Contemporary Greek food to try in Athens: 9 dishes

Dakos, contemporary Greek food. Image by greek food ta mystika from publicdomainpictures.net

Dakos is a now-traditional Greek salad that was once a niche dish and then skyrocketed to the top of the culinary scene due to its exceptional nutritional value. There is no specific date of invention for this recipe; it is commonly associated with Crete, one of the larger Greek islands. Today, this salad can be found in most Greek food restaurants in Athens that are worth their salt.

Classic dakos relies heavily on barley rusks, a signature pastry of Crete, and mixes in sweet ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, authentic Greek feta cheese (or even better, Cretan xynomyzithra), kalamata olives, and Greek oregano. Brought together in a bowl, these ingredients complete each other perfectly.

Located near Athens’ Museum of Illusions, a curious attraction definitely worth a visit even if you’re a skeptic about such things, Cafe Avissinia is a go-to place for Cretan food in the capital of Greece. This restaurant is praised by tourists and locals alike for its creative combination of classic, traditional recipes, and more modern staples like dakos.

One of the special features of this establishment is its roof terrace, which lets you drink in the surrounding motley collection of buildings dominated by the magnificent Acropolis. Moreover, Cafe Avissinia also offers a one-of-a-kind music entertainment program. A feast for all your senses!

Taramasalata, contemporary Greek food. Image by freepik, from Freepik

Taramasalata combines salted and cured roe of cod, carp, or gray mullet with olive oil, lemon juice, and a starchy base of bread, potatoes, or almonds. Additional ingredients like garlic, spring onions, peppers, or vinegar can be included to create different variations of the Greek cuisine dish. Traditionally, it is prepared using pestle and mortar, which make the texture grainy. Taramasalata sold in stores has a smooth paste-like consistency, however.

This flavorful spread is commonly enjoyed as a meze, often paired with ouzo and served on bread. A modern take on taramasalata incorporates squid ink into the recipe, adding a unique twist and enhancing its taste. The ink is actually beneficial to your health, it contains various compounds, enzymes, polysaccharides, amino acids, etc. Thus, it has immunity-boosting, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, which further extend the list of reasons to try taramasalata with squid ink in Athens.

When in Athens, you definitely should visit… a library. After all, this nation, the Greeks, have given the world one of the largest treasure troves of literature, and their myths still resonate through modern creations at some very fundamental level, shaping storylines and dictating the tempo.

Of course, we suggest not just a library here, but Hadrian’s Library, or, rather, the ruins thereof. Yes, Athens is full of such sites, but the place where you can look for taramasalata with squid ink, Efcharis restaurant, is just across the road from that landmark. Even if you are tired of all those ancient stones, visiting this tavern is a rewarding experience: with more than 5,000 reviews, the score of the establishment is 4.6, which is an outstanding result. Add reasonable prices and homemade wine to the mix, and put that library on your to-visit list, after all.

Octopus Sofrito, contemporary Greek food. Image by lifeforstock, from Freepik

Sofrito is less of a dish and more of a cooking method that incorporates a rather wide range of ingredients. It’s a base that welcomes other, star components of a meal. Common in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese culinary traditions, sofrito, also known as sofregit, soffritto, or refogado, realizes the full potential of slow-cooking to deliver extraordinary gastronomic results.

The dish considered in this case is octopus sofrito, a starlet of modern Greek cuisine. The exact recipes may vary from restaurant to restaurant, since this seafood gem has been cooked in this nation from times immemorial. The ultimate result, however, will always deliver what you expect from a set of vegetables and herbs that enrich octopus’ tender meat while preserving all the healthy ingredients peculiar to all components of this flavorful dish.

Time for some fine dining in Athens, is it not? How about a restaurant with a rooftop bar that gives a great view of Acropolis, right next to a number of other landmarks, including Altar of Aphrodite Urania, Temple of Ares, and Temple of Hephaestus? Plus a real art gallery. This is Kuzina!

A restaurant that’s been steadily recommended by the Michelin guide for over a decade, Kuzina, while being a rather expensive place, offers creative interpretations of traditional Greek cuisine dishes. Octopus sofrito is positively one of the best examples of unorthodox approaches to culinary arts, but definitely not the only one, there are other experimental dishes on the menu here if, for whatever reason, that particular seafood isn’t. So, it’s a good idea to come to Kuzina with company, order different foods, and share.

