The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Athens (UK Guide)

TL;DR: Athens is fast becoming a top spot for fine dining Athens, home to 11 one-star and 1 two-star Michelin-starred restaurants Athens. Tasting menus at these upscale restaurants Athens typically start from €90-€110 per person. For UK travellers enjoying these top restaurants Athens Greece, it’s smart to plan how to stay connected and keep your UK phone number working abroad. This ensures you’re always reachable for important calls or bookings, adding ease to your romantic dinners Athens and city explorations.

Imagine this: you’ve finally secured a table at one of the best fine dining restaurants Athens Greece, with the Acropolis lights twinkling in the background. You’re ready for an unforgettable meal, but then your phone rings. It’s an urgent call from home, and you realize your roaming plan isn’t working, or the cost is far too high. This common travel snag—missing important calls or struggling with patchy data—can quickly spoil an otherwise perfect trip, especially when you need to confirm reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants Athens or navigate the city. Making sure you can stay connected and keep your home number active is just as important as choosing your perfect Greek fine dining experience.

What are the best fine dining restaurants in Athens, Greece?

Athens has quietly turned into one of Europe’s most exciting places for fine dining Athens. The city now boasts 11 restaurants with one Michelin Star and one restaurant with two Michelin Stars, offering UK travellers a wide range of luxurious eating experiences. Whether you want a romantic dinner Athens with Acropolis views, a special meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant Athens, or a long tasting menu at a farm-to-table spot, Athens delivers. The best fine dining restaurants Athens Greece often feel as good as those in London or Paris, but often cost less. This guide looks at seven of the city’s top upscale restaurants Athens to help you choose the best one for your trip. We’ll also discuss smart ways to stay connected and keep your UK phone number working while you travel.

A quick look at top Athens fine dining spots

Athens has quickly become a key player in the international food scene, with one of the highest numbers of Michelin-starred restaurants in Southern Europe. The choices below offer different styles and settings. You can find everything from creative modern Greek food to classic French dishes, and from rooftop dining with city views to tables by the sea. The restaurants in the table and descriptions below are listed in alphabetical order.

Restaurant	Cuisine Type	Best For	Tasting Menu Price Tier	Michelin Status	Location/Setting
Botrini’s	Mediterranean/Greek-Italian	Creative Greek fine dining	€€€€	1 Michelin Star	Halandri suburb
Delta restaurant	Creative/Modern Greek	Special occasions, food lovers	€€€€	2 Michelin Stars + Green Star¹	Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC)
Hytra	Modern Greek	Rooftop dining, Acropolis views	€€€	1 Michelin Star	Megaron Music Hall rooftop, central Athens
Pelagos	Contemporary seafood	Luxury coastal dining, romantic dinners	€€€€	1 Michelin Star	Four Seasons Astir Palace, Vouliagmeni
Soil	Modern Greek (farm-to-table)	Sustainability-focused food lovers	€€€€	1 Michelin Star + Green Star²	Pangrati neighbourhood
Spondi	French-influenced fine dining	Celebrations, wine pairings	€€€€	1 Michelin Star	Pangrati neighbourhood
Varoulko Seaside	Seafood	Waterfront dining, seafood lovers	€€€	MICHELIN Guide selected	Mikrolimano, Piraeus waterfront

The prices listed as €€€ and €€€€ follow the MICHELIN Guide’s system. €€€ means it’s a place for a special occasion, while €€€€ means it has premium prices. Always check each restaurant’s website for the most current tasting menu prices before you book.

Botrini’s

Chef Ettore Botrini runs one of Athens’ best-known fine dining Athens spots, which has one Michelin Star. This restaurant is in the Halandri area and mixes Chef Botrini’s Greek and Italian background with new cooking styles. The place itself is bright and modern. The menu expertly blends old memories with new ideas. Dishes use flavors from Corfu and Thessaly, offering exact Mediterranean cooking with a creative twist [according to The MICHELIN Guide]. The restaurant is in an old school building and has outdoor seating when the weather is warm. Botrini’s is great for those who want confident, imaginative Greek fine dining without too much fuss. It’s a good idea to book your table early.

Delta restaurant

Delta has two Michelin Stars, making it Athens’ top-ranked restaurant in the MICHELIN Guide [as highlighted by The MICHELIN Guide]. It is inside the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Kallithea, in the same building as the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera. The inside of the restaurant is very dramatic: trees hang from the ceiling above a bronze bar, setting the mood for the food that follows. Chef Giorgos Papazacharias offers a 12-course Omnivore tasting menu. He focuses strongly on sustainability, getting ingredients from a farm in Markopoulos. Expect creative cooking methods like fermentation and Scandinavian preservation, along with excellent optional wine and juice pairings. Delta also has a MICHELIN Green Star for its strong commitment to being environmentally friendly. You should book well in advance, as tables are always in high demand.

