Foodies like us will absolutely love Athens. Greece not only has incredible history, it also has amazing food. Our love for the city of Athens was further enhanced by our epic Athens food tour with Greeking.me and its knowledgeable guide Elena who walked us through the lively streets of Athens as we sampled mouth-watering sweet and savory offerings over a 4 hour period.
We had been warned to “come hungry” and we certainly did. We highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to experience authentic Greek food in Athens. As such, we think you should include this as part of your Athens itinerary. Here is a recap of the highlight of our Athens visit.
[the_ad id=”13767″]
Best Foodie Tour in Athens Greece:
Our Greeking.me foodie tour , courtesy of the company, started at the main central square of Athens, named Syntagma Square. Elena, our guide, was already there along with an Australian couple. We were joined by yet another Australian couple (what are the chances?) just a few minutes later. Greeking.me foodie tour is a small group foodie Athens tour. This makes it so much more intimate and gives you a chance to get to know the rest of the participants. We were fortunate that the two couples were very friendly and easy to talk to. The time flew by and l am positive that we all enjoyed the experience.
Greeking me food tour:
Elena gave us a brief history of Greece. It was then time to try our very first typical, local savory snack of Athens which was being sold by street vendors right in the square. Called Koulouria, it is best described as pretzel like dry bread ring (it is both salty and just a tad sweet to me, thanks to the molasses maybe). Koulouria is typical breakfast food for Greeks, along with a cup of their very strong (in my opinion) coffee. We discovered that all Koulouria are made in the same factory for sale in the city, so no matter which street vendor you buy from, there is no difference whatsoever. I quite liked it.
Foodie experiences in Athens:
Some of the other typical Greek food that we sampled over the four hour foodie tour in Athens included:
Baked Rice Pudding:
[the_ad id=”13784″]
Deliciously sweet and a hit with everyone. I liked it, but did not love it as l am not a big pudding fan. Federico was more than happy to eat my share. He said it tasted awesome, combination of flan, rice pudding and vanilla.
Loukoumades in Athens:
What can l say? This was my favorite sweet food. Deep fried doughnuts drizzled in honey. What’s not to love? Elena connects the dots between history and food. For example, this delightful dessert originated from the Ottoman empire. The word is derived from the Turkish word for “morsel” or “mouthful” and indeed it was. It was interesting to hear that this was the prize money at the Olympics games as far back as 776 BC. It does kind of remind you of the Olympic rings does it not?
Kourou Pastry:
Traditional hand made cheese pie from an old family recipe. This eatery was full of locals and has been in existence since 1923, so you know they must be doing something right. I admit that l ate the crust and tossed the filling, it was just a bit too cheesy for me :-). Federico loved it of course. Anything with cheese has his name written all over it!
Cheese in Athens:
No foodie tour is complete without sampling varieties of cheese. We visited another family run shop with wall to wall cheese offerings. I ended up tasting and loving one particular kind of cheese, only to find out that it was never exported. Such small quantities were produced because of regulations and climate. Amazing quality and taste. If you’re in Greece and see it anywhere, make sure to try some.
[the_ad id=”13783″]
Grilled Sardines:
Yum, yum, yum! I have loved sardines since l was a kid and never tire of eating them. This was amazing. We walked through the Athens central meat market to get there, and it was eye-opening. There were rows of hanging pig heads for sale which l don’t think I’ve ever seen. The whole body, yes, but not just the heads. Elena said they were used in soups to add flavor, just like the fish head. Makes sense, we do the same in Nigeria and a lot of people love eating fish head and eyeballs even.
Soutzoukakia:
Spicy, oblong shaped meatballs. Made with cumin, garlic and cinnamon and stewed in tomato sauce, it was served with potatoes. Very filling and very good. My wish would have been for it to be served with rice so you could enjoy the stew even more.
Gigantes mi Spinaki:
Giant white beans stewed with spinach. I have to tell you that l would never have ordered this on my own. It sounds way too healthy. I had cleaned up my portion with some lovely bread before asking what it was and helping myself to another portion. Spinach? Moi? I’ll be damned if that wasn’t my favorite dish of the day!!! 🙂
[the_ad id=”14098″]
Greek Olives:
Did you know there are over 200 kinds of Greek olives? Neither did l 🙂 . I never used to like olives till we moved to Spain, and particularly the Andalusia region where you get olives with everything just about. Now, I have a couple of favorites. This olive store we visited sells the 33 top varieties. Laid out in open containers so you could sample before buying, it was a real treat to discover some new types of olives. They weren’t very expensive either.
Cold Cuts:
One of our last stops on the Athens foodie tour was a family owned charcuterie right in the center of Athens. Opened in 1922, it has become the go-to place for mouth-watering pastourma (heavily seasoned, air dried cured beef). We shared a platter of cold cut delicacies including feta cheese, dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with herbs and rice mixture till tender), sucuk (dry spicy sausage).
