This restaurant predates Athens’s Cretan restaurant fad and – more importantly – serves the real thing. Hidden in one of the city’s many arcades and in a rather unappealing location, drab and hectic Kanigos Square in downtown, Kriti’s menu is dazzling in both quality and variety. Most people opt for a number of starters with a carafe of raki. Our favorites include stamnagathi (a spicy wild herb, boiled), xoxlioi (snails in garlic), and apaki (smoked Cretan pork marinated in vinegar).

It may bear the same name as the tropical island, but Seychelles is in fact the best mezedopoleio in Athens. The creative, seasonal, ever-changing menu of Anna and Fotis blends the traditional and modern. We like the chickpea salad with mint and feta, octopus in red wine served on creamed peas, grilled beef tongue and vegetable-stuffed beets. The cheese list is impeccable, as are the prices. A night dining in the boisterous courtyard is a true Athens experience. Reservations recommended.

When the weather is good, this century-old taverna scatters tables out in the streets of Piraeus. You may end up eating right by the Naval Academy gate, watching the young cadets dressed in their sparkling whites. The menu is small (in fact, there’s no written version) and that’s its main charm– all of Margaro’s regulars already know their order. The seafood specials reign: fried red mullet, shrimp and scampi, and, occasionally, pandora, served with fresh bread and Margaro’s famous tomato salad.

Opened in July 2014 near Syntagma Square, Le Greche can be blamed for starting the trend of high-quality gelato in Athens. Only the best ingredients make it through the doors of owner Evi’s laboratory. She makes her gelato from scratch according to classic Italian recipes. Velvety-textured, well-balanced and flavorful, here is top gelato. Among our favorite flavors are pistachio, fiore di latte, figs with mascarpone (made with the finest figs from Kalamata), and fresh lemon and mint sorbet.

Wonder what a working-class taverna was like in the past? Have a meal at this 135-year-old restaurant. The basement tavern has no sign, no menu and no culinary experimentation. Just simple home cooking like Greek salad or plates of small fried fish or sausage. In the winter, the chickpea stew doused in olive oil is a highlight – and enough to feed two. Sip the house retsina (white wine with pine resin) poured from wooden barrels on the wall. With just 8 tables, expect to dine with strangers.

Savor Crete’s incredible culinary culture in central Athens. Olive oil, cracked wheat, wine, and cured meats like xidato loukaniko (pork sausage) and apaki (vinegar-cured pork tenderloin). The smoked graviera and dried athotyro (like ricotta salata) are among our favorite cheeses. Taste Crete’s rich, botanical side with culinary herbs and teas like maloitira, “mountain tea.” Owner Dimitris Katakis took over the small deli from his mom. Ever passionate about Crete, he’s happy to guide you.

A visit to Varsos is like traveling back in time to one of the city’s grand patisseries of the 1950s. Still in the hands of the Varsos family, its Kifisia location serves all the old-style Greek desserts anyone could wish for. It is best known for three specialties: pure, fresh whipped cream; meringue; and tsoureki, a sweet, eggy, golden-hued bread similar to brioche. We live for the gemisto, a rectangular tsoureki filled with chocolate, walnuts, and brown sugar.

Greece is one of the world’s oldest wine-producing countries. To taste the great domestic varieties, head to this sleek wine bar. Whether at the inside bar or outdoor patio, the friendly owners/brothers are happy to help you choose. For reds, try dry, rich xinomavro, aka Greek merlot. Fans of white will enjoy malagousia, a nearly extinct varietal. Snacks include barley rusks (fat croutons in olive oil) and a fantastic cheese platter. (And no smoking rules are enforced, a rarity in Athens.)

Peinirli is one of the tastiest Greek culinary traditions from Asia Minor and the Black Sea. Find our favorites at this downtown, takeout-only spot. Shaped like a boat, perinirli can be stuffed with kasseri cheese, pastourma and soutzouki (spicy cured meats), and a sunny-side-up egg. The melted butter brushed on the hot dough makes the pastry boats a surefire hit. And the dough is what makes Peinirli Ionias so beloved. It’s hand-kneaded instead of a “soulless machine,” says owner Spryos.