Athens is full of amazing flavours but the city’s bakeries are something else. Think crunchy koulouri, syrupy loukoumades, and creamy bougatsa – I don’t want to be pushy but you must try these three baked goods! Come with me on a little pastry tour of the city and I’ll show you where to find the classics you absolutely cannot miss.
For the Best Bougatsa
Bougatsadiko Psirri
Bougatsa is a delicious pastry often eaten for breakfast or dessert, with creamy custard tucked between between layers of filo pastry and finished with a sprinkle of icing sugar and cinnamon. If sweet treats aren’t your jam, don’t worry – there are savoury versions stuffed with cheese or meat, so everyone can join in the deliciousness.
If you head to Bougatsadiko Psirri early enough, you might catch the baker in action, but we arrive a little late for that. Undeterred, we decide to try one sweet bougatsa and one savoury stuffed with feta, and both are absolutely delicious. The pastry is light and flaky, and the fillings are rich and flavourful. Best of all, the pastries are incredible value, we pay just six euros for the two!
Every time we walk past, there is always a queue, with a good mix of locals and tourists. There is plenty of seating inside, but the shop is popular with food tours, so it can get a bit crowded.
For the Love of Loukoumades
Krinos
Trying loukoumades was top of my Must Eat List – who can resist these deep fried bite sized balls of goodness? Not me, that’s for sure. These leavened dough balls are a lot like donuts and are served warm, crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.
Where you find the best loukoumades really depends on who you ask but we head to Krinos. Housed in a neo-classical building, with a spacious dining area filled with old photos and memorabilia, this place has nostalgic charm. They have been making loukoumades since 1923 so I figure they must be doing something right!
These days loukoumades toppings can be quite creative but we stick with the traditional choice of syrup, cinnamon and walnuts. The loukoumades are crisp on the outside – even after being soaked in syrup! – and soft and fluffy on the inside. Best of all, they are really affordable – between 4 and 5 euros for six pieces which makes them a treat not to be missed.
For Traditional Koulouri and Baked Goods 24/7
To Koulouri of Psiri
This is one of the few bakeries in Athens that is open 24 hours and you can’t miss it – just look for the motorcycles parked out front, which they use to deliver bread all over the city. The speciality here is the famous round sesame bread called koulouri. Often compared to a bagel, this traditional Greek bread ring is a popular on the go snack and a favourite breakfast bite, usually paired with a coffee.
The bakery itself might not look like much but trust me, the baked goods here are the real deal and the prices are very fair. A koulouri will only set you back around 50 cents to 1 euro, which makes it an easy snack to enjoy any time of day. We try the original koulouri, a sunflower seed version and a small loaf of tsoureki, a sweet braided bread very similar to challah or brioche. It’s soft, fluffy and totally delicious. We take our treats to go but if you have time, the café is a great spot to sit and enjoy some baked goods and watch the world go by.
As you can see, if you love baked goods, you won’t leave Athens hungry. From crunchy koulouri to syrupy loukoumades and creamy bougatsa, there’s something for everyone.
So, which one would you try first? Are you a sweet or a savoury person?
All items were independently paid for and all opinions are my own.
