Where should you go for a bite to eat on the streets of Athens? The Culinary Backstreets network can show you the way, for fresh koulouri breads and the Athenian twist on a hot dog
Koulouri, a sesame-covered bread that makes a popular snack in Athens. All photos by Manteau Stam
Before we get down to the business of discussing the best Athens street food, a disclaimer: Athens is at a disadvantage when it comes to streetside eats. For one thing, a lot of venues – souvlaki
joints, pizza parlours and even offal soup places – are open all night
or even 24/7; they are just not serving on the street, though. Whatever
the reason, there are really just two main street foods in Athens: koulouri
(sesame bread) which is eaten early in the morning or really, really
late at night, and old-fashioned hot dogs, for people who have had a bit
to drink and are looking for something greasy and filling.
Though there are numerous koulouri vendors in Athens, three in
particular stand out for us. Our preferred stand usually runs out before
2pm, thanks to its central location opposite the old Church of Agii
Theodori in downtown Athens, at the intersection of Dragatsaniou and
Evripidou, an area home to a number of banks and public services. What
we love about this place is that the guy also sells small portions of
yellow cheese or triangular white cheese (good old Laughing Cow) to go
with your koulouri. Though nothing fancy, it turns out to be quite a
lovely breakfast on the go.
For pure freshness, another perennial favourite of ours is the stand outside Zara on Ermou Street in Syntagma. The man who runs it always asks how you prefer your koulouri (well-baked or not so well-baked). We're also partial to the koulouri stand located just where Stadiou meets Paparigopoulou near Klafthmonos Square. This guy is famous for two things: the first is the quality of his koulouri, which is made with extra leavening and has more of a sourdough taste than most versions; the second is the guy's fantastic banter. When you ask for koulouri, he asks you how many. If you reply "one", he always says, "One equals none."
These days, a bakery named To Koulouri tou Psyri (Agias Theklas 23) – in the once hip and happening neighbourhood of Psyri – supplies koulouri to most of the street stands around Athens. It started in the 1990s as a tiny, humble, hole-in-the-wall bakery for all of the young people who partied in the area. Psyri may no longer be fun and hip, but the bakery has become one enormous shop that is open virtually 24/7, and it makes a great stop after a night out drinking.
Our two favourite vromiko
– a colloquial term for food trucks – are both located in downtown
Athens and serve hot dogs and sandwiches until the early hours. We're
also quite fond of two other hot dog trucks, the first of which goes by
the name Johnie Hot Dog (136 Andrea Syngrou). This bright red truck is
parked on busy Syngrou Avenue outside Panteion University, the city's
university for social and political sciences. Almost a gourmet hot dog
truck, it offers four types of sausage and a number of "exotic" extras,
such as jalapeños. Our favourite is the Athenian version of a corn dog, a
frankfurter sausage served with sweetcorn, cheddar cheese and mayo. At
night there is often mayhem here as Syngrou is home to a number of strip
joints, bouzouki places and nightclubs.
The infamous Meraklis food truck is stationed at the edge of the Phaleron neighbourhood, close to both the marina and the tram lines. Meraklis specialises in what one could call the down-and-dirty version of a giant charcuterie sandwich, which is a veritable protein fest – salami, mortadella, ham, smoked bacon, turkey and gouda cheese (you can even opt for blue cheese for that extra kick), all in the same sandwich. This is a meat-lovers' sandwich for those who are either super-hungry, excessively drunk or, as is usually the case, both.
Koulouri
Greeks are not a nation of breakfast eaters, so koulouri, a plain, circular bread topped with sesame seeds, tends to be the morning fare for most people. There is something seriously sweet and fresh about these bread rings, which are sold on most street corners in downtown Athens. The bread must be eaten fresh, so it is best consumed early in the morning or at places that have high turnover. In recent years, koulouri has evolved similarly to bagels in the US, with new flavours in addition to the traditional plain variety. There is now koulouri with cheese (usually feta), koulouri with chocolate (not our personal favourite), koulouri with cream cheese (an interesting option but not for the summer months, as it tends to melt) and, our absolute favourite, koulouri stuffed with black or green olives.
Though there are numerous koulouri vendors in Athens, three in
particular stand out for us. Our preferred stand usually runs out before
2pm, thanks to its central location opposite the old Church of Agii
Theodori in downtown Athens, at the intersection of Dragatsaniou and
Evripidou, an area home to a number of banks and public services. What
we love about this place is that the guy also sells small portions of
yellow cheese or triangular white cheese (good old Laughing Cow) to go
with your koulouri. Though nothing fancy, it turns out to be quite a
lovely breakfast on the go.For pure freshness, another perennial favourite of ours is the stand outside Zara on Ermou Street in Syntagma. The man who runs it always asks how you prefer your koulouri (well-baked or not so well-baked). We're also partial to the koulouri stand located just where Stadiou meets Paparigopoulou near Klafthmonos Square. This guy is famous for two things: the first is the quality of his koulouri, which is made with extra leavening and has more of a sourdough taste than most versions; the second is the guy's fantastic banter. When you ask for koulouri, he asks you how many. If you reply "one", he always says, "One equals none."
These days, a bakery named To Koulouri tou Psyri (Agias Theklas 23) – in the once hip and happening neighbourhood of Psyri – supplies koulouri to most of the street stands around Athens. It started in the 1990s as a tiny, humble, hole-in-the-wall bakery for all of the young people who partied in the area. Psyri may no longer be fun and hip, but the bakery has become one enormous shop that is open virtually 24/7, and it makes a great stop after a night out drinking.
Hot dog trucks
Our two favourite vromiko
– a colloquial term for food trucks – are both located in downtown
Athens and serve hot dogs and sandwiches until the early hours. We're
also quite fond of two other hot dog trucks, the first of which goes by
the name Johnie Hot Dog (136 Andrea Syngrou). This bright red truck is
parked on busy Syngrou Avenue outside Panteion University, the city's
university for social and political sciences. Almost a gourmet hot dog
truck, it offers four types of sausage and a number of "exotic" extras,
such as jalapeños. Our favourite is the Athenian version of a corn dog, a
frankfurter sausage served with sweetcorn, cheddar cheese and mayo. At
night there is often mayhem here as Syngrou is home to a number of strip
joints, bouzouki places and nightclubs.The infamous Meraklis food truck is stationed at the edge of the Phaleron neighbourhood, close to both the marina and the tram lines. Meraklis specialises in what one could call the down-and-dirty version of a giant charcuterie sandwich, which is a veritable protein fest – salami, mortadella, ham, smoked bacon, turkey and gouda cheese (you can even opt for blue cheese for that extra kick), all in the same sandwich. This is a meat-lovers' sandwich for those who are either super-hungry, excessively drunk or, as is usually the case, both.
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