Hytra

Hytra is one of the most atmospheric fine dining Athens restaurants. It’s located in the green garden of the Megaron Music Hall in central Athens. The modern building has a balcony and rooftop dining area. Its open-air space gives you wide city views, and a lush garden surrounds the building. Booking a table for sunset is very popular, as guests can watch Athens light up as the evening begins. The restaurant has one Michelin Star and is known for its modern Greek fine dining that uses local herbs and seasonal ingredients. Many of these are grown in the restaurant’s own kitchen garden. Tasting menus are available at good prices for a Michelin experience, and they offer vegetarian choices and special cocktails [as mentioned on Hytra’s menu page]. During summer, the restaurant fills up fast, so book as early as you can.

Pelagos

Pelagos is the fine dining Athens restaurant inside the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel. This hotel is located on the Athens Riviera in Vouliagmeni. Chef Luca Piscazzi leads the kitchen with a refined approach to modern seafood. He mixes Mediterranean tastes with precise international cooking skills. Special dishes include cold spaghetti with clam cream and almond sauce, and red mullet with beetroot tagliatelle, grapefruit, black garlic, and hibiscus [from Pelagos’s menu]. Pelagos holds one Michelin Star and is a perfect choice for a romantic dinner Athens or a special event by the coast. Remember to plan for travel time from central Athens when you are organizing your evening.

Soil

Soil is located in a beautifully restored 1925 neoclassical house in the Pangrati area, just a short walk from the Panathenaic Stadium. The restaurant has both one Michelin Star and a MICHELIN Green Star. It is one of only a few Greek restaurants to receive this award for sustainability. Chef Tassos Mantis follows a strict farm-to-table method, getting seasonal produce and herbs from his own garden in Alepochori [as detailed on Soil Restaurant’s website]. Every staff member spends time in the garden and learns about the fresh ingredients used in the dishes. The result is a seasonal tasting menu that truly respects Greek ingredients. Dishes might include eel, slow-cooked goat, and beef aged for 72 days, along with outstanding wine pairings from the sommelier. Soil is best for diners who love food, value careful cooking, and enjoy a warm but simple atmosphere.

Spondi

Spondi is an elegant restaurant in Pangrati. It has two lovely summer terraces and an indoor dining room with vaulted ceilings that is perfect for cooler months. The food is focused on creative French cooking, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Both tasting menus and à la carte options are available. The Discovery tasting menu includes langoustine, duck, and red mullet. The wine list is carefully chosen, and a knowledgeable sommelier team is there to help with pairings. Spondi earned its first Michelin Star in 2002. Spondi is well suited for celebrations, anniversary dinners, and anyone looking for a classic, polished fine dining Athens experience.

Varoulko Seaside

Varoulko Seaside is a famous seafood restaurant overlooking the marina at Mikrolimano in Piraeus. Chef Lefteris Lazarou is well-known for his creative seafood dishes, using the freshest catch of the day for both an à la carte menu and two tasting menus based on [The MICHELIN Guide]. Varoulko Seaside truly stands out among the many seafood restaurants in Piraeus. Expect dishes made with sea bass, red mullet, tuna, grouper, and shellfish, all presented beautifully. The waterfront setting is relaxing and pretty, especially for couples wanting a romantic dinner Athens by the sea. The restaurant is listed in the MICHELIN Guide and has many loyal customers, both local and visitors. It’s a good choice for high-quality Greek fine dining seafood in a scenic place, without the formality of some of the city’s more dramatic tasting menu restaurants.

How can UK travellers stay connected and keep their phone number abroad in Athens?

Whether you’re booking a Michelin-starred restaurant Athens, enjoying a long dinner with Acropolis views, or simply exploring Athens, you’ll want to stay connected throughout your trip. While your UK phone might work abroad, some providers charge high roaming fees or have complicated plans. Planning how to stay reachable can help you avoid unexpected bills and ensure you can always make important calls or access maps and booking information. This is especially true if you are splitting your time between countries and need to keep your UK number active for banks, family, or work.

