A Foodie Adventure Through Monastiraki & Psiri, Greece!

After spending time in Crete and Naxos earlier this year in July, Dan and I had just one night—24 hours—in Athens. Since we’ve visited the city several times before, we decided to skip the major tourist sights and instead focus on something we never tire of: food. We chose Eating Europe’s Our Big, Fat, Greek Food Tour,” which led us through six delicious stops across Athens’ Monastiraki and Psiri neighborhoods.

Looking up at the Acropolis at the beginning of our food tour.

One thing to note: we took the tour on a Sunday, when many places in Athens are closed. We were informed of this beforehand but decided to go ahead—it was, after all, our only night in the city. Would I do it again on a Sunday? Absolutely. Still, I suspect the experience is even better on other days when more spots are open and bustling.

THE BIG, FAT, GREEK FOOD TOUR

Our tour began in the Monastiraki neighborhood of Athens, which is a very old Athens neighborhood – dating back 6,000 years. This area is located in the shadow of the Acropolis, filled with far too many super touristy shops, and contains its own historical treasures, including the Roman Agora, Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Pantanassa, and Hadrian’s Library. All tourists should come to this area, regardless if you take a food tour.

Monastiraki, Athens. A very ancient Athens area.

STOP ONE: GREEK COFFEE

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Airport Lounge Review: Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge, Athens, Greece

Dan and I visited the Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge in Athens International, Hall A, when we flew from Athens, Greece to New York on Delta in July 2025. This post reviews our time in the Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge, which we found to be a perfectly serviceable lounge. There was decent space, fast WiFi, and the food was surprisingly decent. That being said, it is worth a stop only if you have extra time before your flight (in other words, don’t arrive early for it).

Arriving at the Athens International Airport.

Before jumping into the post, this post reviews the Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge located in the Non-Schengen area (i.e., international flights out of Europe). There is another lounge of the same name located in the Schengen area, which we visited on this trip AND back in 2021. The Non-Schengen location, which is the subject of this post, is nicer than that in the Schengen area. I would also note that we accessed the Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge with our Priority Pass, and this lounge looks completely different than the pictures shown on the Priority Pass website…in a good way.

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Restaurant Review: Mystilli, Athens, Greece.

Dan and I dined at an amazing restaurant in Athens, Greece last summer – Mystilli. It was my favorite meal of our trip and I still think about it! Mystilli is located very, very close to the Temple of Hephaestus with views of the Acropolis in the background. Mystilli offers indoor and outdoor seating along a pedestrian thoroughfare and, in the summer at least, Mystilli is decorated with bright flowers. Offering modern Greek and Mediterranean fare, don’t miss a meal at Mystilli when in Athens!

Mystilli views of the Acropolis in the background.

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24 Hour Layover: Athens, Greece Edition.

Dan and I had 24 hours in Athens at the end of our Greece trip last summer. We had been to Athens twice previously, so just wanted to hit the highlights and enjoy our last day of vacation. It felt like a Bourdain The Layover episode. Our 24 hours began with a short 25 minute flight from Milos to Athens International Airport, arriving at 10:20 AM.

Approach into Athens.

We quickly grabbed a taxi and went directly to our hotel – the Fresh Hotel. We checked in and set out for, at least what we call, traditional Greek food – AKA a gyro and saganaki. We found generally what we were looking for at a casual restaurant called Oavaons (my English spelling of Greek letters…) just off Monastiriki Square. The food was pretty good and satisfied our “traditional Greek food” request. That being said, I would not necessarily recommend Oavaons over other similar places.

Saganaki cheese with lemon! A personal Greek favorite.

Finally, a proper gyro!

Another view.

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