The most famous ice cream parlour in town—and deservedly so. Tastefully decorated, stylishly staffed and strategically situated a few metres from Syntagma Square. Although the name means “The Greeks” in Italian , the look, texture and taste of the ice cream here is convincingly Milanese. Indeed the elegant owner, Evi Papadopoulou, trained as a pastry chef and gelato pro in Brescia, near Milan. Signature flavours include the classic fior di latte, a reassuringly pale green pistachio ice cream made with real Sicilian pistachios, and (our favourite), the mascarpone with figs and ricotta with Aperol. What could be more Italian? Chocolate lovers should opt for dark chocolate sorbet, a dense and gratifying concoction that puts watery sorbets to shame. Fancy something a little outside the box? Lean on the bar and order some affogato: a hot, potent espresso served straight over silky vanilla ice cream.

Zillion’s introduces a sweet note to leafy Kifissia, a northern suburb of Athens. A happy place for kids and adults alike, Zillion’s sells dozens of flavours of ice cream from a store that’s more like a wooden hut. There are tables inside and out, in a relaxed yard next to a plant nursery, where locals wolf down scoops of creamy bliss. The frozen counter brims with a zillion (sorry) colourful choices, but don’t expect sophisticated marriages of herbs and cheese. What Zillion’s does best is fresh, smooth and luscious dollops of kid-friendly flavours such as banoffee, ferrero, oreo, nutella, and the (slightly) more grown-up cheesecake, rum and raisin, and pavlova. The part we like best? The ice creams are served in convenient ceramic bowls, with long spoons, for endless scooping. Want to fully indulge? Pop your choice on a hot waffle.

Tooth-achingly sweet and with a cult, off-Broadway vibe, Tillas is an Athens institution. Founded by a Greek family from Constantinople over 50 years ago in the refugee suburb of Nea Philadelphia, what Tillas excels at is oriental delights. Their calling card is the ekmek (syrupy bread pudding) with kaimaki ice cream (vanilla scented with mastic). If you add glyko vyssino (sour cherry preserve) and toasted almond flakes, you will be indulging in one of the most decadent desserts of the eastern Mediterranean. Tillas is a master of retro ice cream flavours, too. The lemon pie tastes just like old-fashioned lemon meringue pie. The vanilla parfait has an insanely velvety texture and is laced with banana liqueur (your grandmother would love it). This is also one of the last Athenian patisseries to display small toys that children may nag their parents to buy them. Insider tip: Take your ice cream and slip around to the garden at the back. It’s less noisy than the seating on the square in front and it’s shady under the mulberry and plane trees.

Maraboo is the newest addition to Athens’ artisanal ice cream scene. Located on trendy Archelaou Street, in the friendly Pangrati neighbourhood, you can chase drinks at the nearby bars with a scoop of quality ice cream. (It’s open until 11.30 pm midweek and 12.30 am on Fridays and Saturdays.) You’ll come across the most unexpected (yet by no means farcical) flavours here: think stout beer, avocado or jasmine. Our favourites include vanilla and saffron, lavender and honey, and the inimitable coconut with bay leaves. Fancy something a little more straightforward and palate cleansing? Go for the truly fruity mango sorbet. The chocolate sorbet is also eminently satisfying, with 81% organic cocoa. Flavours rotate so you probably won’t find more than ten different ones on display. Vicky and Igor, the owners, will guide you through the intriguing choices—don’t hesitate to ask for a small taste of this or that before ordering. One last thing we like about Maraboo: it only sells ice cream. And bottled water.