Brizola ( Greek Pork Chops):
Amazing! Simply amazing. Served on a bed of Greek fries. What can l say? We all let our mouths do the talking as we tucked in.
[the_ad id=”14099″]
Raki:
Anise flavored alcoholic drink. It is roughly 52% alcohol. To me, it tasted like super intense schnapps. We sampled plain as well as flavored ones which the guy poured straight from a huge jug. I like it! Federico didn’t drink any at all, so l had to pick up the slack :-). There was more Raki on a couple of the other stops too.
[box] Looking for travel insurance? Don’t painfully lose money like we did. Protect yourself![/box]
It’s a given that Greeking.me has one of the best food tours in Athens. We loved the fact that we got to sample authentic Greek food at small, family run places. We also got a combination of food, culture and history of Greece. It was interesting to observe how Elena interacted with not just the staff of these establishments, but with just vendors in general that we encountered. Several times, they came up to say hello and tell us we had the best guide. I believe them too. A couple of times we ran into another small foodie group on a tour and l am positive there was no “warmth”, not from the guide, not from the staff and definitely not from the participants themselves. I think they would have easily traded places with us. It wasn’t all due to the Raki either 🙂 .
[the_ad id=”14118″]
Should you do a food tour in Athens?
Yes! A food tour is a perfect way to sample traditional Greek food that you might otherwise not try. Everyone knows to order the usual suspects. A Greek salad and maybe some tzatziki. This is so much more. If you’re lucky enough to have a knowledgeable guide like Elena, it makes for an even better experience.
She is Athens born and raised and knows the city inside out. Eateries that are hiding in plain sight that you probably wouldn’t have gone or know that they have the best food. The food tour has a nice mix of sweet and savory Greek food. It should be part of your Athens must-dos. In addition to trying Greek coffees, we were very happy to eat! 🙂 and for sure Greeking me food tour is one of the best culinary experiences in Athens without a doubt.
Tips for the best foodie tour experience in Athens:
- Wear comfortable shoes. Make sure they have grip soles. The cobblestone streets of Athens are pretty sleek
- Come hungry! There is a lot to eat and drink.
- Be open minded. Try everything. You never know, you might discover something you like..see above with the spinach!
- Don’t forget sun protection and a hat in the summer.
[box] Click here to find the best priced Athens hotel for your dates[/box]
Pin it for later:
Have you been on an Athens food tour? Was it a fun experience? Would you agree it’s the best foodie tour in Athens? Any food tour anywhere that brings back awesome memories to share?
[the_ad id=”13768″]
What a rocking tour Kemkem. Greek food is so filling; a dish and I am set until the next meal. I like the mix of savories; meats and carbs with healthy vegetables tossed in, all marinated to perfection. Don’t get me started on the honey-sweets. Glorious. 2 bites and I am done!
It was a most excellent tour Ryan. A very enjoyable one, we were all so full. Haha! I loved those honey drizzled donuts. Insane. I had never had them before and truly enjoyed it. Glad there was just enough, otherwise l would have gorged and sent my sugar levels into a tailspin :-).
Yum! Yum! That’s definitely the tour I am going to take when I go to Athens. Everything looks so delicious and everything is made even better by a guide who loves what she does. That’s the perfect way to go about it!
Regarding your favorite dish of the day – not only that I would have never ordered it either, but I would’ve never thought that combining spinach with beans even makes sense. It’s nice to see that there are still so many great things to discover when it comes to delicious foods!
You will love it for sure C! I know Alina and little Eric would like it as well, something for everyone. Elena really loves her job and her city and it was pretty obvious. It was pleasant to observe how she interacted with everyone, even people at shops we didn’t go into. Tells you a lot about a person.
Hahah! You know there is no way in hell l would have ordered that myself either. Took me almost 30 years to try lentils :-). I was plesantly surprised and l am positive had they told me it was spinach prior to eating it, l wouldn’t have tried it. I told Federico he has to make it now, we might make a stop at the central market to see if we can make it happen :-).
Here in the villages that spinach dish is made with what we would call Black Eyed Peas, and is one of our favorites. The large flat, sometimes called butter beans here, are served stand alone with a red sauce, generally slow-baked for hours and one of our other favorites. And our loukoumades are just dough puffs that have no resemblance to donuts, but in addition to the honey that tops them, they are usually served with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Always fun to see the variations in dishes between regions! And you’ve now discovered one of the top reasons we love living in Greece: the food!! Great tour you gave — loved being along with you!!
It sounds good slow cooked like they do over your way too. I am still surprised that l liked it so much. Your loukoumades sounds heavenly, screw the calories :-). At home, we have puff-puff which are fried dough balls, but heavier and no honey, but super sweet, absolutely delightful. I don’t blame you for loving the food in Greece, it’s very, very good. We really enjoyed the tour, a great mix of everything., and l’m glad you “enjoyed” it.
