The first thing you notice when you enter Akra is the space; the kitchen, complete with open wood-fired oven, the 'laboratory' and the dining area are all part of one large, bright room. This was exactly what the restaurant's two co-founders, star chef Giannis Loukakis and acclaimed patissier Spyros Pediaditakis, had envisioned when they joined forces to create an exclusive dining experience combining fine patisserie and gastro-bistro fare. Like most of the places on this list, the menu changes daily depending on supply, but what is interesting here is that there are no starters or mains, as each dish can be ordered as a half-portion. We tried the chickpea and wild mushroom ragu, a warm, melt-in-the-mouth moment, and the chub mackerel fillet on a bed of spicy cabbage salad, a spectacular balance between spicy (the cabbage tastes almost like Korean kimchi) and sweetness. The desserts, courtesy of Spyros Pediaditakis, whose last stint as pastry chef at Michelin-starred Spondi cemented his reputation as a dessert virtuoso, are heavenly: a caramelised milk tart with honey and cream ice cream is the bestseller, and rightly so. Akra is also open for brunch and breakfast from 10am to 1pm and also offers take-away. Last but not least, Akra's very reasonable prices deserve a special mention.

An instant hit from the moment it opened its doors in June 2019, FITA’s location is rather unexpected. Situated in the off-radar neighbourhood of Neos Kosmos, right behind Syngrou Avenue, the restaurant is bound to be a welcome addition for the residents of the many hotels situated nearby. The two chef-patrons, Fotis Fotinoglou (formerly of Seychelles) and Thodoris Kassavetes, have created an unpretentious gem of a restaurant, where the daily-changing menu is reasonably priced and full of surprises. The finest ingredients are sourced daily from different Greek producers to deliver a unique but simple menu with an emphasis on fish and seafood. A dish of gently cooked calamari on a bed of aromatic couscous, a simply dressed salad of ripest tomatoes and steamed almyra (a wild, seaside herb, similar to samphire), and sardines wrapped in vine leaves are but an appetiser of what you can taste here. The décor—bare walls, simple wooden chairs and tables, and an open kitchen with a few stools at the marble counter—is charming in its simplicity. It’s especially atmospheric at night, with metal tables spilling onto the tree-lined pavement beside the tramlines.

Occupying a neoclassical building in Koukaki, close to the Acropolis Museum, Mani Mani has been a hit with travellers for several years and one of the pioneers in its category. The menu, inspired by the rugged cuisine of Mani in the Peloponnese, offers a range of regional favourites such as travihtes (fried dough balls with hard, salty kefalotiri cheese) or the green salad with sour apple, celery, fennel and lalangia (fried thin strands of dough served at religious festivals in the Peloponnese). But the star dish here is the rooster, a traditional speciality in Greece usually reserved for big celebrations. Here, the rooster is stuffed with mushrooms and a salty pecorino cheese from Amfilochia, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a smoked pork and leek sauce. The attentive service is an added bonus. The only downside is the lack of outdoor seating—we Greeks do love to dine alfresco.