Athens Riviera: The best cafés, bars and restaurants with a sea view

This is one of the most sophisticated restaurants in Athens, located where once stood the legendary Asteria of Glyfada, a resort with a rich history that goes back to the ’50s. The exotic and cosmopolitan, almost cinematic, décor, combined with the magnificent view, steals the show. An idyllic setting where guests can enjoy the menu, put together by the famous Greek chef Giannis Baxevanis and embracing Greek raw materials. Its unique sunset, top quality coffee, sensuous live performances and exotic garden are a few more reasons to enjoy Ark in the summer.

Island is probably the most famous club-restaurant in Athens. Not only is it ideally situated, but it offers top gastronomic experiences of creative Mediterranean cuisine. There is also an excellent sushi section. As for cocktails, Island has prepared a fine drinking experience for its guests. And let us not forget Island’s unique view, one of the most beautiful the Athens Riviera has to offer.

Come to this Vouliagmeni restaurant at noon to enjoy an ouzo and well-cooked octopus, the ultimate Greek meze for ouzo, by the sea. At night, enjoy a wonderful seaside dinner with your friends and loved ones. However, the heart of Blue Fish is its quality fresh fish. Choose the fish that you want to try and the staff will suggest three, six or even more different options for preparing your meal.

 

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Only six months after it opened (in May 2021), Pelagos was awarded its first Michelin star. The head of the kitchen is chef Luca Piscazzi, previously running the two-Michelin-starred La Dame de Pic in London. The modern restaurant of Four Seasons Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni focuses, through its refined cuisine, on fish and seafood, offering a breathtaking view of the sea in an elegant, simple setting.

Coyοacan Playa, located inside Varkiza Resort in Varkiza, opened in the summer of 2020 and quickly became the ultimate summer destination for Athenians. One of the highlights of Coyoacan is definitely its zen design, with an emphasis on earthy colors, wood and the ever-present sand. It is open from morning until late at night and the décor features a Mexican boho aesthetic with a Mediterranean touch. The menu as well is built around Mexican and Mediterranean flavors.

A legendary restaurant in the southern suburbs, which stands out for its view and interesting menu. The most prominent members of the Greek and international jet set, including Athina Onassis, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bill Clinton, have visited Ithaki. And for good reason. The menu features mainly fresh fish and seafood, dishes inspired by tradition as well as the latest trends in international gastronomy.

Located on Astir beach in Vouliagmeni, the most iconic section of the Athens Riviera, the 40Forty all-day bar & restaurant is a great destination to enjoy a meal and amazing cocktails by the sea and on the sand. The day here starts early in the morning—guests can enjoy their breakfast, choosing among various breakfast options, either at the restaurant or lying on a sunbed—and ends late at night with drinks, food and music from all over the world. As the sun sets in the waters of the bay of Vouliagmeni, the all-day bar & restaurant transforms into a magnificent, atmospheric lounge restaurant.

Thanks to its premium location opposite the lake of Vouliagmeni and its breathtaking view of the Saronic Gulf, Labros has preserved its identity over the years as one of the finest restaurants for enjoying fresh fish. The marble slab at the entrance serves a decorative purpose but is also a testament to the restaurant’s long history, which dates back to 1889.

 

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A restaurant of the Athens Riviera yet named after one of the most beautiful islands of the Dodecanese. Kastelorizo prouds itself on Mediterranean dishes featuring mainly seafood. Being located in one of the most beautiful sections of the Attica Riviera, the Varkiza marina, it offers an unobstructed view of the sea.

 

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Papaioannou restaurants, with a history dating back to the early ’90s, are a timeless choice for quality fish food in Athens. Under the guidance of its “captain”, Giorgos Papaioannou, this restaurant that bears his name, located in Mikrolimano, has become an iconic destination for enjoying fresh fish and seafood. In the summer of 2021, another Papaioannou restaurant opened in Kavouri, in the “heart” of the Athens Riviera.

Thanks to its premium location by the sea at the bay of Vouliagmeni, just moments away from Poseidonos Avenue, it feels like you are on an island. Mediterranean raw materials are the dominant feature in the culinary options of En Plo, with a focus on the purity of every dish, including fresh fish and seafood, handmade pasta and meat cooked exclusively in a Josper Grill, a traditional oven used in Latin America.

