfold directly outside.
Photography © OKUPA.
OKUPA
Part hotel, part social hub, Okupa approaches hospitality as a way of bringing travellers and Athenians into the same orbit. In Psyri, private rooms and shared accommodation are joined by communal lounges and kitchens, a restaurant and listening bar, event spaces and a rooftop pool. Vintage and mid-century furnishings, record collections, books and pieces by independent Greek designers give the interiors an eclectic, collected feel, while a programme of music, screenings and creative events keeps the building connected to the city around it.
Perianth Hotel
Occupying a 1930s building whose curved balconies overlook lively Agia Irini Square, Perianth channels the geometry and glamour of the interwar period without becoming retro pastiche. Black marble, terrazzo, tubular bronze details, muted colour and contemporary artworks shape its interiors, while a Zen centre on the first floor offers yoga, meditation and martial arts classes. Step outside and the mood changes instantly: bars, cafés, markets and Monastiraki’s constant street life are all within a few minutes’ walk.
Shila
Hidden inside a 1920s neoclassical residence on a pedestrian street in upscale Kolonaki, six-suite Shila unfolds somewhere between boutique hotel, collector’s home and creative salon. Original terrazzo floors, high ceilings and architectural details meet locally made furniture, vintage fabrics and a rotating collection of contemporary art. Two leafy patios and a lush roof garden reinforce its sense of seclusion, while exhibitions, artist residencies and intimate gatherings make creativity part of the hotel’s everyday life.
The Dolli
Housed in a landmark 1925 building, The Dolli brings unabashed glamour to the historic centre. Its preserved neoclassical shell encloses an eclectic collection of art, antiquities and design, from works by Picasso, Cocteau and Calder to sculptural contemporary furniture, while the 46 pale-toned rooms provide a calmer backdrop. The showstopper is upstairs: an infinity pool and rooftop restaurant appear almost level with the Parthenon, producing one of Athens’ most arresting hotel views.
Photography © The Foundry Suites Athens.
The Foundry Suites Athens
A former 1930s type foundry in Psirri provides an unusually apt setting for this collection of 12 loft-like suites. Exposed stone, industrial windows and surviving architectural traces are mixed with mid-century pieces, patterned wallpapers and bespoke timber and metal furniture, while proper kitchens and generous workspaces make the suites particularly suited to longer stays. Upstairs, a densely planted roof garden frames views of the Acropolis and doubles as a relaxed spot for breakfast, wine and seasonal evening gatherings.
The Modernist. Photography by Ioanna Roufopoulou.
The Modernist Athens
Set in the former Canadian Embassy on a quiet Kolonaki street, The Modernist pairs the building’s mid-century pedigree with a restrained contemporary makeover. Anthracite timber, black marble, brass and polished concrete give the interiors a sophisticated edge, softened by Scandinavian-inflected furnishings and objects by Athenian artists and makers. Its location at the foot of Lycabettus Hill makes it particularly well placed for exploring Kolonaki’s galleries, museums and boutiques.
Ace Hotel & Swim Club
Ace’s first Greek outpost inhabits the former Fenix Hotel, a 1972 Brutalist landmark in Glyfada reworked by French studio Ciguë with Georges Batzios Architects. Restored cubic balconies and strong geometric lines establish its Greek Modernist framework, while timber, handmade ceramics, bespoke furniture and 1960s and ’70s vintage pieces introduce the easygoing spirit of a Riviera resort. A wide-ranging art programme featuring contemporary Greek artists runs throughout the 120 rooms and communal spaces, while the poolside Swim Club turns the hotel into a social destination in its own right. (read more)
Four Seasons Astir Palace
Few properties are as entwined with the mythology of the Athens Riviera as Astir Palace. A glamorous haunt since the 1960s, the sprawling Vouliagmeni resort reopened under Four Seasons in 2019, bringing its modernist architecture and seaside bungalows into the present without erasing their retro character. Its 30-hectare pine-covered peninsula encompasses the Arion and Nafsika buildings, secluded bungalows, three private beaches, pools, a spa and numerous restaurants, all arranged around sweeping views of the Saronic Gulf.
