Athens is a diner’s paradise with cozy restaurants located in every corner of the city. Local residents and tourists enjoy the simple yet innovative meal along with delicious house wines served in almost every bistro. Most of the restaurants open up after noon or else after 8 pm, and are generally closed in the month of August.

Aristera-Dexia is a popular dining place in Athens. The place got its name from its partitioned dining room inside. Aristera-Dexia serves Greek, Asian, European, Continental and Fusion type of cuisines in addition to Wine, Beer and Liquor. People enjoy the cheese croquettes in melon-mirin-chili sauce, pheasant sausage with parsnips and madeira sauce, cheese croquettes in melon-mirin-chili and squid in egg-lemon sauce served here. Moreover, Chocolate Island and champagne mousse with green peppers and strawberries also take up the top place in the menu.

Opening Hours: Mon. to Sat. from 9 pm to 1 am

Address: 3 Andronikou St, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 342 2380

Situated inside the attractive Zappion Gardens, Aigli is a popular restaurant with the Athenian families. The place offers coffee, juice and pastries in the morning and delicious continental cuisine at night. Chinese ravioli, foie gras and oysters are on the top of the menu list in the evenings.

Opening Hours: Everyday from 9 am to midnight

Address: Zappeion Gardens, off Amalias Ave, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 336 9363

Decorated with dark wood walls and candlelight, Kafeneio is one of the best places to enjoy a romantic dinner. The place serves delicious marinated octopus, artichokes la polita and onion pie with dill. In addition to this, Kafeneio also has vegetarian options in its menu.

Address: 26 Loukianou, Athens, Greece.

Situated in a 19th century house, Spondi is famous for serving Mediterranean, continental and European cuisine. Salmon and black ravioli with leeks and shrimp, artichoke casserole and duck confit and tender lamb with couscous, raisins, and cumin are a few of the most ordered dishes here. Local residents enjoy the bitter chocolate soufflé served as a dessert.

Address: Pyrronos 5, Varnava Square, 11 636 Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 752 0658

White Elephant is popular for serving Polynesian food with a Chinese and Thai relish. Decorated with Leopard print chairs, the place serves excellent quail salad, duck with thin crispy pancakes, marinated salmon with spinach and ginger cream and sweet-and-sour chicken with macadamia nuts and plum sauce.

Opening Hours: Mon. to Sat. from 1 pm to 4 pm for lunch, 8 pm to midnight for dinner

Address: 22 Timoleondos Vassou St, Andromeda Athens Hotel, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 641 5000

Fax: +30 210 646 6361

One of the popular restaurants serving the traditional Greek food, Salt and Pepper is located at Pentelis Avenue. The place also offers delicious French and Italian dishes along with sea food, wine and beer.

Opening Hours: Mon. to Sat. from 12:30 pm to 1 am

Address: 108 Pentelis Ave, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 723 4102

Located at Panepistimiou Street, Ideal is a popular local food restaurant in Athens. The silky avgolemono soup, Smyrnaika tsouotsoukakia with ouzo and cumin and lamb with spinach are a few of the truly enjoyed dishes.

Address: 46 Panepistimiou Street, Athens, Greece.

Kalokerinos is popular for offering a traditional Mediterranean cuisine with beautiful folk songs and dances. Grilled octopus, fried eggplant and stuffed grape leaves are a few of the enjoyed dishes by the local residents. Delicious lamb dishes also take up the top places in the menu.

Address: 10 Kekropos Street, Athens, Greece.

Situated outside Athens, Kollias is one of the best places to enjoy fish taverna. Apart from fish, the restaurant offers excellent sea food options. Mussels stuffed with rice and grilled sea bass or shrimp in tomato and pepper sauce form the specialties of Kollias.

Address: 3 Plastira St, off Kalokerinou Street, Piraeus, Greece.

One of the popular restaurants among the locals, Taverna Xinos is famous for serving the traditional Greek food. Lamb yiouvetsi, baked in a clay pot with tomatoes and tiny pasta is the specialty of the restaurant. Tourists also enjoy relishing on livers and sweetbreads in vinegar and oregano.

Address: 4 Geronta, Athens, Greece.

Address: 4 Diogenous, Athens, Greece.

Address: 35 Arktinou at 4 Pausaniou, Athens, Greece.

Address: 2 Themistokleous Street, Athens, Greece.

Address: 25 Rovertou Galli, Athens, Greece.

Address: 8 Paster, Athens, Greece.

Located at Knossou Street, Il Tinello is often filled with casual and fun loving crowd. This family- owned restaurant serves delicious Italian and European dishes. Local residents enjoy the tangy roasted goat cheese in anchovy sauce with parsley, mushroom risotto with plenty of garlic and parmesan and the homemade ravioli with chamomile. Furthermore, the tiramisu is also a popular dish in the restaurant.

Opening Hours: Tues. to Sat. during dinner time. Closed from mid July to August.

Address: 54 Knossou Street, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 982 8462

Boschetto is a pleasant Italian food joint located inside Evangelismos Park. Tender grilled buffalo, shrimp cannelloni, tomato confit, scallops with artichokes, olives or green gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce and pastas are on the top of the menus served here. The place also offers coffee, wine and figs.

Opening Hours: Mon. to Sat. from 8 pm to midnight.

Address: Alsos Evangelismos, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 721 0893

One of the best French restaurants in Athens, Abreuvoir (L') is decorated with low lights in an elegant quad festooned with mulberries.

Address: Xenokratous 51, Kolonaki, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 722 9106

One of the best Japanese restaurants in Athens, Kiku is located at Dimokritou. Local bonito, cuttlefish, sea bass and dorado are a few of the most popular dishes in addition to sushi and sashimi served here.

Address: 12 Dimokritou St, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 364 7033

Serving the modern Mediterranean cuisine, Vardis is the only restaurant in Greece which has received the Michelin Gold Star for quality. Elegantly decorated with fine linens, the place offers a delicious menu accompanied with the perfectly matched wine list.

Opening Hours: Mon. to Sat. from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am. Closed in August.

Address: 66 Diligianni, Hotel Pentelikon, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 623 0650

Fax: +30 210 801 9223

One of best places to taste delicious sea food, Varoulko is located at Deligeorgi. Apart from the menu, the restaurant offers a daily special, depending on the type caught that morning. Smoked eel, crayfish with sun-dried tomatoes and monkfish livers with soy sauce, honey, and balsamic vinegar, roe dressed with honey and served with cinnamon-spiced cauliflower puree and crab salad with mango, grapes, and leeks or mullet are generally on the top of the menu. Kaidafi, a frayed wheat pastry puffed with sweet carrot filling is a truly enjoyed dessert.

Address: 14 Deligeorgi, Athens, Greece.

Tel.: +30 210 411 2043

Fax: +30 210 422 1283

Filled with the Kolonaki fashion crowd, Jackson Hall is one of the popular restaurants among the young Athenians. Decorated with cigar store Indians, Barber chairs and other western memorabilia, the restaurant serves excellent club sandwiches and salad. Coffee and fresh squeezed juice is also enjoyed by the crowd here.

Address: 4 Milioni Street, 10673 Athens, Greece.

Address: 13 Kyprou Street, Athens, Greece.

Address: 12 Lissiou Street, Athens, Greece.

Address: 2 Ermou, Athens, Greece.

Address: 4 Diogenous, Athens, Greece.

One of the few places to open before noon, Neon is the best place to enjoy a filling delicious breakfast. The restaurant offers variety of sandwiches and desserts along with buffet style meat dishes and salad bars.

Address: 1 Dorou Street, Athens, Greece.