I can’t think of anything more delicious than a food tour. I love Greek food, so this tour would be a good choice for me. I will definitely follow in your culinary footsteps next time I visit Athens. My daughter has given us a voucher for a food tour in Brighton, England. It was a Christmas present that we are yet to cash in. Your post has made me think we need to book our food tour very soon 🙂
Food tours are quickly becoming my favorite. This was a great one because it combined the history with food. You would enjoy it for sure. Yep! You need to cash in your Christmas present, your taste buds are waiting. Please do this tour next time you’re in Athens, you won’t regret it Gilda. 🙂
I am convinced that a food tour is essential to a full visit of a place. We will have our first one in Slovenia this October. I just wish you could tell me what makes that Greek pork chop so amazing. Do they also tell you how your favorites are made?
I’m with you about the food tour being a good thing to do when one visits a new place. I’m sure you will enjoy the one in Slovakia. I know they have hearty food there. Federico is an amazing cook and he makes awesome pork chops. This tasted different in a good way. I think they use Greek oregano and l tasted lemon, so maybe lemon zest or juice and a bit of vinegar in the mix. Some of the places did offer recipes, we probably should have taken them up on it :-).
I’ll definitely book this the next time I’m in Athens. There’s a lot of food you listed i still need to try and Elena seems a treasure, nothing worse than dull tour guide.
Elena made the tour extra special. We were lucky to have her, and you should ask for her tour when you go :-). Yep..a lot of food and drink. I think we only had coffee and a salad the rest of the day.
Oh yum – looks like taste bud heaven and the additional interaction with vendors plus a bit of history makes this tour sound like something I’d like too. Everything looks great but I really think you could plonk me down in the olive store and I’d be happy trying to find some new favorites! Anita
Oh you would definitely enjoy this food tour. The background, the streets and the food all came together nicely and the 4 hours flew by. Haha! I think Federico tried a bunch of the olive types, I had to warn him to not get too full :-). Some looked sort of like prunes and they were delicious according to him.
Foodie heaven! Malcolm is Armenian, so some of this food looks familiar since the cultures are similar. His mother makes a white bean soup that is amazing, and we frequently serve a Meza platter, (meat, cheese, grape leaves, olives and bread) when entertaining. Sometimes, that plus a bottle of wine in dinner for us. The little doughnuts drizzled in honey would last about two minutes with me, but you can keep those sardines all to yourself! I am surprised that Baklava was not on your tour, (flaky pastry with ground nuts and honey) very sweet and delicious. What a fun way to get to know a new city.
The Mexa platter sounds like a wonderful dinner, especially when washed down with some good wine! Yes, the culture is similar to Italian as well, like their mousaka looks like lasagna etc.. so we especially enjoyed it. I will gladly take the sardines off your plate :-). I have such wonderful memories of boarding school with a can of sardines mixed with butter and making it a sandwich, really, truly the food of the gods :-). I love Baklava too, (my best mates in college were Lebanese and Iranian so got to try the variations) but l think maybe they wanted to show us the not so known desserts to outsiders. We certainly saw them on offer on the stops.
This really seems like an awesome food tour which unfortunately I missed when in Athens, Kemkem. Too bad I haven’t read your post earlier. 😀 I’ll have this tour in mind next time I go to Athens!
Aaaahh.. next time then 🙂 . It was truly awesome, and not just because l am addicted to food..haha!
I love Greek food – especially the cheese pie and the beans with spinach. A Greeking.me tour sounds like a great way of discovering the cuisine.
It is certainly a great way to discover the good stuff. You and Federico can keep that cheese pie and l will definitely take the beans and spinach :-). Fantastic!
I did love the food of Athens that we just stumbled upon. Next time, a tour will enhance the experience. And doing it with a local is the best.
Definitely with a local to add to the rich experience and Elena was just so awesome. We enjoyed picking often ignored restaurants in Athens too. We are more about the menu and not the crowds :-).
Yum! Some of those photos look good enough to eat. I don’t consider myself a foodie so that type of tour would have to offer something a whole lot more to hold my interest. I want to be a fudgie though so I need to get myself to Mackinac Island. I could definitely see myself signing up for a fudge tour!
Haha! You can keep the fudge :-). I’m not a big fan of that and l can’t imagine how many ways one could make fudge enough to warrant a tour, but it they can do it with garlic etc.. I’m sure someone is up to the challenge :-).
Yum! Yum! Yum! And Yum!
‘Like I said on Facebook, foodtours are totally the best!
I totally agree with you. They are absolutely wonderful :-).
Sounds absolutely amazing and a liquor with 52% alcohol! How did you manage to stand up afterwards:-). What a carefully considered tour: starting with lighter fare & ending with juicy meat & wine.
52% ! I was oh no.. I couldn’t possibly as l held out my little shot glass. Federico wasn’t having any..haha! It was strong. Each place also gave you water so l guess it’s actually 26%..hahahha :-). It was an awesome tour, and like you said well considered. Our last thing was the pork chops. Perfect.
Nice looking food – love Greek food. I have a favorite restaurant in Montreal that I miss/
Us too.. so hearty and delicious. Never get tired of it!