Top family-friendly restaurants & cafes in the historic center of Athens

Athens Restaurants with a view

On top of our list is the Acropolis Museum Restaurant for breakfast, coffee, lunch or dinner. The scenery is breathtaking, the panoramic view on the Acropolis is one of the best in the city. Kids will love the kids’ menu and parents will enjoy a wide choice of brunch items, traditional Greek dishes, and desserts. The Acropolis Museum Restaurant serves a traditional Greek breakfast as well as traditionally prepared seasonal Greek dishes with a modern twist. The Museum regularly organizes musical performances during lunch and dinner. It is wise to make reservations in this very popular venue.

For upscale dining with a view, Grande Bretagne is the best that you can find. With its Mediterranean cuisine, uninterrupted views of the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill and the Parliament, this expensive and elegant restaurant at the city’s most historic hotel is an absolute must.

For a more cozy and casual option, we also recommend Kuzina. Kuzina lies in the heart of Athens, under the shade of the temple of Hephaestus on the picturesque and lively Adrianou Street. It serves modern Greek cuisine with a great view!

Plaka neighborhood

Plaka is one of the most famous areas and most picturesque in Athens. Make sure you visit the part called Anafiotika resembling a Greek island village with whitewashed houses and narrow alleys. Anafiotika was named after its first inhabitants who came from the Cycladic island of Anafi and build their houses in Athens in the same way as they did back home on their island.

After wandering around Anafiotika, Melina’s coffee shop is the perfect stop for a coffee, snack or dessert.  Enjoy sitting on the veranda or choose the cozy inside. Your kids will love the choice of ice creams and parents will be impressed by the large selection of exquisite beverages. We recommend you to try the Cuban hot chocolate with rum & whipped cream or a Greek iced coffee.

If your stomach starts rumbling, then why not visit the tapas (mezze in Greek) restaurant Anafiotika. Located in an amazing setting with a huge outdoor space, Anafiotika is popular with students and tourists.  Delicious mezze are served and later at night, there is live Greek music in Anafiotika

2 Mazi in Plaka has a beautiful romantic open space, a cozy vibe and serves creative Greek cuisine including a vegetarian menu and a dazzling dessert and wine list.

Monastiraki neighborhood

Monastiraki is next to Plaka and famous for its square with fruit stalls, flea market, and vintage stores. Have a look at local art selections, traditional Greek products, souvenirs and clothes stores. With the ruins of the Acropolis in the background, strolling through Monastiraki will take you back in time.

For traditional Greek food prepared with local produce of authentic producers, head over to Tzitzikas kai Mermigas, in the central and most famous Mitropoleous street. Kids will love the fresh chips and parents will appreciate eating as the locals do.

Another traditional Greek restaurant on Mitropoleous street is Thanassis on 82. An all-time favorite for both Athenians and tourists, this is probably the best-known street food place in Athens. Famous for its souvlaki and kebab, Thanassis is also great for real Greek meat dishes.

On the Agia Eirini Square, you can find Il Barretto, a stylish Italian bistro with a nice selection of brioche, panini, and warm dishes such as pizza and past. The kids’ menu features delicious chicken nuggets and club sandwiches as well as fresh juices and sweets. While parents enjoy their coffee, children can admire the flower stalls on the square.

In Monastiraki, try one of the yummiest Greek frozen yogurts in Yogolicious. There’s a great choice of toppings and syrups. If you’re looking for a healthy snack, then frozen yogurt with fresh fruits and a Greek spoon sweet or gliko tou koutaliou is the best choice.  Your kids will love it and it’s healthy!

Psyrri neighborhood

Near the famous Monastiraki and Plaka you’ll come across Psyrri, a traditional neighborhood famous for its popular tavernas and picturesque alleyways.

You will be impressed by the hospitality shown at Lithos taverna as well as its rustic, cozy interior. Listen to Greek folk music with the locals while you enjoy delicious Greek dishes and Greek tapas called mezze.

Try also Krasopoulio tou Kokora, another popular taverna in Psyrri. You will appreciate home-cooked meals at this little taverna. All dishes are based on traditional recipes dating back to 1850. Your little fellows will love the coziness of the place as well as the homemade desserts.

For coffee and cake, head over to themed cafe Little KooK. This is not a traditional Greek establishment but a fairytale wonderland where children’s books come to life by the fantasy decor and dressed-up staff. Have a coffee or ice cream in one of the themed rooms and feel like Cinderella or Alice in Wonderland. Little KooK is very popular with both locals and tourists and it gets very busy during the weekends. Recently, Little Kook added a wine bar and an ice cream store to their portfolio.

Syntagma Square

Around Syntagma Square and the Greek Parliament Building in the center of Athens are several family-friendly restaurants.

Ergon House Athens is located in the golden triangle of Monastiraki, Syntagma, and the Acropolis and a stone’s throw away from Plaka. Ergon House is more than just a restaurant/food hall, it is a food experience. Kids will love the olive tree inside the marketplace and be amazed at all the meat, fish, and other Greek products of this Greek deli. A vertical orchard grows seasonal aromatic herbs, as well as lettuce and other vegetables. Ergon House’s menu is simple yet refined with Greek and Mediterranean flavors.

In the posh Kolonaki shopping district, just off Syntagma, you can find Greek Gastronomy Center Yoleni’s. Inside a modern and light building, Yoleni’s restaurant and deli store offer visitors a complete experience of authentic Greek gastronomy. Enjoy a handmade pita, authentic Greek yogurt, mouthwatering sandwiches, hearty salads, fresh juice, selected Greek wines, and more. It is a very popular place so do reserve a table in advance. Yoleni’s also has a bar, a conference center, a food delivery service, cooking classes, an olive bar and even 7-holiday apartments.

Mama Roux is an urban family-friendly all-day café serving breakfast, light lunch, and dinner, coffee, and drinks. A lot of ethnic dishes too and great vegetarian choices. Kids will love the home-made nacho’s.

If you are looking for exclusively vegan and vegetarian food, we recommend you to try Avocado, one of the first vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Athens with a great variety of dishes on its menu. Your family will love the vegan pizzas and fresh salads.

Gazi

If you are going to visit Gazi, the industrial area with its museums and educational activities, then head over to Athiri. Anthiri has a nice covered and enclosed garden and its basic cuisine is simply delicious. The restaurant is rated in the Michelin Guide 2014 and won several Greek gastronomy awards in 2019.

For a comprehensive list of all family-friendly restaurants in Athens and beyond, contact us!