Though you can find vegan or vegetarian options in almost every restaurant, taverna, or cafe across Athens, there are many restaurants that specialize explicitly in meat-free cuisine.
From innovative bakeries, to bustling lunch spots, to chic late-night dinner haunts, we’ve compiled our favorite must-visit vegetarian and vegan spots across Athens.
Holy Llama: Perfect vegan Greek pastries
Start your morning at Holy Llama, located not far from the Acropolis and known for serving the finest vegan baked goods in the city. Their fluffy and buttery croissants made with all vegan milk and butter pair excellently with a vegan cappuccino or latte.
If you want to try something a little more adventurous, give their Pistachio Wonder Wheel a whirl. This croissant wheel stuffed with rich pistachio paste is a fan-favorite, and you can buy a jar of the pistachio paste to take home with you!
Insider’s tip: Even if you get a late start there’s no need to worry, Holy Llama does brunch all day long.
Local Green: Build-your-own Greek salad
Local Green’s slogan is “Say goodbye to boring salads”—and this cute lunch spot helps you do just that.
Though not every option in the shop is meat-free, Local Green allows you to build your own salads and bowls with ingredients of your choosing. They also offer wraps and a seasonal vegan sandwich made with fresh in-season vegetables piled on top of thick focaccia bread.
At Holy Llama, you’ll find outdoor seating embraced by lush greenery, perfectly in sync with their name. If you have the time, soak up the sun and enjoy your meal here!
Baba Ghanoush Vegetarian Restaurant
Baba Ghanoush Vegetarian Restaurant serves Lebanese-inspired vegetarian and vegan fare.
One go-to plate is their Fattoush Salad with lettuce, green onion, cucumber, hot pepper, mint, and parsley with pomegranate sauce, sumac, and zaatar.
Their falafel is a crowd pleaser, and they offer it in various delicious combinations, such as with harissa pickle and hummus, yogurt, and eggplant with parsley.
And, of course, no visit to Baba Ghanoush would be complete without trying their signature dish…baba ganoush! Theirs is made traditionally with smoked eggplants and blended with tahini and garlic and is perfect for pairing with pita bread.
Avocado: Healthy vegetarian bowls
Avocado is a vegetarian classic in Athens that has been serving up inspired plates since 2011.
With multi-colored walls and jewel-toned pillow-seating, the whole restaurant exudes a calm homeyness.
The menu has Greek cuisine at its core, but takes inspiration from Indian, Hawaiian, and Persian dishes, too.
Insider’s tip: Try Mother Earth Vegan Spinach Tart topped with walnuts and almond shavings, Crispy Tofu, or one of their famous juices or smoothies. Tofu is a rarity in Athens, but at Avocado they do it well!
Vegan Beat: Greek Vegan street food
Vegan Beat is a small but impressive little spot that does vegan street food right.
One fan-favorite is their Space Gyros which is a traditional style Greek gyro made with mushrooms and vegan tzatziki, served in a corn-based pita bread.
Other favorites include:
- Big Boss Burger – made with sweet potatoes and black beans, slathered with vegan mayonnaise and BBQ sauced
- Vegan tzatziki – perfect side for dipping an order of their trendy spiral-fried potatoes
Mama Tierra Acropolis: Grab-and-go Vegetarian food
Mama Tierra Acropolis near the Acropolis also specializes in vegan street food, and is ideal for a quick stop after a morning of touring Athens’ central archaeological sites.
Grab a vegetarian gyro, and continue your stroll from the rock of the Acropolis to some shopping in Plaka.
They also have a wide variety of meat-free burgers and wraps, appetizers and desserts plus an assortment of beer and wine.
Peas Vegan Cafe: Vegan desserts
The adorable Peas Vegan Cafe charms with its hanging plants and hammock-chairs, but doesn’t fall short on the delicious menu options.
At Peas they do seitan right, so don’t miss out on trying their seitan club sandwich or a seitan gyro with cashew parmesan.
If you have a sweet tooth their vegan desserts are next level especially their lemon tart and tofu cream cheesecake.
Winners Vegan: Noodles served hot and cold
The Winners Vegan restaurant focuses on organic raw ingredients, and so is a great option for a vegan poke bowl or a fresh seasonal salad.
However, where they really excel is noodles, especially the Miso Mushroom Noodle Bowl, and their cold summer Pad Thai served with tahini and almond butter dressing.
The menu shifts according to the season, so check out their website if you want to know what fresh dishes they’re offering up before you go!
It: Athen’s vegan trendy spot
The trendy It restaurant really is an Athens it-spot, located in the neighborhood of Kolonaki, this fusion cafe has funky tables spanning from inside and outside and a vast array of menu options.
Their vegan menu offers classic Greek lentils with carrots and baby arugula and a basil pesto pasta with spinach and rich vegetable cream.
We particularly recommend the steamed Greek wild greens drizzled with savory tomato vinaigrette!
Veganaki: Traditional Greek dishes veganized
Veganaki means “little vegan” in Greek, but Veganaki does vegan food in a big bold way.
With indoor and outdoor seating, plus a wide selection of beer, this restaurant is perfect for a slow dinner after a day of sight-seeing.
Veganaki’s speciality is making traditional Greek dishes vegan.
Our recommendations:
- Start with the appetizer platter – get a well-rounded taste-test of all the Greek classics done vegan style
- Vegan moussaka and/or the pastitsio – these two Greek dishes usually have ground beef baked between layers of bechamel cream and pasta, but at Veganaki you can get all those flavors with soy-based meat and almond-milk bechamel
Embarking on authentic food tours is an excellent way to truly immerse yourself in a city’s culinary scene and discover its hidden gastronomic treasures. Our Ultimate Athens Food Tour is a great option and accommodates vegetarians (although, not vegans).