Located on a quiet street near the Central Food Market, this contemporary but casual 15-room hotel opened in summer 2019. It’s already pulling in a local crowd to the weekend brunch on their twin roof terraces, which enjoy quintessentially Athenian views of the Acropolis peeping out behind the dome of Agios Dimitrios church. The delicious brunch menu fuses Greek ingredients and recipes with contemporary techniques and impressive presentation. Apart from tasty sandwiches, pancakes and burgers, they serve a variety of great egg dishes, such as Greek Style Eggs, a dish inspired by the owner Panayiotis’ childhood memories of a dish his mother made. Also try the fried egg with a slice of fried cheese (saganaki), grilled cherry tomatoes and syglino (cured pork from Mani), served with fried potatoes and toasted sourdough (the only kind of bread they use). For a lighter, more refreshing option, choose the toasted sourdough topped with mashed avocado, smoked salmon and a poached egg sprinkled with pink peppercorns. The Artist is also a great place to visit after dark, when they project films on the opposite building while you enjoy dinner or drinks at the bar. There’s a good selection of wines, many offered by the glass, and you can also enjoy great classic and signature cocktails (like the sultry Ophelia's Negroni,  gin infused with basil and black walnut bitters) while gazing at the city below.

Zampano is part of City Circus, the first “new age” hostel  in Athens that opened in 2012. Two 19th century buildings have been reconfigured into a quirky, vintage-themed inn, which is consistently rated one of the world’s hippest hostels. The ground-floor bistro, Zampano, is open all day, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner with a regional Greek flavour. A clever mix of retro furniture from different eras creates an atmosphere more reminiscent of bohemian Paris or a Viennese café than downtown Athens. The menu has vegan options and healthy twists, like the Superfood Oatmeal (oats cooked in almond milk topped with seeds, goji berries, cranberries and molasses). Go Greek rustic with oven-baked eggs with potatoes, sausage, onions and cheese; or opt for brunch classics like eggs Benedict or Florentine. Every Sunday (1:30pm - 4:30pm), you can munch your brunch to the tunes of live gypsy jazz. It’s also a very popular spot for a late bite or a glass of wine at the vintage copper bar, after a show at one of the many theatres nearby.

This is Athens’ answer to Whole Foods, only with 38 minimalist rooms above the food hall. The Ergon chain of delis, specialising in regional Greek produce, has evolved to include their first “foodie hotel”. The action centres around the ground floor Agora, a sky-lit atrium with well-organised deli, fishmonger, butcher, greengrocer, baker and wine shop. Guests can take their pick from the produce and cook a meal in one of two kitchens upstairs, or hire the hotel’s chef to whip up something special. Or you can dine in at wooden tables and counter stools, surrounded by custom graffiti and vertical gardens. The comforting brunch menu features poached eggs served in a traditional koulouri sesame bread ring, with cream cheese and chilli butter, and Cretan-style fried eggs with creamed staka (goat’s milk butter) served on sourdough. Freshly baked pies are made the Kozani way, using buttery filo instead of olive oil. The real surprise is up on the rooftop. Head upstairs after 5pm (12pm on weekends) and you’ll find Retirè, a terrace decked out like an urban beach club, with reclining chairs and fairy lights strung under canvas sails. Sit back with a cocktail (the short list was created by the award-winning team from The Clumsies bar) and gaze up at the Acropolis. If you get peckish, they do good hot dogs and corn on the cob.

Dip a perfectly-seasoned fry into the ketchup at Muse Bistro and you know you’re onto a winner. It’s spiked with cardamom and cloves - and along with almost everything at this hotel eaterie, set inside a revamped 1930s bank building, it's made in-house. There’s fragrant peinirli with 24-hour matured dough and home-roasted nuts with paprika and thyme that pair perfectly with their sassy cocktails (carrot Margarita, anyone?). The six-storey Gem Society has swiftly become a local’s hangout (since opening mid-2020), thanks to inventive, affordable gastronomy and cracking co-ordinates— an olive pit’s throw from foodie hub, Evripidou Street, and the hip bars of Kolokotroni and Praxitelous Streets. There's a well-rounded all-day menu; but it's their à la carte game that dazzles. Greek classics get a glow up: Greek salad with cucumber gazpacho, feta mousse and olive crackers. Moussaka re-visited as ravioli with anthotyro goat’s cheese. Souvlaki revved up with crispy pulled pork and tomato marmalade. Indulge in fine dining fare (sautéed scallops with smoked trout and black rice chips) without robbing the bank.

Muse’s ace is its sociable design. An extended bench opens to the pavement where eclectic urbanites pull up stools day and night for just-out-of-the-oven breakfast baguettes, and post-work drinks. “We call it ‘the Hatch’,” says Gem co-developer Henry Gemayel. “We want our guests to feel connected to the street life of Athens.” And what of the hotel itself? Just like Muse, The Gem Society delivers refined quality at grounded prices. Expect beds you won’t want to climb out of —and a Cycladic spa cave, once a bank vault, where you can soak in a vast Jacuzzi that colour adjusts to your mood.