It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Athens: good food, good drinks, and some amazing architecture.
We’ll be honest, we lean heavily towards the first two!
So when the opportunity arose to join a Best of Athens food tour during our trip, it was an easy and obvious choice for how we were going to spend our afternoon.
Recently marrying into a half-Greek family, I thought I knew quite a lot about what made a good gyros (pronounced yee-ros) and how best to order my favourite salad (mia horiatiki salata, parakaló!). But it turns out there was plenty to learn.
It also gave us a great opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the city and its geography, which was a big plus on day one.
I discovered some new favourite pastries, what to look for when ordering a gyros to tell the quality, and of course left with some hazy memories of a little Greek metaxa…
Spanakopita, Tiropita And Other Savoury Treats
We started with some savoury pastries including tiropita and spanakopita.
By the 17th and 18th centuries, spanakopita was already a regional staple, with variations emerging in different areas. After Greece gained independence, it became recognised as a national dish and is now everywhere – in bakeries and homes alike.
It’s super light, with very fresh fillings, and works just as well as breakfast as it does a light snack if you fancy something small. Very versatile and always a good crowd-pleaser to bring to a party!
These were from Παν Δώρα and they were delicious.
Discovering A New Sweet Obsession
Next up we visited Alchemist, which has an array of amazing sweet pastries and baked treats.
On a hot day, it wouldn’t always be my first choice, but I do believe on a food tour you have a different head on – you’re there to try as much as you can of all this incredible food.
It was here I found my new sweet addiction: Trigona Paramatos.
Neighbourhood Hopping In Athens
Moving through the neighbourhoods of Athens, they’ve all got such individual characters. It’s easy to see why each has such a distinct feel, whether it’s a café on every corner in Plaka, or the little restaurants and shops in Monastiraki.
We took it all in and, for our third and fourth stops, we had a bit of a breather and a couple of cold drinks to take respite from the heat.
Gyros, Souvlaki And A Cold Beer
For those in the know, a good souvlatzidiko (souvlaki place) is where you go for a very good souvlaki or gyros. The key is whether the pita is made from scratch – it really does make a huge difference.
It also makes a huge difference having a cold beer to accompany it.
This stop was great, but not the best gyros I had in Athens. That honour has to go to Thanasis. Yes, it’s a tourist hotspot, but they also sell amazing gyros for 5 euros.
If you’re after a lovely local beer you can’t go wrong with Mamos, Fix or Vergina. If you’re feeling brave, try a tsipouro with a splash of water!
Ending On Loukoumades (Because Of Course)
Like any good food tour, we ended with something sweet: loukoumades.
The best way to describe them is as beautifully light doughnut balls, but with much fluffier, lighter dough. Often sprinkled with sugar, honey or cinnamon, they definitely scratched the itch for something sweet to finish on.
All in all, it would be fantastic to try some of the Greek islands’ food tours in future, but the variety of venues and dishes on this Athens tour was lovely – and a brilliant way to get to know the city through its food.
