While everyone loves traditional taverna cuisine, no visit to the city is complete without at least one souvlaki. Try the pita with lamb skewers at Athina Souvlaki (33 Makriyianni). For vegan alternatives, seek out Cookoomela Grill (43-45 Themistokleous) in the Exarchia neighborhood, where you can chow down on a souvlaki with mushrooms or lentil kebab.

Souvlaki will always have pride of place in the Greek street food scene, but an exciting array of other choices have appeared in recent years. Zisis (3 Athinaidos) serves fried seafood, including squid and shrimp, in paper cones. It’s a Greek take on fish and chips that’s become a beloved Athenian treat. For a more tropical seafood snack, head to Poké Hawaiian Sushi (7 Petraki), a popular hole-in-the-wall which introduced the city to Hawaiian flavors in bowls. Try the salmon and avocado, the shrimp and pineapple, or the fish of the day. For one of the best pizzas in Athens, put your trust in Crust (13 Protogenous) in the Psyrri neighborhood. A pizza joint with a club underneath, it stays open until the early hours to cater for those after-drinks munchies.

This text was first published as part of “Beat the Heat”, an article published in Greece Is Athens, Summer 2019 Edition.