Hytra
With its breathtaking view of the Acropolis from the 6th floor of the Onassis Arts Center, Hytra features minimal décor and menu, imaginative dishes and two awards: a Michelin star and Toque d'Or. Chef Tasos Mantis was previously the sous-chef for Peter Goossens, the three-star chef-patron of Belgium's Hof Van Cleve. The quail with farro, chestnuts, truffle and Cretan sour cheese is a superb dish. The chef’s garden is a feast of herbs, edible flowers, colorful shredded vegetables and hazelnut vinaigrette. And the rice pudding with pear and honey ice cream is a favorite. Hytra is a must-try.

Funky Gourmet
Funky Gourmet seeks to surprise and challenge your senses in a unique environment surrounded by contemporary art. It’s no wonder Funky Gourmet has placed itself on the map as one of the world’s top dining destinations. Chef-owners Georgianna Chiliadaki and Nickos Roussos use top quality, locally sourced seasonal ingredients and molecular gastronomy to deconstruct and reconstruct such iconic Greek dishes as the Greek salad, pasticcio, spinach rice, snails and more, always with a fun twist (i.e. The Silence of the Lamb and The Feta Cheese that Wished to be a Beetroot). The avant-garde cuisine plays tricks on your taste buds while providing a visual feast. Their two Michelin stars shine on the immeasurable thought, creativity and taste that matches the playfulness. Funky Gourmet truly is a profoundly memorable multi-sensory dining experience in Athens.

Argoura
This Athens restaurant is not by the sea, but the seafood and shellfish are at their best here. Nickos Michael, chef patron of Argoura, brings knowledge, hard work and creativity to his tavern. Definitely try the delicately marinated seafood, delicious clams served with lemon and seaweed, and eggplant with smoked eel. The orzo with razor clams is enough to ensure a return visit. There is an interesting wine list, but you also can bring your own wine.

Spondi
This French restaurant is legendary for its creative cuisine and extensive wine cellar (more than 1,300 wine labels). Executive Chef Aggelos Lantos changes the menu seasonally and ensures each plate has excellent taste, strong shape and beautiful colors. Fans order the pan-fried foie gras with caramel popcorn, Tasmanian pepper and corn mousseline, veal sweetbread with aromas of “Haiti Komet” Arabica coffee, Jerusalem artichoke and licorice, sea bass in rose petal sauce and the fantastic cheese platter mix. The six-course Discovery Menu proves why Spondi is considered one of the world’s best places to eat. The defining moment -- dessert -- is nothing less than what you would expect from a restaurant awarded two Michelin stars.

Cookoovaya Wise Cuisine
Cookoovaya (The Owl) is the interesting result of the collaboration of five Greek chefs who complement each other despite different approaches to Greek gastronomy. The common links between Pericles Koskinas, Kleomenis Zournatzis, Spyros and Vaggelis Liakos and Michelin-starred Nickos Karathanos are the deep knowledge of food and the strong belief in a Greek cuisine long forgotten. Using exceptional ingredients from small-scale producers from every corner of Greece, they brilliantly highlight the many aspects of rural and urban Greek cuisine. Don’t miss the pancetta with cabbage rice and baked apples, and the smoked eel with black hog’s lard and taro puree.

Feyrouz
Turkish and Syrian street foods are at their best in the hands of Feyrouz’s wonderful cooking and the owner’s Greek, Turkish and Syrian background. The baked lahmacun -- a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat, vegetables and herbs -- is to die for. This is my favorite, although you may prefer lahmacun topped with tabbouleh and yogurt.

Tomas Kebab
At Tomas Kebab, Armenian Hampartsoum Tomasian makes one of the best kebabs in town. Top-quality minced lamb, veal or chicken and finely chopped onion are skewered for the juiciest, most flavorful kebab you can imagine. Lahmacun, a thin, crisp flatbread topped with spicy minced meat, is also a must-try.

Press* Food & Wine
Press* Food & Wine has only one pasta dish on the menu and it is absolutely delicious. The star of the menu is their house-made pappardelle with blue swimmer crab, tomato, cream, chilli and garlic. The pappardelle pasta is freshly made in house every day. The flat, thin and delicate strands are cooked al dente and covered evenly with a creamy, rich tomato, chilli and garlic sauce with chunks of fresh, sweet blue swimmer crab meat throughout. The sauce is flavourful and packs a punch with a slight heat that lingers on the palate, but not enough to deter one from going back for another bite. Pasta and seafood lovers will be impressed.

Sungei Road Laksa
This is one of the few laksa stalls that still cooks over charcoal fire. It's served Katong style, with just a spoon, no chopsticks. Scoop up the pre-cut rice noodles along with the spicy coconut gravy. It's a humble dish, just topped with cockles, fishcake slices and beansprouts, but so comforting. The easy-to-drink gravy gets its umami punch from dried shrimps and a killer sambal. This started out as a humble pushcart in 1956 but sees long lines daily now at this coffeeshop stall.

Bubo Bar
Probably the best sangria in town. Nicely presented in two colors (the orange juice at the bottom, the red wine at the top), this sangria has a secret ingredient that make it better than other sangrias in town: Cointreau! So instead of the sourish aftertaste, it is beautifully sweet (but it gets you drunk faster, too). The glass is relatively large, so it might be a good idea to get just one to share, depending on how much you usually drink. And since you are there, make sure to check out the Bubo Cake store next door, and have one of their amazing cakes!