Find this hidden gem after taking a turn towards Laimos, Vouliagmeni, and on the way to Asteras. There it is nested discreetly in the Vouliagmeni marina, away from noise and crowds. Moorings is one of the most beautiful bar-café-restaurants in the area, ideally situated and offering an interesting menu carefully put together by its chef. Enjoy a coffee in the morning and a meal or a drink until late in the evening.

 

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A sophisticated seafood restaurant with an Aegean feel and a magnificent view of the bay of Vouliagmeni. It follows the modern trends of eclectic fish eating, for a wholesome, top-quality gastronomic experience.

This is the Hawaiian word for “wave”. Perfect for relaxing with your friends and enjoying a coffee or a drink by the sea. For those who are always hungry, Nalu offers fusion dishes, starting in the morning with brunch and then suggesting, among other options, Mediterranean flavors.

The restaurant of the Vouliagmeni Nautical Club offers a wide variety of seafood, including appetizers to share with your friends and as a meze for ouzo, fresh fish, pasta, and meat dishes. A summer destination for food and drinks, in a unique location.

There are many reasons to visit Matsuhisa; among others, the idyllic view of the sea, creating the illusion that you are dining on a Cycladic island, even though you are only half an hour away from downtown Athens, and its black cod dish. It is no coincidence that this is one of Nobu’s signature dishes not only in Greece, but all over the world.

Napolitivo is the Italian restaurant at the Flisvos Marina, combining Neapolitan dishes and the Aperitivo ritual. Their authentic pizza Napoletana is baked in a wood-fired oven made in Naples with Vesuvius bricks. Its light dough is made daily in the restaurant by the Napolitivo pizzaiolos and is left to mature for 12-14 hours before being baked.

Riviera Coast, located in Voula, is an all-day destination by the sea. In the menu you will find sophisticated suggestions as well as meat dishes, burgers, pizzas and delicious options for breakfast or brunch. A great choice for any time of the day, from morning until late in the evening, to enjoy a meal, coffee or a drink and a wonderful view.

Holy Spirit Beach Bar on Varkiza beach is one of the hottest summer destinations of the Paraliaki. Great music, large comfortable cushions and a laid-back atmosphere from morning until late at night. Holy Spirit Beach Bar is particularly famous for its cocktails.

Garbi opened in 1924 in the location where it still stands today, and it has always been a family business. The fish come directly from Leros, Antiparos and the Ambracian Gulf, and the menu includes traditional and more sophisticated dishes. Enjoy them with a glass of wine, choosing from a wide variety of mainly Greek and some French wines.

The beach restaurant Krabo draws inspiration from the Aegean landscape to create a unique setting that makes you feel as if you were at a beach bar in Mykonos. Lie comfortably on the full-service sunbeds and enjoy the sunshine and the waters of this magnificent bay. Then make sure that you visit the restaurant, which stands out for its unpretentious, bohemian style, to enjoy its wonderful Mediterranean cuisine.

Penarrubia is one of the timeless all-day destinations of the Paraliaki. Take your time to drink your coffee or have breakfast by the sea. At noon, enjoy the easy-going ambience of Penarrubia, as well as its dishes and fresh salads. In the evening, relax with one of the cocktails on the list and let the music and the alternating rhythms draw you in until dawn.

Moana Beach House is another beach bar of Varkiza Resort and a must along the Paraliaki. Enjoy a cocktail after swimming, listen to spiritual house music and relax on a pouffe or a sunbed. If you are looking for beach sports, here you will also find a surf and wind surfing school.

Rayen, located on the beach of Alimos, draws inspiration from the hot Mexican resort of Tulum, and stands out for its boho chic décor. The menu includes chimichangas, tacos and burritos in various versions (even vegetarian), as well as Peruvian dishes, such as ceviche. Accompany your meal with one of the classic or signature cocktails served at Rayen.

“Rafale” is the French word for gust of wind—“Spiliada” in Greek. This is one of the most famous Sea Food Restaurants in the southern suburbs. From noon to evening, this is the place to go if you love seafood. The hospitable staff and well-structured wine list guarantee a complete gastronomic experience.

Notos Café, one of the oldest cafés of the Paraliaki, is ideal for enjoying a coffee or a snack at any time of the day. This is green paradise with a breathtaking view and there is a playground right next to it, which makes it the perfect place to be both for those who just want to relax and for families.