Best Outdoor Dining in Athens

Mare Marina Restaurant-Exclusive Bar and Sushi Bar, ideally situated on the Flisvos marina at Paleo Faliro, has been successful for the last six years. Situated on the first floor, the indoor spaces and the two verandahs command an impressive view of the marina with the luxury yachts, with the sky as a background. In the distance, the hill of Kastella adds to the panorama. The carefully planned menu includes specialties such as risotto with smoked pork, red wine and aromatic thyme, casarecce with chicken fillets and Philadelphia cheese, a variety of delicious meat and fish dishes. The Sushi Bar also serves a buffet on Mondays with rolls, nigiri, warm dishes and salads. At the Exclusive Bar you can enjoy coffee or drinks and later on lively entertainment with djs.

Parko Elefhterias is an oasis in the center of Athens, with a garden in one of the most attractive parks in town. Easily accessible, with a large parking space, very close to the Athens Concert Hall and the Megaro Mousikis metro station, is is an ideal place for coffee, drinks or a meal. The cuisine is international, with traditional Mediterranean and Greek influences and the menu is renewed daily, with a large selection of delicious dishes. At the cafe you can taste sandwiches, cold plates, fresh juices, desserts in the morning and in the evening the space is transformed into a bar, where drinks, cocktails and meals are served, accompanied by lively music. Parko Eleftherias is ideal all year round, creating the impression that you are far from the city center.

A historical building in Kifissia, built at the beginning of the 20th century has been transformed into the contemporary space Artisanal Lounge and Gardens, with a sophisticated French atmosphere. The restaurant and bar are situated on different levels and the space is decorated with authentic antiques from the fifties and sixties. The second outdoor space of Artisanal is designed following the style of a French greenhouse, creating an original scenery inside a glass environment, which is open from morning until late night. The specially designed outdoor space, which is surrounded by rare trees which date since 1890, has been transformed into a garden where customers can enjoy their coffee, meals or drinks. The menu, influenced by the cuisine of the South of France, presents the selections made by chef Giannis Simotas, and includes dishes such as Nicoise salad with fresh tuna tartare, fish with handmade pumpkin ravioli and mousseline sauce, duck breast with polenta crumbs. At the two bars in the space, house cocktails prepared with premium ingredients are served.

Spiros & Vasilis is a landmark in Athens since 1974, very close to the American Embassy and the Athens Music Hall. This successful family business has maintained an excellent level of quality cuisine and service, making it a favorite for important occasions. The menu is based on traditional tastes from French cuisine mainly from Provence, and some of the specialties are Entrecote Cafe de Paris in the authentic version, homemade pate foie gras, frog legs, Burgundy snails, grilled salmon with finocchio sauce. An interesting wine list accompanies the menu. The atmosphere is elegant and in the summer months meals are served in a cool garden. This restaurant is often selected by groups, both for lunch and dinner, all year round.

Fuga is an enchanting restaurant situated on the highest point of the garden around the Athens Concert Hall, with a panoramic view of Athens. Simple, essential tastes from Italian and Greek cuisine, prepared with special attention to the high quality of ingredients. Open daily all year round, Fuga also offers an after theater menu for those who wish to dine after a performance at the Athens Concert Hall. The balcony, shaped like the deck of a yacht, overlooking the garden and with a view of the sky and Hymettus mountain, is a magical location. Fuga is also in ideal place for business events and press conferences. During the warm season dining is outside in the cool garden. Signature dishes are risotto milanese with saffron and veal broth and the rigattoni amatriciana with pancetta, tomato and cream of pecorino.

Abreuvoir is definitely a top choice for eating out in Athens. Since 1965 when the restaurant first opened, its fame has spread amongst Athenian and visiting connoisseurs of French cuisine. Situated in a cool, shady garden during the summer and in a comfortable inside space during winter, this restaurant is a favorite for anybody who wants to enjoy French delicacies and high quality. Abreuvoir is a tradition in Athens, with a menu which is often renewed and a faithful clientele. Some of the favorites remain filet au poivre, Steak Tartare, Canard orange and definitely Crepes Suzette or creme brullee with espresso for dessert. Recent additions to the menu include tuna fish with topinambur, leeks and parsley, marinated salmon with fennel, lime, orange and ginger, served with quinoa, mustard seeds and avocado, pheasant with pears and red cabbage, wild boar with mushrooms and bacon. Definitely taste the salmon marinated in honey, served with grilled, marinated vegetables. The wine list will satisfy even the most demanding tastes. Abreuvoir celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2015, with a specially priced menu all year.

Hytra restaurant, popular for its creative cuisine and awarded with a Michelin star and Toque d¢or, recently moved to the sixth floor of the Onassis Cultural Center. In accordance with the demands of the times, this excellent dining location offers high quality dishes at reasonable prices. Guests can choose between a full course meal or tapas with wine or a drink. The creative dishes of the menu curated by Tasos Mantis, the selected wine list with labels directly from Greek producers, the warm atmosphere and the breathtaking view of Athens make Hytra one of the most exceptional places in town. During the summer months the restaurant will be open on the terrace of the Centre, with a panoramic view of the surroundings. Hytra is open seven days a week 20.00-24.00 Sunday to Thursday and 20.00-01.00 Friday and Saturday

It was in 1987 when Varoulko restaurant was born in Piraeus. Along with it came a new style of seafood cooking created by Lefteris Lazarou. Lazarou was the first chef in Greece to cook a seafood menu at a fine dining restaurant and to introduce the public to less known and previously neglected types of fish. Lazarou received a great number of awards through the years, including a Michelin star in 2002 --the first one ever awarded to a chef serving Greek cuisine. Lazarou holds his star since then. After spending a decade ashore, Lefteris Lazarou sailed back to his old neighborhood. The brand new Varoulko Seaside in Mikrolimano, Piraeus, is here to stay and is now open both during the day and during the evening offering two different menus: a simple, meze-style one for lunch and an elegant and creative one for dinner. Enjoy the sunset view in the late afternoon for a romantic touch

Dionysos restaurant and cafe is internationally renowned and always visited by celebrities and foreign politicians, who appreciate the excellent cuisine and the breathtaking view of the Acropolis. With a history of 40 years, this exceptional locale remains a classic reference point for high quality hospitality and dining. Cuisine is mainly modern Greek, with inspired creations based on fresh, local ingredients and all time favorite Mediterranean recipes. The cafe is ideal for a romantic rendezvous or a quiet meeting with drinks, coffee and snacks, in an idyllic atmosphere. The idyllic atmosphere and the high quality cuisine and service make Dionysos an all time favorite, both with Athenians and visitors.

GB Roof Garden bar-restaurant on the top floor of prestigious Grand Bretagne hotel commands a magnificent view of the Acropolis, Syntagma Square and the surroundings and is a superb place to relax and enjoy the sunset or any hour of the day. Open year-round for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the GB Roof Garden is not to be missed for at least one delectable meal. As the sun rises in the morning, the extravagant American Breakfast Buffet indulges your every whim. Choose from a selection of cold and hot dishes, fresh pastries from the hotel's bakery, fresh-squeezed juices and a wide selection of teas and fresh-brewed coffee. Enjoy the cooling breeze as you sit down to a delightful Mediterranean lunch, with choices such as the yellow fin tuna tartar with soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger, followed by winter pumpkin and mascarpone risotto. At night, the glittering cityscape provides a dazzling backdrop for such superb dishes as slowly-cooked lamb leg and cutlet, roasted potatoes with rosemary and Florina peppers with aubergine. For dessert, the dark chocolate entremet with hazelnut biscuit and sorbet cocoa is the perfect epilogue.