Grand Resort Lagonissi
Spread across a 72-acre private peninsula jutting into the Saronic Gulf, the long-established resort feels almost self-contained, with 5.2 kilometres of coastline and 16 private beaches. Accommodation ranges from sea-view rooms to waterfront bungalows, suites and villas, many with private pools or direct access to the water. Its expansive grounds and relative seclusion make it less a base for exploring Athens than a fully fledged seaside escape within reach of the capital.
One&Only Aesthesis. Photography Rupert Peace.
One&Only Aesthesis
Occupying the storied grounds of Asteria Beach in Glyfada, once a playground for the Athenian jet set and a backdrop for 1960s Greek cinema, One&Only Aesthesis revives the Riviera’s mid-century glamour for a new era. Architects AUDO, A6Architects and K-Studio, with interiors by Muza Lab, took cues from the original modernist beach club, scattering low-slung bungalows and villas among mature gardens and the shoreline. Private pools, Greece’s first Guerlain Spa and a clutch of waterfront restaurants complete the polished resort experience.
The Margi
A Vouliagmeni fixture since 1960, The Margi offers a more intimate, family-run alternative to the Riviera’s large-scale resorts. Now in its third generation, the 89-room hotel combines warm Mediterranean interiors, handcrafted furniture and earthy tones with a lush pool that forms the social heart of the property. Food is another defining thread: much of the produce used in its kitchens comes from the family’s organic farm in nearby Kalyvia, while the hotel also operates the stylish Krabo beach restaurant on a secluded cove nearby.
Anana Coffee & Food
A central-Athens mainstay for speciality coffee and vegetarian eating, Anana serves an extensive selection of vegan cakes, cinnamon rolls, raw treats and light savouries. Its clean Scandinavian-meets-Bauhaus interior provides a calm counterpoint to busy Praxitelous Street.
Asterisque
This entirely gluten-free bakery in Mets proves that dietary necessity needn’t mean compromise. Certified gluten-free flours become sourdough loaves, bagels, savouries and pastries including an exquisite Basque cheesecake, presented in a serene interior designed by architect and set designer Tina Tzoka.
behold theman
This Exarchia café pairs excellent single-origin coffee with a spacious Bauhaus- and De Stijl-inflected interior. Cold-pressed juices, baked goods and Greek microbrews broaden the offering, while its art-school energy makes it feel firmly rooted in the neighbourhood.
Foyer Espresso Bar
A coffee-first Pangrati favourite serving rotating beans from international speciality roasters alongside pastries, cakes and sandwiches made in its tiny in-house bakery. A compact selection of coffee books, independent magazines and brewing equipment adds to its enthusiast appeal.
Hygge Athens
Scandinavian baking meets Athenian neighbourhood culture at this Neapoli bakery, where sourdough breads sit alongside cinnamon and cardamom buns, Swedish sweets and sandwiches. Its name captures the idea nicely: good baking as an everyday form of comfort.
Jesus Crust
Playful biblical branding meets serious baking at Jesus Crust in Neo Psychiko. Naturally leavened breads form the backbone of the menu, joined by focaccia, viennoiserie and inventive sandwiches, with rotating Saturday specials (including our favourite, the cream-filled Berliner doughnut) rewarding repeat visits.
KICK
Part café, part cultural space, Kick encapsulates Kypseli’s creative streak. Coffee, sandwiches and pastries share the building with independent fashion and a basement gallery that doubles as a live music venue, while weekend brunch adds another reason to visit.
Koita
Designed by Yatzer founder Costas Voyatzis, Koita is an all-day Glyfada hybrid that moves from café and microbakey in the morning to dining bar in the evening with Mediterranean sharing plates by chef Pavlos Kyriakis and zero-waste cocktails, centred around a generous bar and clean-lined, urban interiors.
