Athens spent decades being treated as the place you leave to reach the islands, and its food scene improved a great deal while nobody was paying attention. 20 bookable food tours below — plus the neighbourhoods and dishes the city is built around.
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The guide
Athens spent decades being treated as the place you leave to reach the islands, and its food scene improved a great deal while nobody was paying attention. The crisis years pushed a generation of cooks into small, cheap rooms, and what came out was a return to Greek regional cooking rather than the taverna standards aimed at coach parties. The basics remain excellent and inexpensive: grilled meat, wild greens, olive oil that would be a luxury item elsewhere, and yogurt with real body. Meals run late, portions are meant to be shared across the table, and lingering over the last of the wine is expected rather than tolerated.
Where to focus
Four neighbourhoods to anchor a few days of eating
Psyri
Workshops and warehouses turned into mezedopoleia and bars. Loud at night, good for a long table of small plates and a crawl afterwards.
Koukaki
Below the Acropolis and residential. The neighbourhood where the modern Greek places opened first, alongside bakeries and old-style tavernas.
Exarcheia
Anarchist and student quarter with political graffiti and cheap, genuinely good food. Souvlaki counters, vegetarian kitchens, and no interest in tourists.
Varvakios Market
The central meat and fish market, open since 1886. Butchers, spice merchants, and a few tavernas inside that serve patsas soup to market workers overnight.
What to eat
The dishes the city is known for
- 01
Souvlaki & gyros
· Grilled skewered pork or shaved meat from the spit, in pita with tomato, onion, and tzatziki. Two euros and the correct late-night food. - 02
Horta
· Wild greens boiled and dressed with lemon and olive oil. Ordinary, ubiquitous, and a good test of a kitchen's oil. - 03
Moussaka
· Layered aubergine, minced lamb, and béchamel, baked. Home cooking that most tavernas make in the morning and serve warm rather than hot. - 04
Loukoumades
· Small fried dough balls in honey and cinnamon, served hot. Sold from dedicated shops rather than restaurants. - 05
Bougatsa
· Semolina custard in filo, dusted with sugar and cinnamon, cut with scissors. Breakfast, from a bakery, standing up. - 06
Grilled octopus
· Tenderised, dried in the sun, then charred. Ordered with ouzo, which is the pairing the whole dish was built around.
Practical notes
Meal timing, tipping, payment
Lunch runs 14:00 to 16:00 and dinner rarely starts before 21:00. Small plates are ordered for the table rather than per person. Service is included; rounding up or leaving a couple of euros is normal. Many tavernas close Sunday evening. August empties the city as Athenians leave for the islands and a good number of kitchens shut for the month.
All 20 food tours
Viator last revised 2026-11-09The full list · sponsored partner links
- 01
Small Group Greek Traditional Food Tour in Athens 26+ Tastings
Discover authentic, fresh, traditional food in non tourist, hidden spots of the City! Food and places you may not find alone! Visit local streets where we see, taste and shop for cheese, cured meat, fruits, sweets and s
3.5h - 02
Athens Food Tour with 10+ Tastings of Greek Traditional Dishes
On our Secret Food Tour Athens , will give you the opportunity to “taste” small bites of modern Greek history and architecture, as well as discover the secrets of Greek gastronomic tradition. We'll introduce you to the r
3h - 03
Eating Athens: Our Big, Fat, Greek Food Tour
Taste traditional and modern Greek dishes at restaurants beloved by locals while seeing the best of two neighborhoods in the heart of the city. Walk through the center of Athens and savor all the best food. Make your ow
3.5h from $76 - 04
Greek Food Walking Tour in Athens
Discover Athens through its most delicious side! Recognised among Tripadvisor's best travel experiences worldwide, this is more than a food tour – it's a journey into the heart of Greek culture, traditions, and everyday
3.5h - 05
The Greek Food Experience (Max 8 persons)
More than just a food tour, rather travelling in a mindful way through food, storytelling & genuine conversation. Inspired by our love for the city, good food and meeting new people. On this most delicious tour, you wil
4h - 06
Athens Greek Cooking Class: Pita Gyros from Scratch –The Original
