Fall is in full swing, and with it, the tourist masses leave the city, and the cooler weather beckons more outings with friends. Wine is the chosen drink of the Fall season, and the city is buzzing with exciting wine bars in almost every neighborhood. Below are our picks for four wine bars to visit this Fall in Athens.
Downtown in Koukaki, wine lovers are flocking to Fysika by Dough (Dimitrakopoulou 17; 2109224091). Sharing a wall with the hip pizzeria Pizza Dough, this tiny gem offers natural Greek wines, each carefully paired on the menu with one of the pizzeria’s specials. Patrons love the vegetarian Goat pizza with sweet potato and goat’s cheese and the San Marzano with mozzarella and pepperoni. They have seats outside to enjoy the breeze and vinyl music sets on the weekends.
Also downtown in Thisseio, Oh Dio (Adrianou 3; 2103213170) is an all-day bar with Mediterranean cuisine housed in the same space as the Odeio Athenaeum Maria Callas (hence the huge Callas portrait on the wall). Have a glass of one of their 120 labels from Greece and abroad and indulge in sausage with collard greens or lamb shank with gioufkades pasta. Bonus: They have a great breakfast menu—try the pita with cabbage, onion, tomato paste, and kasseri cheese.
Up in the ‘burbs in Halandri, nestled inside a retro house built in the 60s, Terroirist (Thoukididou 12; 2160046388) is decorated with the utmost nostalgia and boasts a beautiful yard for outdoor evenings. They have 80 wine labels on offer, covering Greece, France, Spain, Italy, and Argentina; you can also try rare varieties such as orange wines. Pair your vino with a platter of luxury cold cuts or a dish such as smoked trout with fish egg roe, squid ink, tomato, and fried capers or octopus with vine leaves and black garlic aioli.
Down south, Faidon’s (Agiou Ioannou 28; 2155109975) in Voula is a beloved favorite for wine and cold cuts at night. Overlooking a lush green forest, this wine bar-deli-bistro stocks hundreds of labels of wine in their cellar, as well as a wide range of local and rare beers. Their menu draws from their vast collection of cheeses, nuts, chocolates, and meats, which are cut fresh to order. Indulge in cold cuts with honey and chutney, fresh Neapolitan pizza, or piping hot croque monsieur. Tip: You have to call days in advance to reserve a table.
Have a beautiful Fall ahead!
The Athenian Site 