KORA Kolonaki
One of the bakeries that helped propel Athens’ new-wave bread scene, Kora specialises in naturally leavened sourdough and meticulous viennoiserie. Recently renovated, it now also incorporates a deli stocked with honey, preserves, olive oil, cheeses, charcuterie and wines, sourced largely from Greek producers.
La Linda Bakery & Café
Bringing South American baking traditions to Glyfada, La Linda fills its austere, concrete-lined space with medialunas, empanadas, alfajores, sourdough breads and its signature fluffy bizcocho croissants, all produced in a large open workshop visible from the café.
Monokeros Bakery
Monokeros puts sourdough, slow fermentation and high-quality grains at the centre of its Pangrati offering. Under baker George Hatziioannidis, the repertoire has expanded into inventive pastries such as yuzu-pistachio buns and croissant-dough pastéis de nata.
Neropistolo
French boulangerie technique meets Greek ingredients at this playful Voulis Street bakery. Croissants, slow-fermented sourdough and inventive savouries fill the counters, while playful interiors and the recurring water-pistol motif, both by Yatzer founder Costas Voyatzis, give the space its mischievous identity.
72H Artisanal Bakery & Eatery
Time is the key ingredient at 72H, where long fermentation gives sourdough breads and viennoiserie greater depth of flavour. The central Athens bakery combines an old-school respect for process with a distinctly contemporary presentation of loaves, pastries and sandwiches.
72H Artisanal Bakery. © ERGON Foods
Temps Perdu. Photography by Giagkos Papadopoulos.
Temps Perdu. Photography by Giagkos Papadopoulos.
Temps Perdu Syntagma
Taking its name from Proust, Temps Perdu approaches pastry as a contemporary dough lab, marrying French technique with an industrial, minimalist aesthetic. Expect sharply laminated croissants and other buttery creations that make a persuasive case for lingering over breakfast.
The Black Salami Microbakery
A cult Exarchia microbakery built around naturally leavened bread, crisp focaccia and generously filled sandwiches. The bread is very much the point, but imaginative combinations, often incorporating Greek ingredients and deli traditions, have made the sandwiches equally destination-worthy.
Williwaw Café & Canteen
Located in the hip Kypseli neighbourhood, Williwaw pairs serious coffee with a pared-back, neighbourhood feel. House-made pastries, sourdough sandwiches and savoury brioche dishes round out a menu that feels considered without becoming fussy.
Athénée
An Athenian institution dating to 1939, Athénée brings old-school cosmopolitan glamour to the corner of Voukourestiou and Panepistimiou. Revived by the Panas brothers, it functions from morning until late as restaurant, café and bar with an unmistakably grand-city atmosphere. (read more)
Birdman Japanese Bar + Grill
A Japanese pub and grill by Ari Vezené where yakitori, kushiyaki, rare-breed beef and seafood are cooked over open fire. Tokyo jazz-kissa influences, an analogue hi-fi system and a strong drinks programme make it as much a bar as a restaurant.
Cinapos
Set in an 1845 neoclassical building in Thissio, Cinapos centres on straightforward Greek cooking and convivial sharing. Local ingredients and recipes inspired by family kitchens are served around long tables and in a leafy courtyard anchored by an olive tree.
Dourambeis
A Piraeus seafood institution operating since 1932, Dourambeis remains devoted to classic fish cookery. Fresh catch, shellfish and simply grilled or fried seafood take precedence over novelty, served in a dining room steeped in maritime nostalgia.
EKIBEN KITCHEN Syntagma
A casual offshoot of the Birdman universe, Ekiben applies Japanese and Asian influences to comfort food with a distinctly irreverent streak. Its cult Birdman Smash burger now has a permanent place on the menu alongside ramen and rotating specials.
Linou Soumpasis & Sia
Self-described as a “simple restaurant, office, candles”, this idiosyncratic Psyri address combines pared-back seasonal cooking with sparse metallic tables, natural beeswax candles, art and design projects. The emphasis is on good ingredients, simplicity and the conviviality of sharing a table.
