Great Places to Eat in Plaka & Nearby, Athens-Updated 2022

If you are looking for some great places to eat in and around the Plaka area of Athens, we have found them! Having traveled to Athens in the fall of 2018, 2019, 2021 and also 2022, we ate at many good places. The following were our favorites and we highly recommend them if you are looking for great Greek food. I have included our favorites and added three more this year! I also included a map at the end for locations. These are of course our opinions as we are not affiliated with any restaurant. Two of these places was recommended to us, the rest we found wandering around and following our noses!! I think all in all, there are many great places to eat in Plaka, Athens and it is very hard to choose.

Geros Tou Moria

This nearly 100 year old restaurant is named after the Greek General Theodor’s Kolokotonis. He was referred to as “The Old Man of Moira”. This restaurant spreads along both sides of a walkway and up the stairs. Known for traditional Greek food we enjoyed a delicious meal of Moussaka and Souvlaki. It was nice to sit and relax under the trees and also do a bit of people watching. A great place to eat in Plaka, Athens

El Greco

I had been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now. We were not hungry enough for a meal but enjoyed wine, Saganaki and Keftedes here. It was all delicious. We also enjoyed the ambiance and our waiter made for an enjoyable time with his wit. Although this was a bit off the main touristy restaurant area, it was a good choice.

Stou Mamma

We found this quaint, out of the way spot while walking through an alley. We were a bit lost and were looking for someplace else. The aroma of Greek food was amazing so we decided to stop and eat here. We were glad we did. The food was delicious, the service was very good, and the atmosphere was pleasant. Definitely on our list to return to next time we are in Athens.

Karamanlidika tou Fani

This great choice was recommended to me by an Instagram friend in 2021. Located outside of the Plaka area on 1 Sokratous Street. It was a bit of a walk for us but definitely worth it. Based on recipes from the people of Karamania in Asia Minor, this restaurant uses century old recipes and flavorings following their traditions. The food here is unique, authentic and absolutely fantastic. We look forward to returning here! Check out their story on their website.

The Old Tavern of Psara

This is the first restaurant we decided to eat at in the Plaka Neighborhood of Athens on our 2018 trip. Actually, it is also the first restaurant we ate at in Greece as well. We enjoyed it so much we came back and ate here twice in 2019! The tavern dates back to 1898 when it first opened. This restaurant is located at the first large landing on the Steps of Plaka where many of the tables are sitting on stairs. It is actually two buildings with a terrace in between. The first time we ate there it was raining so we ate inside and we ate outside the other times. Either way, the service was excellent as was the food. We had our first taste of traditional Greek food and furthermore, absolutely fell in love with Greek food. Check out their website by clicking here.

Old Tavern of Stamatopoulus

We were in line at the Santorini Airport, chatting with some folks from New Jersey and they recommended this restaurant to us in 2019. We were glad they did as we really enjoyed eating here. The Old Tavern of Stamatopoulos was originally a grocery store that sold wine and opened in 1882! We sat on the terrace which overlooked the gardens with live music. All in all, I believe this was my favorite Moussaka! We also enjoyed the Saganaki, it was served with a different sauce than we have had. A first for us was the stuffed grape leaves. They were amazing! We enjoyed talking with our server, he gave us some interesting information on Greek spices and their use. We ate here again in 2021, as a matter of fact, we ate here twice! You can check out their website by clicking here.

Daphne’s

This fine dining experience we found in 2019, again while wandering around the streets at night. Daphne’s serves Greek food with a bit of a flair. The ambiance was great and we really enjoyed chatting with the hostess. We ordered a cheese tray which was exceptional, very good cheese! The Moussaka had a very original twist to it and was very delicious. Steve ordered chicken souvlaki which was also excellent. You can read more about Daphne’s on their website by clicking here.

Electra Palace Roof Garden Restaurant

We were staying at the Electra Palace and decided to eat at their restaurant. We really enjoyed it. The ambiance was great and we enjoyed a beautiful view of the Acropolis. The food was well presented and flavorful. We also had wonderful service. I would advise a reservation beforehand, especially for the best tables with the Acropolis view. Check out their website here!

DaVinci Gelato

Not a restaurant and not in Plaka but I decided to add this in as we went here many times all three years! Located in the Monastiraki neighborhood, it was still in walking distance. We really liked this gelato, a lot in fact we have probably had gelato here 6 times, so far. There were so many choices and it was so good! Definitely worth seeking out!

Locations

Conclusion

There are so many great places to eat in Plaka and the surrounding areas of Athens, Greece. These are our favorites. We can not wait to return to some of these and also find some new favorites!

Future Ideas

Although I only recommend places I have been to, I have had two places recommended to me that I plan on dining at in September, 2022 when we return to Athens! I will let you know how they are!!

Dionysos Zonar’s

I have been told this is a lovely restaurant which serves modern Greek food on a terrace also with a view of the Acropolis. This is on the top of my list for next time I visit Athens.

L’Amiral

My understanding is this is a new, upbeat restaurant based on modern Greek and is located in a historic building near the Plaka district. Located at Panos 6 in Athens. You can check out their website here.

Planning

Last year when we were in Athens we used the Rick Steves Pocket Athens guidebook and found a lot of useful information in it. There is also a pocket map.

This year we added Top 10 Athens (DK Eyewitness Travel Guide) to help us plan and found it extremely helpful and organized. It includes top 10 places for restaurants, things to see, shopping, etc. It also divides into top 10 of each area. This is my favorite guide book. It does come with a pocket map.

We also bought an Athens Street Map which was more in-depth and very useful as we explored more areas on this trip.

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You can check out my other Athens posts by following these links!

Anafiotika, Athens, Greece, September 2019

Temple of Hephaestus and Ancient Agora, September 2019

Temple of Zeus, October 2019

Sunrise from Lycabettus Hill, October 2019

Sunrise From Philopappos Hill, September 2019

Arriving in Athens on our Anniversary, September 2019

The Acropolis and Parthenon, October 2018

A Rainy Day in Athens, September 2018

You can click on these Links to our 2018 and also 2019 Trip Itineraries

10 Days in Greece Athens, Crete, Santorini 2019

8 Days in Greece, Athens, Milos, Santorini 2018

Diary of a Gen-X recommendations for hotels, restaurants, & tours are based on our own experiences. We do not receive compensation for recommending at any of these nor are we affiliates of any hotels, restaurants, or tours. The only hotels & restaurants we recommend are places we stay which are clean, comfortable, and also provide exceptional hospitality.

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