There are several ways for UK travellers to stay connected and manage their phone numbers while abroad:

• Using your existing UK mobile plan: This is the easiest option. Many UK networks offer roaming, but charges can vary a lot. Some include EU roaming for free or a daily fee, but this might be costly for longer trips. Always check your provider’s specific rates for Greece.
• Buying a local Greek SIM card: This is often the most cost-effective way to get data and local calls in Greece. You can buy one at the airport or local phone shops. The downside is you’ll get a new Greek number, which might be inconvenient if people need to reach you on your UK number.
• Using an eSIM: An eSIM is a digital SIM card. You can buy a data plan for Greece online before you travel and activate it on your compatible phone. This lets you use local data rates while still keeping your UK SIM (and number) active for calls and texts. It’s a great balance of cost and convenience.
• Using a number porting service: For those who travel or live abroad for longer periods, porting your UK number to a special service can be very useful. This means your UK number becomes a virtual number that you can access through an app on your smartphone, even if you’re using a local SIM for data. This ensures you never lose your important number. If you need to keep your UK number while you are away long-term, this can be a smart move. Similar rules apply if you are from the US and want to keep your American number, or even if you need to keep a German number while living abroad. Services like Google Voice offer one solution, or you might compare options like Tello for calls and texts. It’s about ensuring your number stays active, whether you are in Australia or elsewhere, and learning about rules for different countries like Spain can be helpful.

By planning ahead for your phone usage, you can relax and fully enjoy your Greek holiday, knowing you’re always connected without breaking the bank or missing essential communications.

Frequently asked questions about fine dining restaurants in Athens, Greece

What is the best Michelin-starred restaurant in Athens?

Delta holds two Michelin Stars, placing it in the “excellent cooking” group in the MICHELIN Guide. This makes it Athens’ highest-ranked restaurant. Eleven other restaurants in Athens have one Michelin Star, including Spondi, Hytra, Soil, Botrini’s, and Pelagos. This offers many great choices across different styles, settings, and budgets. You can explore all Michelin-starred restaurants Athens on the MICHELIN Guide website.

How much does fine dining cost in Athens, Greece?

Tasting menus at one-star restaurants in Athens can start from about €90-€110 per person, for example at Hytra. However, prices change depending on the restaurant and how many courses are on the menu. Two-star restaurants, like Delta, are at the higher end, with their Omnivore tasting menu costing €240 [according to Delta Restaurant’s menu]. Wine and cocktail pairings usually cost extra. Always check each restaurant’s current menu for the most up-to-date prices before booking your table for a romantic dinner Athens or other special occasion.

Do fine dining restaurants in Athens require reservations?

Yes, most Michelin-starred restaurants in Athens need you to book in advance. Some get fully booked several weeks ahead, especially during the busy summer travel months between June and September. Restaurants like Hytra and Delta are very popular during warmer times of the year. Most places allow you to book online through their own websites or other booking platforms. Planning ahead for your Athens fine dining guide experience is key.

What should tourists wear to fine dining restaurants in Athens?

For Michelin-starred restaurants Athens, clean and neat clothing is always appropriate. Swimwear and beachwear are not suitable. However, you probably won’t need a full suit or a formal evening dress to eat at most upscale restaurants Athens. Smart casual is often enough. It’s best to check the restaurant’s website for any specific dress code rules if you are unsure, especially for romantic dinners Athens.

Are there vegetarian fine dining options in Athens?

Yes. Several of Athens’ fine dining restaurants Athens are good for vegetarians. Hytra offers a special vegetarian tasting menu. Soil’s seasonal menus also include many vegetables and plant-based ingredients. It’s a good idea to contact your chosen restaurant before you visit to confirm your dietary needs. Some tasting menus might need advance notice to make changes for your preferences. This ensures a great experience at any top restaurants Athens Greece.

Key takeaways

• Athens offers a growing choice of Michelin-starred restaurants Athens, rooftop places, and modern Greek fine dining tasting menus. These suit many tastes and special events.
• Many of the city’s top restaurants Athens Greece get booked up weeks ahead, especially during the peak summer travel season from June to September.
• Rooftop and Riviera restaurants, such as Hytra and Pelagos, are popular with couples and travellers looking for scenic dining with views of the Acropolis or the sea, perfect for romantic dinners Athens.
• Tasting menus at Michelin-starred restaurants Athens can start from about €90 per person. This is often more affordable than similar experiences in London or other big European cities.
• While in Greece, UK travellers should think about how they will manage their phone connection and keep their UK number. Planning for phone use can help keep travel costs clear and ensure you stay reachable.

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¹ The MICHELIN Guide - Delta ² Soil Restaurant - Our story