Manári Taverna
Ari Vezené’s contemporary take on the Greek taverna revolves around live-fire cooking, whole-animal butchery and unfussy sharing plates. Lamb chops, offal, whole fish and seasonal vegetables arrive straight from the grill in a lively square-side setting.
Manari. Photography by Ioanna Jejumi.jpg
Oikonomou Tavern
One of Athens’ great old-school tavernas, Oikonomou has been serving home-style Greek cooking in Ano Petralona since 1930. Stews, oven dishes and other mageirefta remain the draw, with decades of history still palpable in the unpretentious dining room.
Papadakis
Chef Argiro Barbarigou brings the flavours of her native Paros to Kolonaki through refined Aegean cooking centred on fresh fish, seafood and Greek produce. Chickpeas, fava, shellfish and island recipes keep the menu rooted in Cycladic tradition.
Papaioannou Vouliagmeni
Giorgos Papaioannou’s Vouliagmeni outpost brings his celebrated seafood cooking right to the water’s edge. Impeccably sourced fresh fish and shellfish are treated with minimal intervention, making the setting on Kavouri’s coastline feel like a natural extension of the menu.
Pelekanos Ouzeri
A contemporary ouzeri with the soul of an island fish taverna. Much of the seafood and produce arrives from Tinos, transformed into both classic and playful meze and served on a quiet Metaxourgeio pedestrian street with ouzo, tsipouro and Greek wines.
Pharaoh
Traditional Greek cooking meets vinyl culture at this atmospheric Exarchia restaurant, where chef Manolis Papoutsakis cooks entirely over wood fire and charcoal. Seasonal ingredients, an extensive natural-wine list and DJ sets played from vinyl complete the experience.
Pharaoh. Photography by Alex Antoniadis.
Raw Bata
Chef Chronis Damalas brings together pristine raw fish, Japanese influences and Greek comfort-food references at this relaxed neighbourhood restaurant in Ampelokipi. The menu shifts with the market, moving easily between sashimi-like preparations and more familiar Mediterranean flavours.
Seychelles
Located on Metaxourgeio’s main square, Seychelles helped define Athens’ modern neo-taverna movement. Rural Greek recipes and carefully sourced regional produce are brought into an urban, contemporary setting, with plates designed for sharing over wine and spirits.
Sister
An intimate Neo Psychiko restaurant where Thai flavours meet the mood of an Athenian living room. Tom kha kai and other Southeast Asian dishes arrive against a backdrop of books, art, vintage details and Ethiopian jazz spinning on the record player.
Ta Kanária
Open in Moschato since 1950 and still run by the founding family, Ta Kanaria keeps things wonderfully concise: fresh fish and seafood, tomato salad, feta and little else. The vine-shaded garden and untouched vintage interior are part of its enduring charm.
Tanpopo
Named after Jūzō Itami’s cult 1985 film about the pursuit of perfect ramen, Tanpopo takes the subject appropriately seriously. Expect deeply flavoured broths, handmade-style noodles and Japanese staples spanning tonkotsu and shoyu ramen to katsukare.
Taverna Aoritis
Traditional Greek cooking with strong Cretan roots and a focus on seasonality and provenance. Ingredients come from small producers around Greece, accompanied by Greek and international wines, beers and, fittingly, a generous selection of tsikoudia.
Taverna ton Filon
Reviving a Kolonos taverna whose history dates back to 1958, chef Giannis Mousios and sommelier Giorgos Kontorizos balance white-tablecloth nostalgia with a contemporary culinary sensibility. The daily-changing menu subtly refines familiar Greek dishes, while a carefully priced selection of Greek wines, ouzo and tsipouro keeps the experience firmly rooted in tradition.
The Twenty One
This polished Kifissia restaurant and bar combines seasonal French and Mediterranean cooking with the atmosphere of a stylish neighbourhood meeting place. Art, design and a leafy terrace frame a menu spanning refined mains, pasta and pizza to cocktails and a dessert trolley.
