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Even when subsequent to nothing about Greek avenue meals, I’m keen to wager you’ve heard about gyros! They’re harking back to kebabs from Turkey and varied Center Jap wraps, but gyros are very a lot a Greek custom, relationship again to the nineteenth century.
I don’t suppose I’ve run a single Athens meals tour the place these pita-filled delights haven’t been on the high of everybody’s must-try record. Inside every flatbread is a mixture of sliced marinated meat reduce contemporary from a rotisserie, contemporary veggies like onion and tomato, fried potato, and loads of creamy tzatziki.
There are fairly a couple of contenders for the very best gyro in Athens, however I feel these spots positively deserve the highest spots!
Tylixto Greek Wrap
Picture credit score: Tylixto Greek Wrap
Tylixto Greek Wrap is a quick stroll from Monastiraki Sq., and this little spot proves that you just don’t must journey removed from the middle to get your arms on some genuine gyros.
It’s a tiny however trendy eatery with communal-type tables proper out entrance. Once I was right here, although, there wasn’t a seat to spare, so most clients, myself included, merely feasted on their orders whereas standing outdoors!
Their menu had a mixture of traditional gyros, additional spicy variations, and double-sized parts, and I truthfully struggled to decide on. I wasn’t ready to take the danger of the new sauce, and I didn’t know if I used to be hungry sufficient for a big serving, so I caught to traditional pork gyros.
The very first thing I observed was how heat and mushy the pita was and the way it complimented the crispy fries packed inside.Nonetheless, the juicy, herbaceous pork was the star, as each slice was dripping with savory, garlicky flavors.
Tylixto Greek Wrap (€3.90-€4.90 / $4.20-$5.30) – Aiolou 19 TYLIXTO, Aiolou 19, Athina 105 51, Greece – Open each Monday to Thursday from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am, and each Friday to Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am.
Avenue Souvlaki
Picture credit score: Avenue Souvlaki
Between Syntagma and Klafthmonos Sq. is Avenue Souvlaki, a beloved spot for unbelievable souvlaki and gyros.
These guys are professionals in the case of these Greek staples, as I shortly gathered from how busy this modern taverna was once I obtained right here. They’ve fairly a couple of seats of their stylish outside space, one thing you don’t at all times get with avenue meals spots.
The menu had a unbelievable line-up of fillings, and I had my sights set on the hen possibility, which particularly used thigh meat.
Whereas I’m certain their traditional hen gyros are scrumptious, too, the thigh meat was so succulent and soaked up all the flavors from the marinade. I used to be additionally tremendous impressed by the tzatziki, which was thick, creamy, and barely tangy.
Avenue Souvlaki (€3.40-€3.70 ~ $3.70-$4) – Kolokotroni 30, Athina 105 62, Greece – Open each Monday to Thursday from 11:30 am to 2:00 am, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 am to three:00 am, and each Sunday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 am.
O Gyros Pou Gyrevis
Mendacity alongside the fringe of the Plaka neighborhood, not removed from the Acropolis Museum, is O Gyros Pou Gyrevis.
On the floor, it appears like your run-of-the-mill quick meals joint, nevertheless it’s dwelling to a number of the most sensational gyros I’ve present in all of Athens. I haven’t managed to get a seat right here any time I visited, nevertheless it hasn’t stopped me from coming again.
The workforce right here focuses on pork and hen gyros, however for probably the most half, I are likely to go for his or her pork choices.
I’m undecided if there’s paprika within the marinade or a secret ingredient of some kind, however there at all times appears to be a beautiful smokey taste coming from every slice of tender pork. No matter it’s, it goes down a deal with with the salty fries, acidic tomatoes, and sharp pink onions.
O Gyros Pou Gyrevis – (€3.20-€8.50 ~ $3.50-$9.20) – 1 Athnasssiou Diakou, Athens 117 42 Greece – Open on daily basis from 11:00 am to 12:00 am.
Bouloukos Kebab
Picture credit score: Bouloukos Kebab
If I needed to choose one gyro spot in Omonia, it’d be Bouloukos Kebab each time. It’s a informal deli-style eatery with varied gyro and doner meats on show. Although it’s not fairly a sit-down restaurant, there are a handful of tables tucked across the again.
I used to be shocked to search out fairly a couple of different Mediterranean dishes on the menu, together with Greek salad, falafel, and hummus. As tempted as I used to be, I’d come right here for his or her hen gyros, which a good friend had advised me had been a number of the greatest on the town.
From the primary style of the fluffy pita bread, I had a great feeling about this place. All the pieces by some means tasted higher with each chunk, from the mushy fried potatoes to the hen’s refined lemon and spicy oregano flavors.
Bouloukos Kebab – (€2-€2.90 ~ $2.20-$3.10) – Athinas 53, Athina 105 52, Greece – Open each Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to eight:00 pm, closed each Sunday.
Kostas
One other beloved Athenian gyros spot is Kostas, located simply outdoors of Monastiraki.
A part of the attract of Kostas is its no-frills set-up, because the total place is packed into one slim nook. In typical European vogue, there’s a small cluster of tables outdoors which might be virtually at all times full, making it straightforward to search out.
It’s not on daily basis that you just see beef as a gyro filling, so I didn’t suppose twice about ordering it as quickly as I observed it.
Part of me thought the wealthy, beefy flavors is perhaps just a little overpowering, however they labored surprisingly effectively with the opposite elements. The zingy tomatoes, punchy onions, and shiny, contemporary tzatziki lightened the depth of the meat with out distracting from it.
Kostas – (€3 ~ $3.20) – Pl. Agias Irinis 2, Athina 105 60, Greece – Open each Monday to Friday from 10:00 pm to six:00 pm, closed each Saturday and Sunday.
Conclusion
The Traditional Metropolis is teeming with unbelievable avenue meals spots, so everyone you meet will probably have their very own tackle the place to search out the very best gyro in Athens. I occur to know a factor or two about nice gyros, so I promise you’ll be in secure arms with any of those worthy picks!