Athens Insider: Coolest New Hangouts for the Summer - Greece Is (2024)

Rendezvous in the Courtyard

One of the most delightful recent restaurant arrivals, Taverna ton Filon (The Friends’ Tavern) has opened its new courtyard for the summer. Serene and atmospheric, adorned with hanging lights and a scattering of rose-filled pots nestled beside tables dressed in crisp white tablecloths, it’s the ideal place to meet friends and try the dishes prepared by chef Giannis Mousios and his team, which range from tomato salads with kopanisti and green beans with grilled apricots to stuffed vegetables and fried melanouri with skordalia. The well-selected wines on the menu are particularly noteworthy.

Burgers by Award-Winning Chefs

Michelin-starred duo Giorgos Papazacharias and Thanos Feskos have created a must-try burger. Despite the use of multiple processes, fermentations, double glazing, smoked butters, and other special preparations, the end result is a precisely constructed, well-balanced smashburger that invites you to simply enjoy without overthinking it. The fluffy potato bun alone merits admiration. The patty is made from 100% Black Angus and comes in three variations: cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, and Oklahoma style, with caramelized onions and smoked pancetta. The fries are also quite tempting, as they’re fried mashed potatoes, similar to savory churros. The burger joint 4Hands is open Wednesday through Sunday (19:00–00:00) at the Athens Street Hub outdoor food court, a beautiful garden in Kerameikos surrounded by colorful containers that have been converted into food stalls.

Meze and Trainspotting

Afaia, located close to the old Poulopoulos Hat Factory in Thiseio, has been open for a while and is reminiscent of a café, meze restaurant, and bistro all rolled into one. With a view of the chimneys of the Technopolis cultural park, in the old gasworks of Athens, and the back-and-forth of Metro Line 1 on the bridge opposite, we enjoy cold beers from Greek microbreweries or sip on tsipouro and ouzo while nibbling on cheeses, tomato salad with ladenia, fava with caper leaves, thick-cut fries served with thyme aioli, goat cheese log from Maltezos Farm, pirozhki, and other meze or more hearty dishes like paccheri pasta with minced meat and cream of Amfilochia pecorino.

The New Ice Creams

New and delicious flavors can be found in the city’s best gelaterias, allowing us to carry on the childhood tradition of counting how many ice cream cones we eat every summer. Maraboo Ice Cream uses fresh fruits, herbs, spices, nuts, nut butters, and unique additives such as beer and jalapeños to create novel flavors. They recently began preparing pavlova ice cream with homemade meringues and fresh strawberry sauce, as well as milk flower with thyme and lemon marmalade, chocolate mousse with salt and olive oil, and a refreshing yogurt ice cream with cherries. The gianduja prepared from roasted almonds at Django Gelato is a must-try, as is the sorbet made from Pella cherries with aromatic Matis ouzo from Mytilene at Epik Gelato.

A “Hot” Souvlaki

Christoforos Peskias, one of Greece’s most diverse chefs, named his souvlaki establishment Kapsa (Heat). A fitting name because it opened during a heatwave, and one of its main draws is its spicy sauces. This summer, the chef decided to delve into the country’s favorite street food, paying attention to the details while not changing its DNA: pork neck skewers are grilled over charcoal, potatoes are peeled and fried on the spot, and sauces are homemade and varied, ranging from classic tzatziki to a fiery sauce made with green horn peppers, coriander, parsley, and olive oil. The gyro will spin in front of a particular rack containing flaming charcoal.

Movie Night with Spritz and Pizza

The historic Aigli Cinema (the city’s oldest outdoor cinema, which began screenings in 1910) has been renovated and is now open in the cool garden of Zappeion. The sound and picture quality are better than ever, and the concession stand has been updated to include tray-baked pizza by chef Dimos Balopoulos in addition to popcorn, nachos, and other snacks. The pizza is made on the spot and comes in two flavors: margherita and pepperoni. Bartender Dimitris Roussos has curated the four co*cktails on the menu, which include a peach spritz and a rich, super-refreshing mango colada in slush form.

Cooling Down with co*cktails

Located on the vibrant Kleisovis pedestrian street in Exarchia, the innovative team at Ham on Rye dedicates itself to perfecting classic co*cktails. Meanwhile, Walkin, which recently opened in the same area, serves an alternative Negroni with homemade beet vermouth and a Penicillin with cognac, kombucha, and pineapple. If you find yourself near CV Distiller, check out their new menu, which includes a summer version of Hot Buttered Rum, made with two different rums, freshly grated nutmeg, and crushed ice. Finally, make sure to sample the mojito, made with strawberry-flavored rum and homemade mint soda, at Lokali‘s vibrant garden.

Seasonal Delicacies in a Green Square

Chronis Damalas, a talented chef with an impressive career, has recently launched his first restaurant in his hometown of Ampelokipoi. RawBata, which has tables in the tranquil and green Lakonias Square near Panormou metro station, does not have a set menu; instead it serves fresh meals, such as red rooster with cranberry beans and cinnamon, mutton wrapped in eggplant slices like dolmades, and a summery salad with purslane, bogue fish, Armenian cucumber and a sour grape juice and vinegar dressing, using seasonal ingredients, which currently include cherries, amaranth greens, peaches, zucchinis, purslane, and zucchini flowers, among others.

An Atmospheric Pedestrian Street

Amen, led by chef patron Giorgos Stylianoudakis, is housed in an 1890 neoclassical edifice on one of the center’s most picturesque pedestrian streets. Despite its proximity to the Panathenaic Stadium, Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue, and the crowded Proskopon Square, Iroda Street provides a unique and peaceful ambiance. The menu includes dishes such as blanched tomato stuffed with a Greek salad “tartare” (olive, tomato, cucumber, onion), xigalo cheese, and a cracker made from phyllo dough with graviera cheese and thyme; Aghia Galini fish soup (one of the chef’s specialties) with poached grouper, olive oil, and celery; and trahanas with shellfish broth and Kolymbari shrimp. The desserts, such as the cherry and soumada tart, bear the signature of pastry chef Nikoletta Tsaliki.

Pop-Up Discotheque

How many places are there to go dancing in Athens? Not many. This was the reasoning that led to the creation of Angie, a new pop-up disco that will be hosted over the summer at the site of Boiler Bar. They created a large dance floor in the center of the room and installed vintage, colored lights and a disco ball. The disco will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 pm until late. The music will be selected by the team behind Angie, as well as guest DJs from Greece and abroad (SoMe, Tako, Terra Exotika, K.atou, and others). The bar will include a great selection of wines as well as a frozen Margarita machine.

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