Learn to make one of Greece’s most beloved street foods completely from scratch, using our secret family recipes, passed down through generations and never published. Then we’ll make our grandmother’s famous pita — soft
3h from $110 - 07
Culinary Backstreets of Plaka - Athens Food Tour
Athens’ historic Plaka may be famous for its ancient monuments, but beyond the tourist crowds lies a neighborhood where centuries of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history still shape everyday life – especially its
5.5h from $140 - 08
Explore the hidden food gems of Athens
Our team Julia, Douk and Dimitris, three enthusiastic foodies, will guide you through a gastronomical experience! Taste the most local food in Athens. Skip tourist traps and discover local bites of the greek culture. Mor
3.5h from $80 - 09
Hands-on Greek Cooking Class in Athens with Acropolis View & Meal
Cook a generous Greek meal from scratch in a bright, fully equipped studio in central Athens. Working in pairs, you will prepare a seasonal menu that includes handmade phyllo pies, tzatziki, dolmades, Greek salad, moussa
3h from $98 - 10
Luxury Athens Catamaran Cruise with Greek Meal & Drinks
Experience a magnificent cruise across the shimmering waters of the Athens Riviera with your loved ones and discover a different view of the city. Enjoy a unique 5-hour semi-private cruise, for up to 11 guests, with high
5h from $140 - 11
Greek Cooking Class in Athens Including Rooftop Dinner with Acropolis View
Our cooking class will make the authentic Greek Moussaka dish and Spanakopita pie by opening your phyllo pastry (Spinach pie). We will make two classic traditional pies: Spinach pie and Milk pie. In addition to making ho
4h - 12
Mercedes Private Tour Nafplio, Corinth Canal, Nemea Wine Tasting
Escape the city and indulge in a truly beautiful day outside Athens with this unforgettable excursion to Nafplio — widely considered the most charming town on the Greek mainland. Travel in absolute comfort in a Mercedes
8h from $208 - 13
Athens Cooking Class in a Garden with Optional Market Tour
This isn’t just cooking—it’s a sensory journey that connects you to the heart of Athens through taste, tradition, and genuine connection. If you'd like to book the experience with the market tour included please choose
4.5h from $79 - 14
Get a Taste of Athens Food Tour
What about exploring the city through the ultimate food discovery experience? Discover the city at a relaxing pace with our local expert who will share your love for delicious dishes and tasty products. Indulge yourself
3h - 15
Athens Riviera Catamaran tour with fresh Meal Drinks and Swimming
You'll experience first hand an amazing itinerary of the Athenian Riviera and go to amazing bays where the water is crystal clear, snorkel with the fishes and even, if you so wish, swim to a desert island, just off the c
5h from $121 - 16
Best Seller: Semi-Private Athens Morning Food Tour (15+ tastings)
Discover the Greek culinary culture on a 4-hour walking tour around Athens' food scene. Let your local guide lead you through the best food spots the historical city has to offer and indulge in 15 different tastings of l
4h from $89 - 17
Athens Greek Food Tour Small-Group Experience
Join us on a delicious journey around Athens through the city’s most foodie neighbourhoods and experience Greek gastronomy at its best. Our small-group (10-12 ppl) ensures ultimate personalisation, flexibility and safety
3.5h from $89 - 18
Athens Classic Cooking Class with Market Visit and Wine
Our Classic Cooking Class has been created to teach you some culinary techniques, make some delicious food and get to know your Athenian Home Cooks, while having a great time, of course. The team at The Greek Kitchen ar
4h - 19
Athens cruise: Agistri, Moni/Metopi, Aegina with lunch & drinks
Welcome to Cruise in Athens, onboard on our luxury yachts, anchored in Marina Zeas! We will reintroduce you to the poetic magic of the Saronic Sea while tending to your safety, comfort and luxury. Our yachts: Angelique
10h from $144 - 20
Athens Street Food Walk
Immerse yourself in the best Greek street food while exploring Athens and hanging out where the locals do, ending with a final amazing photo souvenir! Join our small-group food tour around the best street food haunts of
3h from $59
Frequently asked
- How much do food tours in Athens cost?
- Roughly $59–$208 per person, with the median around $98.
- When should I book?
- One to two weeks ahead in peak season; same-day is sometimes possible off-peak but limits choice.