Tre Sorelle Pizza
A neighbourhood Italian favourite in Pangrati, Tre Sorelle is best known for its Neapolitan-style pizzas, made with dough fermented for 48 hours and baked in a traditional Italian oven. More recently, it has expanded the menu with pasta dishes, including carbonara, cacio e pepe and slow-cooked ragù.
Yperokeanio
Former sea captain Andreas Kantsos channels his island roots into one of Piraeus’ most characterful seafood tavernas. Order ouzo and work through taramosalata, grilled sardines, calamari, seafood orzo and ladenia, the onion-and-tomato flatbread of Kimolos.
Zigoala
Set in a former Omonia mageireio, Zigoala filters Greek cooking through chef Vasilis Chamam Levantine heritage. A concise menu folds flavours such as za’atar, cardamom and tahini into familiar ingredients and dishes, while the bright, nostalgic dining room channels the spirit of a contemporary Athenian gastrotaverna.
Aleria
Chef Gikas Xenakis revisits Greek-Mediterranean cuisine through seasonal produce and contemporary technique at this elegant Metaxourgeio restaurant, housed in a restored 19th-century neoclassical mansion. Two flexible tasting menus, including a vegetarian option, are backed by an extensive wine cellar.
CTC Urban Gastronomy
At his Michelin-starred restaurant, chef Alexandros Tsiotinis turns modern Greek gastronomy into an element of surprise through an 11-course blind tasting menu. In warmer months, the verdant courtyard adds another layer to the experience.
Gallina
Part contemporary bistro, part art space, Gallina brings French technique together with Greek ingredients in an open-kitchen setting in Koukaki. Seafood, dry-aged meats and an ambitious cellar of more than 800 labels make it particularly suited to leisurely dinners.
Gorlomi
Roman chef Luca Piscazzi brings polished Italian cooking to this elegant Kolonaki restaurant, pairing refined comfort food with an extensive cellar of around 200 labels, predominantly Italian.
Hervé
French chef Hervé Pronzato channels French, Asian and Italian influences into a single Michelin-starred tasting menu, served in an intimate Petralona space where counter seats put diners close to the action in the open kitchen.
Iodio
Award-winning chef Georgianna Chiliadaki reimagines the classic Greek fish taverna through her characteristically playful lens, turning familiar flavours into dishes such as cod sheftalies, grouper-tartare giouvarlakia and taramas with bonito flakes.
Soil
Chef Tasos Mantis’ Michelin-starred restaurant builds its tasting menu around a farm-to-table philosophy, with herbs, flowers and organic vegetables grown in the restaurant’s own garden in Alepochori. Nature, seasonality and Greek produce drive an experience that feels both sophisticated and deeply grounded.
Varoulko Seaside Restaurant
A landmark of Greek fine dining, Varoulko has been synonymous with Lefteris Lazarou’s inventive seafood cooking since 1987. Now overlooking Mikrolimano, it combines impeccably sourced fish and shellfish with a contemporary approach rooted firmly in Greek culinary tradition.
Epta Martyres
Created by members of the team behind Sifnos wine bar Loggia, Epta Martyres brings a little Cycladic spirit to Neos Kosmos. More than 150 wines meet market-led small plates, eclectic music and occasional live performances in a space somewhere between wine bar and modern taverna.
Fellos
Somewhere between wine bar, spritzeria and neighbourhood hangout, Fellos offers a regularly changing wine selection focused on Greek producers, alongside spritzes, easy-going cocktails and a concise menu of well-considered small plates.
Glug Glug Athens
Tiny but impeccably positioned behind the church on Karytsi Square, Glug Glug keeps things simple: wine, classic spritzes and pavement tables, with pizzetti, cheese and charcuterie on hand when one glass inevitably turns into two.
heteroclito
A longstanding reference point for Greek wine in central Athens, Heteroclito champions indigenous grape varieties through a cellar of more than 200 labels, with particular attention to natural and low-intervention winemaking. Its by-the-glass selection changes monthly.
