What time do Athenians eat dinner?

9pm at the earliest, often 10pm or later. Restaurants that open at 7pm cater to tourists. To eat like a local, book or arrive after 9.

Where is the best souvlaki in Athens?

Kostas on Pentelis Street for the cult version (3 euros, standing only). Thanasis in Monastiraki for the easier alternative. Both are equal in quality but Kostas is the institution.

What is mezedopoleio?

A small-plate taverna with bulk wine. The Athens dinner shape: 4 to 6 mezze plates, wine by the half-litre, 20 to 30 euros per person. Mavro Provato in Pangrati and Karavitis in Petralona are the classics.

Surprisingly so. A bottle of excellent assyrtiko at a restaurant is 12 to 18 euros. A glass is 4 to 6. Greek wine is one of the most underpriced categories in European cuisine.

Athens food, 5 min read

What locals actually eat in Athens

Published 5 June 2026

Quick answer

-Souvlaki at Kostas, the 70 year old standing institution.
-Frappe coffee at any kafenio, the Greek summer drink.
-Mezedopoleio dinner, small plates and bulk wine.
-Koulouri (sesame ring) for breakfast on the street, 50 cents.
-Greek wine is criminally cheap, the white assyrtiko and the red agiorgitiko.

Souvlaki at Kostas

Kostas on Pentelis Street has been making the same souvlaki since 1950: pork or chicken, fresh tomato, raw onion, paprika, parsley, mustard, all wrapped in flatbread. 3 euros each. You queue (10 to 20 minutes), get a paper-wrapped pita, stand on the corner to eat it. The Athens institution.

Mezedopoleio dinner

The classic Athens dinner is at a mezedopoleio (a small-plate taverna with bulk wine). The order: 4 to 6 mezze (taramasalata, tirokafteri, grilled octopus, beans, dolmades, fried cheese), wine by the half-litre, no dessert. 20 to 30 euros per person. Mavro Provato in Pangrati is the canonical.

Frappe culture

Greeks drink coffee for hours. The frappe (instant coffee shaken with ice and milk) was invented in Thessaloniki in 1957 and is now Greek summer in a glass. 3 to 4 euros at any kafenio, lasts 90 minutes of conversation. Order it medium-sweet (metrios) for the locals version.

Koulouri breakfast

The sesame-covered bread ring sold at street carts in central Athens. 50 cents, eat walking, breakfast done. The vendor at Syntagma metro exit is the institution. Combine with a frappe.

The Greek wine list

Greek wines are criminally cheap and excellent. Restaurants charge 4 to 6 euros for a glass, 12 to 18 euros for a bottle of something serious. Locals stick to:

-Assyrtiko (white, mineral, dry, from Santorini), the summer wine
-Agiorgitiko (red, smooth, full-bodied, from Nemea), the autumn wine
-Retsina at a proper taverna, not the tourist version
-Tsipouro (the spirit) instead of ouzo, a stronger and more refined version

The tourist trap warning

Plaka mezedopoleia at 7pm are tourists. The locals eat at 9 or 10pm in Pangrati or Petralona. Avoid menus with photos. Avoid restaurants where someone waves you in. Greek dinner is late and the early dinner crowd is exclusively visitors.

Frequently asked

What time do Athenians eat dinner?
9pm at the earliest, often 10pm or later. Restaurants that open at 7pm cater to tourists. To eat like a local, book or arrive after 9.
Where is the best souvlaki in Athens?
Kostas on Pentelis Street for the cult version (3 euros, standing only). Thanasis in Monastiraki for the easier alternative. Both are equal in quality but Kostas is the institution.
What is mezedopoleio?
A small-plate taverna with bulk wine. The Athens dinner shape: 4 to 6 mezze plates, wine by the half-litre, 20 to 30 euros per person. Mavro Provato in Pangrati and Karavitis in Petralona are the classics.
Is Greek wine cheap?
Surprisingly so. A bottle of excellent assyrtiko at a restaurant is 12 to 18 euros. A glass is 4 to 6. Greek wine is one of the most underpriced categories in European cuisine.