Greek Travel Community

Eating off the beaten track traveling in Greece?

1 - 5 of 5 Posts
ssherie_

ssherie_

Active member
I have heard magical stories of people finding out of the way eating establishments in Greece and having the best, no menu meals that Greece has to offer. I've dined in Greece and my culinary experience has been different. Delicious, just different.

How does one find these wonderful, hidden gems to eat at? Do I have to spend time in a village? What if I am mostly in Athens or Thessaloniki while in Greece? I think I am looking for general tips for throughout Greece, but I do know I will be going to Athens next time I am in Greece so if you have recommendations that would be good, too.
 
ssherie_ said:
I have heard magical stories of people finding out of the way eating establishments in Greece and having the best, no menu meals that Greece has to offer. I've dined in Greece and my culinary experience has been different. Delicious, just different.

How does one find these wonderful, hidden gems to eat at? Do I have to spend time in a village? What if I am mostly in Athens or Thessaloniki while in Greece? I think I am looking for general tips for throughout Greece, but I do know I will be going to Athens next time I am in Greece so if you have recommendations that would be good, too.
Click to expand...
When in Thessaloniki drive west about 30 miles Kymini. There is a great restaurant, Georges, in this little village that is excellent. NO MENU. We stayed in the town at an AIR BnB while visiting relatives in Alexandria. Just sit back and enjoy the food and hospitality of him and his wife.
 
  • Like
Reactions: k_tsoukalas
Xpisto said:
When in Thessaloniki drive west about 30 miles Kymini. There is a great restaurant, Georges, in this little village that is excellent. NO MENU. We stayed in the town at an AIR BnB while visiting relatives in Alexandria. Just sit back and enjoy the food and hospitality of him and his wife.
Click to expand...
Oh forgot, the restaurants in Kymini sell meat of fish but not both.
 
  • Like
Reactions: k_tsoukalas
The quick answer to this is to get out of Plaka/Monastiraki/Psirri and head to a less touristy area. Exarcheia is my favourite suburb and although it is becoming more touristy, it still maintains some good traditional restaurants. Here is my guide to Exarcheia: Exarcheia Guide

Another good traditional Greek Restaurant (don't let the name fool you, it is a full restaurant) to add to the list that I discovered last year is: Ouzeri Lesvos
 
  • Like
Reactions: k_tsoukalas
We have found restaurants like this by befriending a taxi driver! On Crete, my family bonded early with the taxi driver that took us from the airport to the hotel. He gave us his card and we called him exclusively for rides. We hired him over the course of the trip for two tours. On one, who took us to his favorite place, a restaurant like this and ate what they had to offer. You basically need to talk to locals. There is some great, local advice from this thread alone!
 
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Festivals of Note for 2026 in Greece?

My family and I are starting to think about a possible trip to Greece in 2026, and this time we’re considering planning part of the trip around a festival or cultural celebration. We’ve been to Greece before, but we’ve never really organized a trip around a specific event.

I know Greece has so many interesting traditions throughout the year. Because of that, I’m starting to gather ideas early while we figure out where we might want to go.

Have any of you traveled to Greece specifically to experience a festival? If so, which ones would you recommend? It could be religious celebrations, food festivals, music events, or local village festivals.
I’d love to hear about any memorable festival experiences that might help us shape our 2026 plans.

Why do some score tracking platforms show delayed match updates?

Been tearing my hair out lately trying to follow live matches because some score‑tracking apps update super fast while others lag like they’re stuck in another century. I’m talking minutes behind, not seconds. It’s driving me nuts, especially when I’m juggling fantasy leagues and friendly bets with my buddies. I keep switching between apps hoping one will magically work better, but no luck so far. Is this just bad servers, licensing stuff, or am I using the wrong platforms altogether? If anyone knows what actually causes these delays—or has app recommendations—I’m all ears.

Favorite small towns in Greece?

I realized recently that some of my favorite places in Greece haven’t actually been the major destinations everyone talks about, but smaller towns that just had a completely different atmosphere to them.

Sometimes it’s a mountain village with one main square and old stone houses, other times it’s a tiny coastal town where everyone seems to know each other and life moves slower. A few of the places I still think about most weren’t even places I had originally planned to visit.

I’m curious what small towns or villages have really stayed with people after traveling in Greece. Could be because of the scenery, the food, the people, the history, or just the overall feeling of the place.

Would love to hear everyone’s favorites, especially places that don’t always make the typical travel lists.

Best Greek Destinations for History Lovers

I’m thinking about planning a Greece trip next year that is focused almost entirely on history, and I’d love some ideas for the best places to include.

Athens would obviously be part of the itinerary for the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, museums, and other archaeological sites. I’m also considering Delphi, Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, and maybe spending more time exploring the Peloponnese. Meteora is on my list too, although that would add a different type of historical experience.

I’m especially interested in places where you can really spend time exploring rather than just stopping briefly to see one major site.

If you were planning a history-focused trip to Greece, which destinations would you consider essential? Are there lesser-known archaeological sites, historic towns, museums, Byzantine sites, or ancient ruins that deserve more attention? I’d also love suggestions for putting together an itinerary without trying to cover too much ground.

Is Greece easy to travel around without renting a car?

I’m trying to figure out whether it’s realistic to travel around Greece without renting a car. I’d prefer not to drive if I can avoid it, especially since I’m not familiar with the roads, parking, or driving customs there.

For those who have traveled around Greece using public transportation, how easy was it? I know there are buses, ferries, taxis, and domestic flights, but I’m wondering how practical they are once you get outside the main tourist areas. Did you ever feel limited by not having a car?

I’m also curious whether it makes sense to rely on public transportation for most of the trip and just rent a car for a day or two when needed. Are there certain types of places that are especially difficult to reach without one?

I’d love to hear from anyone who has done a Greece trip mostly or entirely without driving.
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top