Kennedy Vins
Wine and sound carry equal weight at this intimate listening bar by Kennedy Magazine founder Christos Kontos. Rare French and low-intervention bottles accompany carefully programmed vinyl and CDs played through an audiophile sound system designed for attentive listening rather than background noise.
Materia Prima
With outposts in Pangrati and Koukaki, Materia Prima operates as both a wine bistro and a cellar. Hundreds of Greek and international labels, rotating wines by the glass and frequently changing seasonal dishes make its sommeliers’ recommendations part of the experience.
Oinoscent
One of Athens’ pioneering modern wine bars, Oinoscent has grown into a serious wine bistro with a cellar running to more than a thousand international and Greek labels. Knowledgeable sommeliers, changing wines by the glass and Mediterranean food make exploration easy.
Paleo Wine Store
Worth the trip to Piraeus for the setting alone, Paleo occupies a lofty former warehouse with an evocative industrial patina. Sommelier Giannis Kaimenakis curates hundreds of bottles, particularly from southern Europe, accompanied by seasonal Mediterranean dishes.
Tanini Agapi Mou
Wine shop, wine bar and tasting room rolled into one, this Exarchia favourite focuses on Greek producers, rare indigenous varieties and organic, biodynamic and low-intervention wines. Its basement cellar also hosts tastings, cultural events and occasional listening sessions.
Wine is Fine
Part wine bar, part neighbourhood dining room, Wine Is Fine champions low-intervention European wines alongside their Greek counterparts. The atmosphere is deliberately unstuffy, with carefully sourced food, guest-chef residencies and the occasional party keeping things fluid.
Amore Spritzeria
Italian aperitivo culture gets an Athenian accent at this convivial Neos Kosmos spritzeria. Bittersweet drinks and spritzes take centre stage, accompanied by thoughtfully chosen small plates and the sort of relaxed atmosphere that encourages another round.
Aperitif
True to its name, this Pangrati spritzeria embraces the Italian ritual of early-evening drinking. Well-made spritzes and more robust cocktails arrive with cicchetti, best enjoyed outdoors beneath the neighbourhood’s plane trees.
Argentina Social Club
Taking its name from the square it’s located at, this all-day café and bar pairs warm timber and vintage detailing with jazz and soul played on vinyl. Specialty coffee by day gives way to dry martinis and other classics after dark, with burgers and bar snacks reinforcing its easy-going, sociable spirit.
Baba au Rum
A cornerstone of Athens’ cocktail scene, Baba au Rum is devoted to rum in all its complexity, backed by an exceptional spirits collection and inventive tropical-leaning cocktails. Colourful, energetic and thoroughly unbuttoned, it remains a downtown classic.
Kyrios
A Mavili Square favourite with the polished ease of a classic neighbourhood bar. Kyrios is particularly known for its “no shaker” approach: cocktails are stirred rather than shaken, keeping the atmosphere, and the drinks, decidedly smooth.
Kyrios. Photography by Douglas Martin Eveleigh.
Line Athens
From the team behind The Clumsies, Line occupies a former gallery in Kato Petralona and treats the bar as a fermentation laboratory. House-made fruit wines, beer, sourdough bread and inventive cocktails come together under a sustainability-minded, zero-waste philosophy.
Naif
An easy-going all-day haunt in Neos Kosmos, Naif moves effortlessly from speciality coffee and breakfast to wine, aperitivi and light cocktails after work. Its relaxed pavement tables make it especially good for easing into the evening.
Profitis
Taking its name from the lively Profitis Ilias square and church in Pangrati, this playful spritzeria specialises in wine, spritzes and cold cuts. The list favours small Greek producers, while prophet-themed cocktails and ecclesiastical design references add a mischievous twist.