Truffle pastitsio, contemporary Greek food. AI-generated image

Pastitsio is a well-known Greek baked pasta that marries ground meat, béchamel sauce, and pasta. The term "pasticcio" has been around since the 16th century; as a matter of fact, originally, it referred to any type of pastry or pie, being a derivative of "pastīcium," a Latin word.

As for pastitsio with truffle, it keeps the original recipe invented by Nikolaos Tselementes, a French-trained Greek chef, in the 1910s, and adds a twist that makes full use of the power of truffle over people. Today, it is more of an experimental dish due to the expensiveness of its ingredients, but some Athens’ restaurants carry it on their menus.

Located in Athens’ New Hotel, Art Lounge Rooftop is a rather posh restaurant with terrace (or tables on a roof, if you like) that, as most such establishments in the historical center of this ancient city, lets you behold the surrounding grandeur of the unique combination of buildings old and new. The views here suggest a couple of visits at least, in the morning and at sunset.

Art Lounge Rooftop, as can be deducted from its name, is not a traditional Greek tavern but a restaurant that takes national cuisine dishes and works them into something new, giving staples like pastitsio new tastes and colors. Ask for the truffle-infused variation thereof here; if they have it, consider yourself lucky, else, there are many other interesting items on the menu you should try at this establishment.

Greek-style sushi, contemporary Greek food. Image by 8photo, from Freepik

Combining the flavors of Greece with the art of sushi, various restaurants in Athens have adopted rather unique dishes that merge Greek ingredients such as feta cheese, olives, and locally sourced fish, and the traditional base and sides of the Japanese cuisine staple. This inventive fusion showcases creativity and adaptability of Greek culinary ways.

Interestingly, the Greek island of Skopelos has a long-standing tradition of preparing fish in a "sushi-style" manner, dating back to ancient times. The inhabitants of Skopelos have been curing and rolling fish for generations, seeking fermentation. This approach is unique to the said island and not found elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Thus, it is quite possible that the Greeks are the true inventors of sushi in Europe.

Having a Greek chef at the helm, the Sushimou restaurant in Athens can be nothing else but a place where you can discover new tastes of the oh-so-familiar dishes. With a current Google Maps score of 4.7, which is quite high, considering the popularity of Athens as a tourist destination, the establishment definitely delivers that exquisite experience foodies come here for.

Sushimou is conveniently located in the city’s historical center; you simply cannot miss it when doing your Athens sightseeing chores. Add this place to your route when planning to see the National Garden, for example, or make it a destination of a trip, the choice is yours. Either way, if you want Japanese food in Athens but haven’t yet had enough of Greek cuisine, you won’t be disappointed.

Spinach pie with sun-dried tomato and goat cheese, contemporary Greek food. Image by vecstock, from Freepik

Spanakopita, which means spinach pie, is kind of a base dish that has numerous recipe variations, with many of them framed by their inventors as the one and only true spanakopita to rule them all. Today, this Greek cuisine staple is a hugely popular snack in the country, and an integral part of the world-famous Mediterranean diet. The reasons are quite obvious: it is one of the healthiest pies ever devised, with its combination of spinach, feta, olive oil, and a medley of herbs, all baked in a golden, crispy phyllo dough.

The modern version of spanakopita does not prejudice its established status. Moreover, you can say that it lifts the bar even higher, since the new components of the dish are sun-dried tomatoes and tangy goat cheese, both full of compounds thoroughly good for your health. If you’ve eaten spanakopita in its classic incarnation, do find and try the upscaled variation of this recipe in Athens.

2Mazi is one of the many restaurants of Plaka, Athens’ district squeezed between the grand grounds of Acropolis and Athens National Garden. It is definitely a touristy part of town, so you may find irritated opinions about shops full of overpriced souvenirs and taverns eyeing visitors only as a source of income. While that may be true, there really are some spots in this area that upkeep the famous Greek hospitality, and 2Mazi is positively one of them.

There is actually a reason to visit this place even if you are not hungry for anything and want just a cup of coffee: you’ll be sipping it in a garden. This is a rather unique experience for otherwise stony and densely built-up Athens. Should you eventually decide to try contemporary Greek food at 2Mazi, do pair it with local wine, the selection of which here is exquisite.

Burger with tzatziki, contemporary Greek food. Image by timolina, from Freepik

According to one theory, tzatziki, a delicious sauce made from strained yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, and herbs, has its origins in India: there is a dish there called raita sauce, and it’s much like the famous Greek meze, albeit not 100% similar. But it were the Greeks that popularized the concept throughout the world, so they justly claim priority in this matter.

