Smoothie or yogurt? Cheese pie or piroski? Croissant or fougasse? In the morning, Athens’ bustling city center is full of delightful options to satisfy and reward our taste buds.

 

 

 

 

 

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Kora’s jars

In addition to delectable treats such as pain au chocolat, Danish pastries filled with pâtisserie cream, and hearty sandwich options featuring mortadella, burrata, and even a spread made from toasted Aegina pistachios, Kora’s breakfast menu features a line of convenient glass jars filled with yogurt, refreshing homemade jams, and their artisanal “croissant crunch” granola, which boasts caramelized croissant pieces, oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, raisins, and a hint of cinnamon. This fall, they’re offering jars filled with Trikala yogurt, forest fruit jam, and granola.

Dodoni’s cheese pie

I often like to kick-start my day with the warm smiles and kind words I get from the owners of Dodoni, accompanied by one of the establishment’s delicious golden cheese pies. These buttery kourou pastry creations are undeniably among the city’s most delicious treats.

Stani’s yogurt with honey

At this historic Omonia dairy shop, they’ve been making yogurt since 1931. It’s a delightfully tangy, textured treat that boasts extra flavor thanks to milk sourced from Oreini Korinthia, a mountainous area near the city of Corinth in the Peloponnese. For a satisfying breakfast, don’t forget to ask for it with honey and/or walnuts.

Acharnon’s piroshki

Always served piping hot and freshly fried for a thin, golden crust that conceals a fluffy interior, Mrs Maria’s piroshki from Acharnon Street are truly renowned. I suggest trying the one filled with dill-infused potatoes and keeping the one with spicy ground beef for later.

 

 

 

 

 

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Montakiou’s sandwiches

Even early in the morning, you’ll find a line at the sandwich shop-deli in the shopping arcade known as Stoa Korai. Personally, I don’t mind waiting a bit longer for my favorite thin rosemary-stuffed tofu focaccia, featuring a delightful combination of omelet, mortadella, and creamy stracchino cheese. Choose from cheese and cured meat options from Greece, Italy and France to craft your own unique combinations or enjoy one of the standard options, such as the Provence sandwich with coppa, brie, roasted eggplant and cherry tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

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Wild Souls’ smoothies

While many places serve smoothies, only a few excel at crafting truly delicious ones. At Wild Souls, they go the extra mile by incorporating their own homemade nut milk and nut butters into their smoothies, giving them a delightful richness of flavor. For instance, one of their recent creations features Madagascar vanilla cashew butter. Alternatively, you can opt for fresh almonds or any other nuts you like and pair them with some organic Cretan bananas from the nearby 4 Seasons grocery store (30 Nikis).

 

 

 

 

 

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Fika’s croissant-calzone

Fika’s sweet and savory croissants are made with yummy pastry dough and fillings created from quality ingredients. Until recently, I was particularly fond of both the Danish with red fruit, white chocolate and homemade almond cream and the Croque Madame on a croissant sheet with bechamel, ham, egg and parmesan, but my new favorite is the recently added croissant-calzone, with myzithra cheese, dried figs and honey.

 

 

 

 

 

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Politeiko Neroboureko at Baklavas

The place to go for exquisite, buttery baklava in the Syntagma area holds an intriguing surprise. Upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that the display windows also feature a daily treat: politeiko neroboureko, a unique cheese pie made using handmade filo layers that are boiled, akin to lasagna sheets, before being baked with chunks of feta cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tromero Paidi’s fougasse

I can’t get enough of Tromero Paidi’s puff pastries. Their crescent-shaped cheese pie, crafted with rich buttery pastry and a delectable filling of feta and cream cheese, is an absolute must-try. Equally irresistible is their Parisian baguette with butter and ham. You mustn’t, however, overlook the impressive fougasse, an intricately adorned flatbread baked with both black Kalamata olives and green olives – it’s a true delight! Plus, it’s generously sized, so you’ll have plenty left for a satisfying midday snack.

 

 

 

 

 

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Black Salami’s spinach pie

Yes, we all know their sandwiches. They’re my go-to whenever I visit Black Salami. However, this excellent bakery in Exarchia also offers something no one else does – a spinach pie sandwich that’s perfect for breakfast, particularly if you’re looking for a nutritious start to your day. Encased in thin, tender, slow-fermented bread, you’ll find a rich and aromatic blend of spinach, chard, chicory, leeks, cauliflower and chervil, complemented by a perfectly balanced combination of feta, myzithra and manouri cheeses.

This article was first published in Greek in gastronomos.gr.