By Nenela Georgele, Katerina Vnatsiou
With everything Athens has to offer in terms of sweets, make every stop along the way even sweeter. In this vibrant city, desserts can be found everywhere. Whether at upscale patisseries, park cantinas, museum garden cafés, or family-run pastry shops, there are plenty of options to sate one's sweet tooth. Taste beloved Greek pastries like baklava and kataifi, or welcome the world with real Italian gelato and pastries fit for a Parisian. Enjoy a delicious dessert to cap off a leisurely lunch or go with a Greek coffee and live like a true Athenians. The city offers an amazing array of options for every taste.
Greek Delights
Baclavas
Nuts, almonds, cinnamon, cloves and syrup. One of the most popular pastry desserts.
Diples
Deep fried honey rolls served with nuts.
Galaktoboureko
Another popular sweet. A pie filled with custard and then doused in vanilla syrup.
Glyka koutaliou
Various Greek fruits preserved in thick sugary syrup. They come in small jars and are an ideal gift for friends back home.
Halvas
A fudge made with sesame seed paste, sesame oil and sugar. It is offered as a dessert in many tavernas, after the end of a meal.
Loukoumades
Deep fried little doughnuts served with honey, syrup or ice cream.
Ryzogalo
Rice pudding made of rice boiled in milk, sugar and vanilla, sprinkled with cinnamon. You can find it in dairies and super markets.
Arte Athens
A delicious display of colors and flavors of authentic Italian gelato with a twist of Greek tradition. Try the cream with wild cherries or the chocolate sorbet and definitely the crushing Catalino with its three layers of salty caramel. ACROPOLI, 16 Tripodon Str., Plaka, artegelato.gr FB: Arte Athens Insta: @arte_athens
Choureal
It was Choureal that first brought the magic of custom-made profiteroles to Athens – and its fresh, handmade pastries have left an indelible mark on the culinary world of the city. For divine eclairs and profiteroles you can customise to your tastes, this patisserie provides the ultimate indulgences to those who visit.
Syntagma, 18 Ermou & 2 Diomeias Str., +302103317883 / 2 Ifikratous, Halandri, +302106839913
Kookoovaya
A pastry shop that originated in Chania, Crete, Kookoovaya’s legendary sweets grew so popular that they can now also be found right in the centre of Athens, only walking distance from the Monastiraki and the Acropolis. Irresistible and made with love, get a taste of time-honoured Cretan traditions and try Kookoovaya’s many desserts, from ekmek kataifi to millefeuille to mosaiko, the coveted chocolate treat of many Greek peoples’ childhoods. If you’re feeling especially sinful, the notorious zoumero chocolate cake will not disappoint.
Syntagma, 1 Skouze Str., +302103318700
Le Greche
This is one of the most famous ice-cream shops in Athens. Here you are going to try pure, absolutely fantastic handmade ice cream in many flavors. It’s probably the most tasteful ice cream you have ever taste. You should definitely try it.
Syntagma: 16 Mitropoleos, +302167006458/ Agia Paraskevi: 456 Mesogeion +302100101617/ Neo Psychiko: 220 Olimpionikon & Lykourgou, +302130416299/ Flagstore +302167006416 / Acropolis: 16 Andrea Syggrou Ave., +302109244989
Madame Fraise
The first ghost pastry shop of Athens was set up by two exceptional and well-traveled pastry chefs who make amazing desserts, classic but also modern, while some of them are even sugar-free following the plant-based philosophy. You order them through Wolt app or through take away.
225 Ymittou Str., Pagkrati, +302114186086
Sweet Alchemy
The pastry chef who has changed the face of confectionary in Greece, Stelios Parliaros, studied art and pastry-making in France. Author of eight books, since 2008 Parliaros has hosted the weekly Greek TV show “Sweet Alchemies”. He has rightfully earned the title of the top Greek chef pâtissier. evangelismos, 24 Irodotou Str., Kolonaki 2107240205
Zuccherino
Here you will find every dessert you have ever dreamed! Cakes, ice creams, pastes, many sweets without sugar, always fresh, with an emphasis on raw materials. Zuccherino has many shops around Athens, but you can see and order the desserts through their.
eshop: zuccherino.gr, +302109830869