Teleion
A century-old Kypseli confectionery turned listening bar, Teleion preserves much of its predecessor’s character, from old display refrigerators repurposed as bars to timber shelving now lined with spirits. Classic cocktails take precedence over signatures, all prepared by stirring rather than shaking so the music remains centre stage.
The Clumsies
One of the names that put Athens on the international cocktail map, The Clumsies combines boundary-pushing drinks with the warmth of a lively townhouse bar. Upstairs, the intimate Room adds a more private, living-room-like experience.
Tigré
A relaxed Exarchia café-bar that changes character as the day unfolds: coffee and matcha in the morning, considered cocktails after dark. Its warm interior, pavement seating and carefully chosen soundtrack give it the feel of a true neighbourhood hangout.
Alekos Fassianos Museum
Opened in 2023, this intimate museum traces Greek artist Alekos Fassianos’ practice from the 1950s onwards through paintings, drawings, design and archival material. Just as compelling is the building itself, conceived by architect Kyriakos Krokos in close collaboration with Fassianos as a dialogue between art and architecture.
Cavafy Archive
The Onassis Foundation’s Cavafy Archive in Plaka opens a window onto the life and work of poet C. P. Cavafy through manuscripts, correspondence, personal belongings, furniture and 966 books from the poet’s library, complemented by contemporary artworks exploring his enduring influence.
Crini & Sophia. Photography by Bill Stamatopoulos
Crini & Sophia. Photography by Bill Stamatopoulos
Crini & Sophia
Greek homeware brand Crini & Sophia turns tablescaping into exuberant self-expression, with hand-painted ceramics, colourful glassware and patterned linens created in collaboration with artists and artisans worldwide. Its artfully crafted Kolonaki showroom is as playful and richly layered as the collections themselves. (read more)
Cycladic Shop at the Museum of Cycladic Art
Far more than the usual museum shop, the Cycladic Shop is worth visiting in its own right. Ancient Aegean forms inspire contemporary jewellery, ceramics and design objects, joined by art reproductions, books and exclusive collaborations with Greek and international designers.
Enny Monaco
An established name in Athenian luxury fashion for more than three decades, Enny Monaco offers a tightly edited mix of womenswear, shoes and accessories from houses including Alaïa, The Row, Phoebe Philo, Lanvin and Victoria Beckham, alongside emerging designers.
Hyper Hypo
An essential browse for anyone interested in visual culture, Hyper Hypo specialises in books and independent magazines spanning art, architecture, photography, fashion, graphic design and subculture. Exhibitions, readings and launches turn the compact downtown bookshop into an active cultural platform.
Ileana Makri Fine Jewelry
Jewellery designer Ileana Makri’s Kolonaki flagship showcases her talismanic fine jewellery alongside accessories and pieces by international designers. Architect Stelios Kois conceived the interior as an “enchanted forest”, with angular glass-and-metal structures turning the jewels into objects of discovery.
Luisa World
Founded in 1975, Luisa World has evolved from a small tailoring atelier into one of Greece’s foremost luxury fashion destinations. Its Skoufa Street flagship brings established international houses and emerging names together through an editorial approach to contemporary womenswear and menswear.
Mouki Mou Athens
Maria Lemos’ Plaka concept store champions understated fashion, jewellery and objects by independent makers from around the world. Set inside a 1970s building sensitively reworked by Leda Athanasopoulou, it juxtaposes terrazzo and utilitarian materials with an enclosed courtyard and planted rooftop.
Phāon. Photography by Vasilis Marlantis.
Phāon
Part perfumery, part floral studio and design store, Phāon brings together niche fragrances, flowers and collectible objects in a striking Kolonaki interior by Stamos Michael. Industrial materials, handcrafted details and sculptural displays give the compact space the character of an olfactory cabinet of curiosities. (read more)
10AM apotheke
Created by Eva Papadaki, 10AM apotheke brings together skincare, ceramics, candles, stationery and pantry goods through a distinctly sensory lens rooted in memories of Crete. Its Kerameikos flagship operates as both a curated showroom and, on weekends, a café.