One of the coolest ways to use tzatziki is to add it to a burger. Interestingly, one of the theories of creation of hamburgers as we know them today puts Athens in the spotlight, but not the capital of Greece: there is a city named thusly in Texas, USA, where Fletcher Davies started serving patties in a bun in his small café back in the 1880s. Nowadays, in Athens of Greece, you can taste one of the best (so far) realizations of Fletcher’s concept, burger with tzatziki, an absolutely astonishing combination of flavors.

The Greco's Project is one of Greek restaurants on Monastiraki Square, a tourist hotspot famous for its centuries-old Byzantine church. Thanks to the always mild weather, generally blessed climate, and careful attention of locals to such places, the church stands firm, both outside and inside. A must-see, if this is your cup of tea.

And, once out, find yourself a table at The Greco's Project, right at the edge of the square. It may be full, but you can always ask the waiter – all of them speak English, – what’s the waiting time. Online reviews of The Greco's Project highlight quick service, which is a very good sign for a busy restaurant, no cheating with bread and water, something many Athens’ taverns are notorious for, and Greek draft beers, all ultimately refreshing any time of the day.

Smoked mackerel tartare, contemporary Greek food. Image by topntp26, from Freepik

Tartare, a staple of French cuisine, is a moderately risky dish, since, according to the classic recipe thereof, it is made of raw (not treated with heat, if you will) ingredients that are cut into smaller shapes, mixed with spices, herbs, sauces, and served. The most common are, arguably, tuna and beef tartare, both potentially harmful as sources of various bacteria.

Smoked mackerel tartare, a modern Greek cuisine dish, mitigates the said risk by using processed fish, as indicated by the “smoked” part in its name. Smoking is an ancient way of preparing food; initially resorted to out of the need to make valuable, yet perishable, meat and fish last longer, nowadays, smoking serves the purposes of flavor, in the first place. Smoked mackerel tartare is a tasty treat you cannot afford to miss in Athens, if that flavor is to your liking.

Operating a few blocks south-east of the park with Socrates’ prison (you were planning to visit it, right?), Skoumbri is a seafood restaurant focusing on its grill, first off. If you find yourself unexpectedly craving grilled octopus, for example, or eel, this place is a valid choice.

While grilled food may occupy the highlights section of the menu here, Skoumbri can pleasantly surprise you with other modern Greek cuisine staples, too. Superficial googling yields no stories of poisoning related to this tavern, nor have our scouts reported anything of the kind, which means it is safe to eat seafood tartare at Athens’ Skoumbri. If your experience proves otherwise, do let us know in the comments below, please.

Honey-glazed pork with figs and thyme, contemporary Greek food. AI-generated image

Greek cuisine loves pork, although it’s not the most popular protein source therein. If you’re a pork aficionado, head to China, which relies on it to so much that the country is the #1 pork producer in the world. 

However, the Mediterranean diet, while promoting nutritious and healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and plant-based oils, is not a strict plan: there is always room for… pork! And one of the gems invented by Greek chefs is honey-glazed pork with figs and thyme, a dish that merges the sweet and savory flavors that are characteristic of the national cuisine. A must-try for any gourmet in Athens.

If you’re looking for a great combination of entertainment and food in Athens, put Favela All Day Bar Restaurant on your list of candidates. Never mind the “brunch restaurant” label on Google Maps, this roaring spot operates into nighttime, and with gusto, since this is where you don’t just eat, but sing, dance, drink, and eat, preferably in that particular order.

The two things about Favela All Day Bar Restaurant that push it out of the karaoke crowd are extensive menu and reasonable pricing. Neither is common in places you come to looking to work out your vocal chords (let them think what they like, I’m singing!), and yet this establishment boasts both of them. And it’s not just selection but also taste that’s praised by patrons of Favela All Day Bar Restaurant, many of whom are locals.

In many countries of the world, capital is the alpha city that offers all the best the nation is proud of. While Greece has numerous islands that attract tourists and, consequently, possess the infrastructure needed to compete and satisfy, this statement certainly applies to Athens, an ancient city that cherishes its heritage and evolves together with the world. Whether you come here specifically or just have this city as a landing spot on your Mediterranean cruise, do allocate some time to explore its restaurant scene and savor Greek cuisine dishes from those who know how to cook them best.

To get a better understanding of what and where you can eat in Athens, read other Restaurant Guru’s guides to Athens:

– 12 Finest Michelin restaurants in Athens, Greece

– Best places to eat out in Athens

– Traditional Greek Foods to Savor in Athens, Greece