{"id":558378,"date":"2026-11-03T14:07:52","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T12:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/?p=558378"},"modified":"2026-11-03T14:07:53","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T12:07:53","slug":"10-piraeus-taverns-you-should-visit-at-least-once-in-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/food-drink\/10-piraeus-taverns-you-should-visit-at-least-once-in-your-life\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Piraeus taverns you should visit at least once in your life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Piraeus has a rich culinary heritage of its own. Having grown up here, we have explored its neighbourhoods, discovered its traditional taverns and sampled everything from freshly fried fish and grilled crabs to cuttlefish with tahini, fried sweetbreads and little pastourma-filled pies.<\/p>\n

This culinary wealth and the variety it offers, with something to satisfy both fish and meat lovers, are among Piraeus\u2019s greatest assets. It is a city that masterfully blends the flavours of the sea and the culture of its port with the influences of the refugees who found a port and a home here and, through their businesses, brought even more flavour to the area.<\/p>\n

For those who are not familiar with Piraeus, its size and the sheer number of different areas and neighbourhoods can seem a little overwhelming. When, for example, I mention Amfiali, a neighbourhood I am particularly fond of, I often see a big question mark appear on people\u2019s faces. And the first question that follows is almost always the same: \u201cWhere is Amfiali?\u201d<\/p>\n

It is well worth getting to know Piraeus better. Discover its centre, where you can also enjoy some excellent food, but make time to explore its neighbourhoods, too. That is why we have picked out ten tavernas and traditional koutoukia<\/em> that are worth visiting at least once. Although, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect, so you may well find your next favourite haunt among them.<\/p>\n

PsaroKastella<\/h2>\n

Tucked away on a narrow street in Kastella, on Skra Street, PsaroKastella (19 Skra Street) is a small, family-run fish taverna that has been operating since 1986. Back then, the father of its current owner, Maria Loukaki, used to grill sardines for friends on the veranda of his home. Today, she carries on the tradition, with her husband, Kostas, in charge of the grill and a tiny kitchen turning out dishes that put the emphasis firmly on quality ingredients.<\/p>\n

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At the table, make sure to try the fried prawns served with a secret, slightly tangy sauce infused with fenugreek aromas, the octopus slow-cooked in its own juices and deglazed with semi-sweet wine, and the steamed mussels. The fish roe dip, Constantinopolitan-style aubergine salad and homemade French fries round out the meal, while the bread, specially made for the taverna, deserves a place of its own. PsaroKastella is the family-run fish taverna of Nestor Nestoras, winner of MasterChef 2025, who took his first steps in the kitchen here, alongside his parents.<\/p>\n

To Koutouki tou Antoni<\/h2>\n

In Palaia Kokkinia, tucked away on a little street just above Thivon Avenue, To Koutouki tou Antoni (26 Argyrokastrou Street) has been serving customers since 1958, with the business passed down from one generation to the next. Step inside and you feel as though you have suddenly walked onto the set of an old Greek film, with vintage barrels, climbing plants and simple d\u00e9cor creating a warm, familiar setting. The small courtyard is ideal for dining on warm days, while the kitchen serves the familiar flavours of a traditional Greek taverna, with seafood meze and meat dishes prepared in the pan or on the grill.<\/p>\n

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The menu features fried calamari and fried dogfish with garlic dip, juicy grilled sheftalia (Cypriot-style minced meat kebabs), as well as homemade, fragrant tomato fritters. The thinly sliced lamb chops, grilled to perfection, are also well worth trying. Pair them with house wine served straight from the barrel and share the meze dishes around the table, just as you would in a traditional koutouki<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Kapileio o Zachos<\/h2>\n

Fried cod with garlic dip, grilled sardines, calamari and juicy oven-baked monkfish are just some of the dishes on offer at Kapileio o Zachos (37 Komotinis Street), a taverna that brings together seafood, meat dishes and traditional home-cooked fare. Other highlights worth ordering include the rich, creamy fish soup, moussaka, stuffed courgettes with egg-lemon sauce, velvety fava, golden-fried potatoes and seasonal olive-oil-based vegetable dishes. The portions pair perfectly with house wine or tsipouro, and there is often a complimentary sweet treat to finish the meal.<\/p>\n

