Only a few decades the options for international cuisine in Athens were extremely limited, and the main street food was souvlaki and koulouri. Over the last 15 years, however, you can now find food from Asia, Eastern Europe, South America, and everywhere else.
Today will take a look at the best Middle Eastern street food you can find in the Greek capital.
Feyrouz
Located at Karori 23 & Agathonos 1, near Plaka and opened in 2014 by a five-member family, this place artfully merges Balkan and Levantine cuisine.
With its innovative menu, it blends Eastern and Western culinary styles, featuring lahmacun, peinirli, wraps, soups, beef pies, and several vegetarian options.
The atmosphere is relaxed, and the fresh, artisanal dishes that elevate traditional street food to new heights, will have you going back for more.
Falafellas
On 51 Aiolou Street, near Agia Irinis Square in Monastiraki, Falafellas stands out for its sought-after falafel wraps.
It is known for its delicious, high-quality sandwiches, with falafels served in either small and large pita wraps and enhanced with a variety of ingredients like minty yoghurt, tahini, pickled aubergine, crisp cucumber, chilli sauce, and hummus.
This popular spot often sees long queues, a testament to its rewarding offerings.
Magic Kitchen
The menu at this vegan food bar on 43-45 Themistokleous in Exarcheia, reflects a melting pot of cultures. Established in 2021 by Sanem and Zelal, it’s run by a diverse team from Kurdish, Palestinian, Syrian, and Greek backgrounds.
They specialise in budget-friendly, nutritious dishes like Turkish gözleme, crepes filled with greens, mushrooms, onions, and spices.
Other highlights include the red lentil soup, ekmek dessert, vegan Smyrna meatballs, and homemade beverages like fresh, zingy lemonade and kefir.
Hayat
Located at 78 Ippokratous in Exarchia, Hayat offers a genuine Kurdish culinary experience. The open kitchen showcases the creation of every dish, from toasted buns to handmade boat-shaped pineirli topped with aromatic kebabs.
Try the spicy Adana kebabs, the robust aubergine salad with chunky garlic and Peinirli with egg. Diners can also savour the wafer-thin lahmajoun, the light pastourmas cake and the mercimek kofte.
Hayat’s warm, unpretentious ambience complements its unforgettable, authentic Eastern flavours.
Cocona
Cocona, on 10 Milioni in Kolonaki, sells a mouthwatering array of traditional Greek pies with a heartfelt Asia Minor influence.
The secret to Cocona’s unparalleled taste lies in the quality of the ingredients used; the vegetables and herbs are always fresh, and they exclusively use fine extra virgin olive oil in all their preparations.
The menu includes tray-baked options like the spinach and feta cheese pie, mushroom, chicken, and herb-rich greens pie.
Apart from the presence of its welcoming and effervescent owner Ioanna, the most special feature is the Mikrasiatiko Gkiouzleme, a thin, curved metal-baked pastry rolled out daily using a traditional rolling pin and filled with choices fresh mushrooms, spinach with herbs, pastourma & kasseri cheese.
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