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Coming to Athens quickly? One road meals that needs to be on the prime of your record of must-try meals is spanakopita. These are spinach pies made with phyllo dough, feta cheese, and herbs that you just received’t have the ability to get sufficient of.
Regardless of the place you go, you’ll discover bakeries and road distributors all around the Greek capital promoting these little snacks (we even attempt them on a few of our Athens meals excursions). Nonetheless, as with every specialty, solely a choose few institutions really grasp the artwork of crafting spanakopita.
So, to verify your first pattern of spanakopita is one to recollect, we’ve listed our favourite places to attempt these scrumptious Greek pies.
Bougatsadiko Psirri
Picture credit score: Bougatsadiko Psirri
To start out, I’m sending you to the very place the place I attempted my first model of those mouthwatering appetizers, Bougatsadiko, which is positioned in Psirri.
All the time rammed with folks, Bougatsadiko is a well-known Athenian pie store the place you may watch the bakers whip up the dough proper in entrance of you as you order your spanakopita.
Consider me, I didn’t come to Bougatsadiko to order spanakopita, however the ladies behind the until noticed me wanting misplaced at what I ought to order and really helpful it. I trusted her phrase, and earlier than I knew it, I had a takeaway metal tray in entrance of me as I sat by one of many barrels out entrance.
The spanakopita was chopped into little triangles with a cocktail stick caught into one of many items. My ideas after having the primary chunk had been, how had I not tried this earlier than? From the earthy spinach blended with the crumble of the feta to the crunchy phyllo pastry, I had simply opened myself as much as a brand new habit.
Bougatsadiko Psirri (€2.50-€3, ~$2.70~$3.20) – Pl. Iroon 1, Athina 105 54, Greece – Open day by day, 7:00 am to 12:00 am.
Pandora
A must-visit for anybody on the lookout for one of the best spanakopita in Athens is Pandora in Makrygianni. Solely round a ten-minute stroll from the Acropolis, folks from all around the metropolis journey right here to pattern their particular recipe, which incorporates handmade bay leaves and a flour combination from chosen wheat varieties.
Pandora is fairly unassuming; I virtually missed it the day I went there, however I noticed a person stroll out with an enormous slice of pita in his fingers. The picket counter with a glass prime takes up the entrance of the family-run bakery, and you’ll see all the freshly baked items inside.
Once I first laid eyes on the slices of spanakopita, I couldn’t assist however marvel how I might handle to complete it. However because it was offered on the white plate, the irresistible scent of feta made me greater than able to tackle the problem.
The crispy phyllo pastry paired with the earthy contemporary herbs and mildly candy leeks was very good, making a implausible, flavorful combination. To not neglect the olive oil that gave it a remaining nutty kick.
Pandora (€2.50-€3, ~$2.70~$3.20) – Lempesi 1, Athina 117 42, Greece – Open each Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, and closed each Sunday.
Fillo
Picture credit score: Fillo
Shut by Syntagma Sq., Fillo’s unbelievable lineup of pastries lures in crowds of individuals day by day, however their spanakopitas are on one other stage.
Fillo has a little bit upmarket really feel to it in comparison with your typical informal eatery serving up these Greek specialties. Perhaps it’s the fantastically displayed pastries within the expansive glass-topped pastry station or the ornate lighting complemented by the beautiful wallpaper designs.
I couldn’t recover from what number of variations of spanakopita that they had on show after I visited. Apart from the basic spinach choice, there have been ones with natural pumpkin, florini peppers, and even totally different meats for the carnivores on the market.
The standard spanakopita regarded irresistible at Fillo, so I caught with what I knew, and it didn’t disappoint: flaky, buttery phyllo dough separated into drool-worthy layers smothered in tangy feta and delicate bitter spinach.
Fillo (€2.90-€3.30, ~$3.10~$3.50) – 105 62, Voulis 11, Athina 105 62, Greece – Open each Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to six:00 pm, each Saturday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, and closed each Sunday.
Artos Venetis
Picture credit score: Artos Venetis
One other Psirri hang-out that whips up some severely good spanakopita is Artos Venetis. It’s a little bit nook bakery on Sarri that does an unbelievable commerce from the early hours of the morning till late within the evenings.
Situated in a primary white constructing with green-paneled home windows, it could not appear like a lot from the skin, however the unending line that’s all the time outdoors Artos Venetis tells you all it’s worthwhile to find out about this place.
Whereas Artos Venetis all the time tries to make my candy tooth get the higher of me at any time when I cease by, I can by no means flip down considered one of their spanakopitas. Every mouthful affords a mix of flavors, together with a mild creaminess from the feta, hints of mint from the aromatic herbs, and a satisfying crackle off the crust.
Artos Venetis (€2.00-€3.00, ~$2.20~$3.20) – Sarri 13, Athina 105 54, Greece – Open each Monday to Saturday, 6:00 am to eight:00 pm, and closed each Sunday.
Creme Royale
Picture credit score: Creme Royale
Creme Royale is an efficient outdated dependable spot for a spanakopita on Athina with its contemporary substances, pleasant employees, and delicious phyllo crust that I can by no means shut up about each time I depart.
Simply noticed for its modern frontage, Creme Royale is a buzzing bakery the place you’re all the time assured some good spanakopita. I actually benefit from the ambiance right here, whether or not it’s the black-and-white tiling or the view of the dough being ready; there’s simply one thing that units it other than different institutions within the space.
It’s straightforward to get misplaced within the freshly baked choices at Creme Royale, however I recommend skipping all of it and going for the spanakopita (you’ll thank me later). Completely packaged in delightfully crispy phyllo pastry with sharp and salty feta, bay leaf, and garden-fresh spinach, it received’t be lengthy till you order a second slice.
Creme Royale (€3.00, ~$3.20) – Athinas 37, Athina 105 54, Greece – Open each Monday to Saturday, 7:00 am to 4:30 pm, and closed each Sunday.
Conclusion
And so, we end our lineup of one of the best spanakopita in Athens! These savory bites are one other instance of why Greek meals is a few of the tastiest on the market. You possibly can add them to your lengthy record of snacks it’s worthwhile to attempt everytime you embark by yourself meals tour of town.