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The taverna’s story dates back to the 1960s. In 2003, it was taken over by Christos and Vaia Zachou, who had been regular customers for years. Today, their son, Zisis, is in charge of running the establishment. Mrs Vaia still works in the kitchen, keeping the homemade character of the menu alive. You will find it in Kaminia, opposite a small park, a neighbourhood favourite where friends and families gather around the table.<\/p>\n

To Eidikon<\/h2>\n

For a taverna to have remained in the same location for more than a century and still be so popular that finding a table without a reservation can be difficult even on an ordinary weekday, it must be doing something very right. To Eidikon (38 Psaron Street), on the border between Piraeus and Drapetsona, is a historic grocery-taverna that has retained its distinctive character since 1920. Its small dining room, wooden chairs, black-and-white tiled floor and collection of old objects create an atmosphere that is becoming increasingly rare.<\/p>\n

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The menu remains simple, featuring traditional meze dishes that have earned a devoted following: the famous potato and egg \u201cpie\u201d, kagianas (Greek scrambled eggs with tomato), spicy soutzouki sausage, liver, fava and wonderfully tender meatballs, among the best you could hope to try. The table is also treated to graviera cheese from Trikala, followed by halva for dessert, while their own Mesogeia retsina takes centre stage in the glass. Don’t miss the simple tomato salad with oregano and olives, either. Here, it can turn out to be much more than just a side dish.<\/p>\n

Katsogiannos<\/h2>\n

The ouzo-infused meatballs, with their crispy coating and fluffy centre, are one of the reasons to visit Katsogiannos (15 Agiou Panteleimonos Street). This Drapetsona taverna has been operating at the same location since 1930 and has come a long way, evolving from a dairy shop that made butter, dairy products and the much-loved kaimaki ice cream into the taverna it is today. The kaimaki, in fact, is still offered as a complimentary treat at the end of the meal.<\/p>\n

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The kitchen continues to preserve old recipes, while new dishes have gradually been added to the menu. Try the fried sweetbreads, beef liver, lamb chops, pork bites cooked in a pan with mustard and bukovo chilli flakes, as well as the homemade aubergine salad. A selection of home-cooked dishes is also prepared daily, ranging from pastitsio and beef stew in tomato sauce to seasonal olive-oil-based vegetable dishes. The mosaic flooring, old photographs and wooden refrigerator dating back to 1930 are reminders of the taverna’s history, which remains closely intertwined with the neighbourhood and old Piraeus.<\/p>\n

Koutouki sta Kala Kathoumena<\/h2>\n

This family-run koutouki<\/em> in Keratsini (31 Polyzoidou Street) combines traditional Greek cuisine with wine that keeps flowing into your carafe. The interior, with its mosaic floors, colourful courtyard and wooden barrels, takes you back to the days when the Keladitis family’s wine shop operated here. The menu offers a wide variety of traditional meze and home-cooked dishes. Try the smoked Mount Athos-style aubergine salad, the potatoes with eggs, aubergine and soutzouki, as well as the frygadeli (grilled liver wrapped in caul fat), served with lemon and cooked over charcoal. We were also particularly impressed by the fried beef liver: delicate and light, with a perfect texture that speaks volumes about its quality. As they explained to us, it is not marinated in milk beforehand.<\/p>\n

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On the grill, you will find thinly sliced mutton chops, while standouts among the main courses include pappardelle with slow-cooked beef cheeks in tomato sauce and beef with wild mushrooms and smoked aubergine cream. If you spot pork belly on the menu, ask for it served on warm flatbreads, just as the family who runs the place likes to eat it, rather than with chips or mashed potatoes, and you’ll thank me later. Finally, save some room for the homemade sweet treats and, when available, try the barrel wine, filling your own carafe from the little tap beside your table.<\/p>\n

Margar\u00f3<\/h2>\n

In the mood for crispy red mullet and fried prawns, with a Greek salad to share and fresh bread for mopping up every last bit of olive oil? Then Margar\u00f3 (126 Chatzikyriakou Avenue) is a stop worth adding to your itinerary. This historic fish taverna, near the entrance to the Hellenic Naval Academy, has kept its menu simple and focused. The small red mullet and fried prawns take centre stage, and Margar\u00f3 has rightfully earned its reputation as a specialist in fried fish. Depending on what’s available, you may also find other fish on the menu, such as striped red mullet or common pandora.<\/p>\n

