Vegetarian Greek Food Finds in Athens, Greece

Athens is like a living, breathing time capsule where every corner has a story to tell and the Ouzo flows like the good times. Of course you have the culinary delight that is Greek food; the city’s traditional taverns and vibrant street markets offer an array of mouthwatering dishes, making the exploration of Athens a feast for the senses. On our travels, we sampled a lot of vegetarian* Greek food (and some non-Greek food as well) and of course we wanted to share everything that we tried. So here goes:

*Disclaimer: We are Lacto-Ovo vegetarians. As such, some of the items we share may contain eggs.

Breakfast Food Options

• Kouluri aka Sesame Bread – this is something that we absolutely loved in Turkey and when we saw its close cousin in Greece, we were thrilled. A koulouri is a type of circular bread or bread ring commonly topped with sesame seeds, giving it a slightly nutty flavor and a crunchy texture. Sold all over the city, it’s hard to miss shops and carts selling these sesame laden breads. We especially went to one of the older shops specialising in these called – To Koulouri of Psirri – website link – google maps link

• Spanakotipa aka Spinach Pie – when researching for food before our visit, these pies looked amazing and they lived up to our expectation when we finally got a chance to try it. Spanakopita is a savory pie or pastry filled with a delicious mixture of spinach, feta cheese, onions and various herbs and spices. The combination of flaky pastry and a flavorful, herb-infused spinach and feta filling was delightful. Crunchy, crumbly and gooey inside, we had this almost everyday in Greece. But we especially enjoyed it a lot at this cafe called – Bougatsadiko Psirri – google maps link

• Greek Omelette – is known for its freshness and the Mediterranean flavors derived from the combination of beaten eggs, sautéed tomatoes, olives, crumbled feta cheese, seasonings and olive oil. It’s available in many places and we tried a good version of this at a cafe called iFeel Brunch Restaurant – google maps link.

Lunch / Dinner Food Options

• Yemista aka Greek Stuffed Vegetables – this is a traditional Greek dish that consists of vegetables, usually tomatoes and bell peppers, typically stuffed with a mixture of rice, onions, garlic, herbs, tomato puree, and olive oil and baked in the oven. Served nice and hot, it’s quite wholesome and satisfying. We tried good versions of the Yemista (aka Gemista) at Antica Restaurant & Cafe – google maps link and at Symposio Sto Psyrri – google maps link

• Zucchini or Tomato Croquettes – these can be had as a snack food but we decided to put it under lunch/dinner as they make a great appetiser. These are savory fritters made from grated zucchini or tomatoes, mixed with other herbs, cheese, breadcrumbs and sometimes egg. These are delightful with a crispy outer layer and a tender and flavourful interior. We tried these at Antica Restaurant & Cafe – google maps link and immensely enjoyed them at Symposio Sto Psyrri – google maps link

• Stuffed Grape/Wine Leaves aka Dolmades – it might sound a bit strange if you’ve never tried these but do give it a try – it’s also a great starter option. Also known as dolma or grape leaves rolls, these are typically made by rolling a mixture of seasoned rice, pine nuts, and herbs in grape leaves and then cooking them until tender. We enjoyed this a lot, at a traditional greek tavern called Krasopoulio tou Kokkora (google maps link) but you get them at several restaurants.

• Fried Zucchini – we actually thought we were ordering zucchini croquettes when we ordered this. Turned out in Greece, people actually fry zucchini as you would fry potato chips. To our surprise it was very good. You get this at several restaurants.

• Greek Salad – this wonderful salad made up of greens, fresh juicy tomatoes, olives, capers and loads of feta cheese. A must have while in Greece and a great alternative if you’ve had just too much bread – available at several restaurants.

• Oven Baked Aubergines / Eggplant – this is another brilliant dish that can be enjoyed as a starter or side dish. This is a savoury dish where the eggplant is baked in tomato sauce, herbs, garlic and feta cheese. It might seem simple, but it’ll send your taste-buds soaring. We loved this at a traditional greek tavern called Krasopoulio tou Kokkora (google maps link)

• Vegetable Moussaka – is a classic and hearty Greek dish that consists of layers of eggplant or potatoes, and a creamy béchamel sauce. Ironically we didn’t get a chance to try this in Greece itself but we’ve savoured it at Greek restaurants elsewhere. Moussaka typically contains meat but you can find vegetarian versions at a few places in Athens.

Street Food

• Gyros and Souvlaki – we tried two popular Greek dishes at a small roadside eatery called Street Souvlaki (google maps link). Gyros and Souvlaki are typically prepared with grilled or roasted meat but we had the vegetarian versions available here. Gyros is commonly served inside pita bread and the vegetarian version here included grilled halloumi cheese with fries, tzatziki and mayo sauces in a pita wrap. Souvlaki is usually served on skewers and we tried the mushroom souvlaki at this place. Whilst the food here was not the best we’ve ever had, the flavours were still good and we enjoyed it overall.

• Lahmacun – we really enjoyed the vegetarian lahmacun at a small eatery called Feyrouz – website link – google maps link. Also spelled “lahmajoun” or “lahmajun”, this is a popular Middle Eastern and Turkish dish that consists of a thin, round flatbread topped with a mixture of minced meat, vegetables, and spices. The vegetarian version here replaced the meat with bulgur salad and vegetables.

• Falafel Wrap – had a great version of the falafel wrap at a road side shop called – Falafellas – website link – google maps link. You can choose between small and large and customize it to make it more or less spicy as per your preference.

Greek Desserts

We suggest two must-try desserts while in Athens or Greece, as below:

• Greek Donuts aka Loukoumades – the most amazing sweet treats that you can have! These bite-sized, deep-fried pastries are made from a flour batter and then drizzled with honey or syrup. We throughly enjoyed them at two very popular places – Krinos and Lukumades.

• Greek Yogurt – is a healthy and tasty treat that can be enjoyed guilt free. We had a great one at Fresko Yogurt Bar in Plaka – website link – google maps link. At this bar you can choose the toppings you want from a variety of options. We went with honey, figs and almonds and loved it.

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Check out our Athens food vlog which gives you a visual treat of some of the above.

See our Greece Travel itinerary here or hop onto the Best Things to do in Athens through our eyes.

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We leave you with a goole map of food joints we had shortlisted for Athens, with vegetarian options – some of which we did try – but could’t try everything. We hope this is useful in your quest for vegetarian food in the city.