How Greeks Really Choose Where to Eat (and How You Can Too)

If you’ve ever wondered how Greeks always seem to end up at the best taverna in the neighborhood… here’s the secret:
We almost never check reviews.
We trust something older than the internet — instinct.
Here’s how Greeks actually choose where to eat, and how you can use the same tricks in Athens.

1. We read the menu… for the number of dishes.

If the menu looks like a small book, we leave.
Too many choices usually means reheated or pre-cooked food.
A short menu = someone’s yiayia (grandma) is probably in the kitchen.

2.We check what’s cooking today.

Daily specials written on a blackboard or on a piece of paper?
That means they bought fresh ingredients and cooked real Greek food that morning.
That’s the good stuff.

3.We look inside — not at the online ratings.

Are locals eating there?
Is it loud, full of conversation and the smell of grilled meat?
Is the waiter busy (in a good way)?
Perfect.

4.The bread test — always.

If the bread is fresh, crusty, warm… you’ve found a real taverna.
If it looks packaged or soft like a sponge… run.

5.We avoid restaurants shouting in English.

Menus in English are normal — Athens is full of travelers.
But giant signs like “BEST GYROS IN ATHENS!”
No Greek believes that.

6.We check the grill and the kitchen smells.

If you smell souvlaki, oregano, lemon, and olive oil drifting to the street — sit down.
If all you smell is burnt oil… keep walking.

7.We watch what others are eating.

If someone’s Greek salad looks sad, pale, and tomato-less… goodbye.
If the beans, meatballs, or moussaka look homemade — you’ve struck gold.

8.We never trust an empty place at 2 PM.

Greeks eat well and they eat on time.
An empty taverna during lunch hours?
That’s a warning sign.

9.We avoid hosts trying to pull us inside.

Good tavernas don’t chase customers.
They don’t need to.

10.Finally… we follow our stomach, not our phone.

If it smells right, looks right, and feels right — that’s your place.

Want to eat like a real Athenian? Join our Food Tour.

If you want to skip the tourist traps and taste the real flavors of Athens — pies, loukoumades, koulouri, olives, cheeses, souvlaki, and more — join our Athens Street Food Tour.
We take you exactly where we would eat, in places most visitors never find on their own.

Taste Athens like a local.
Walk, explore, and discover the city through its food — the Greek way. 🍋🥙