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Don’t come here looking for seafood pasta or an extensive selection of starters. The philosophy is refreshingly simple: just a handful of dishes, with all the emphasis on getting the frying just right. Its story began in 1937, when Margar\u00f3 Chanioti opened her first shop near Tzaneio Hospital. In 1944, the business moved to its current location in Piraeus, where it has remained in family hands, passed down from one generation to the next. To finish, save a little room for a fragrant slice of orange pie.<\/p>\n

To Yperokeanion<\/h2>\n

We’ve more or less established a family tradition: every year, after the Epitaphios procession on Good Friday, we head to To Yperokeanion (48 Marias Chatzikyriakou Street) for seafood. Of course, that’s far from our only visit throughout the year, as this is one of those places that always gives you a reason to come back. Located in Chatzikyriakeio, this ouzeri has an unmistakable island feel, both in its d\u00e9cor, reminiscent of an old-fashioned grocery shop, and in the philosophy behind its kitchen. Kimolos, the island the people behind the taverna hail from, takes pride of place on the menu, alongside flavours and products from other parts of Greece.<\/p>\n

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Make sure to order the Kimolos salad with cherry tomatoes, capers and xinotyri (a tangy Greek cheese), the little fried pies known as pitarakia, fava from Schinoussa and, of course, the cod with its golden, crispy batter and garlic dip. The grilled sardines served on sourdough bread with tomato and onion are another excellent choice, as is the marinated anchovy. If you’re after something more substantial, the shrimp pasta, with its rich sauce, is a great option, while the cuttlefish with tahini is worth trying for its distinctive combination of flavours. Fresh fish and seafood depend on the day’s catch, so ask what’s arrived in the kitchen. And since a meal like this deserves to be savoured, enjoy your final glass of ouzo with the homemade semolina halva they serve at the end.<\/p>\n

Skylodimos<\/h2>\n

Somewhere along the border between Piraeus and Neo Faliro, Filippas Skylodimos’ Grocery-Taverna (16 Deligiorgi Street and Skylitsi Street) is a traditional grocery-taverna that retains the charm of a bygone era. The first room to greet you is a high-ceilinged old grocery shop, with products lining the shelves, a vintage weighing scale and a few small tables. The adjoining room, part of an old stone-built house, is the main dining area of the cookhouse, where homemade dishes are prepared fresh every day.<\/p>\n

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At the table, be sure to try the tender meatballs made with minced beef and mint, the fried eggs served with chips, and the tomato salad with oregano and olive oil. Filippas took over the family business in 2001, continuing a tradition started by his father. It’s the kind of place to enjoy simple, home-cooked food in an atmosphere that brings old Piraeus to mind.<\/p>\n

To Steki tou Giganta<\/h2>\n

In the Maniatika neighbourhood of Piraeus, To Steki tou Giganta (43 Asklipiou Street) is a neighbourhood taverna with the atmosphere of an old-fashioned koutouki, Greek music and meze dishes that bring the spirit of home cooking to the table. This is a place where friends gather around dishes to share, with an emphasis on meat, while daily specials are also part of the offering. The menu includes handmade pastourma pie, little cheese pies drizzled with honey and the Gigantas platter, featuring fried eggs, potatoes, pastourma and soutzouki. The small beef patties are hand-shaped and mixed with plenty of herbs, making them wonderfully light and fluffy. The cabbage rolls and vine leaves are also rolled by hand, homemade and full of the kind of flavour you’d expect in a family home rather than a taverna. The cooked dishes change daily, and there are usually three or four options to choose from.<\/p>\n

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When we visited, Mrs Niki, the cook, served us a generous slice of pastitsio, topped with a handmade, velvety cheese b\u00e9chamel and filled with juicy minced beef. Light, flavourful and not at all heavy, it’s one of those dishes that, even when you’re already full, makes you think you could easily manage a second helping.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Piraeus has a rich culinary heritage of its own. Having grown up here, we have explored its neighbourhoods, discovered its traditional taverns and sampled everything from freshly fried fish and grilled crabs to cuttlefish with tahini, fried sweetbreads and little pastourma-filled pies. This culinary wealth and the variety it offers, with something to satisfy both […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":556694,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6165],"tags":[6182,6241],"real_estate_agency":[],"class_list":["post-558378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-drink","tag-piraeus","tag-taverns"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/134"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=558378"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":558384,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/558378\/revisions\/558384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/556694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=558378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=558378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=558378"},{"taxonomy":"real_estate_agency","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noupou.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/real_estate_agency?post=558378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}