In this article, we present fifteen of the best cheese pies in Athens.
Athens has a strong culinary legacy and a wide range of food options to satisfy every taste. From Michelin-starred eateries to street canteens, the city caters to everyone. Among its culinary offerings, cheese pie stands out as a traditional favourite among Athenians. It can be an excellent breakfast, snack, or main course option. Cheese pies, which are sold in Athens, are made by using several types of dough and cheese.
In this article, we will discuss fifteen of the best cheese pie options in Athens’ neighbourhoods. We excluded the stores that make cheese bougatsa as well as the bakeries. These fifteen are both well-known and unknown spots in the city where you may eat a delicious cheese pie.
ARISTON (ΑΡΙΣΤΟΝ)
Ariston is a modest bakery that has been in the same location since 1910, serving Athenians its famous kourou (shortcrust) cheese pie. The recipe was brought from Constantinople by its founder, Dionysios Lompotesis, and is still kept secret. (Voulis 10, Syntagma)
MAM
Mam, which began in 1958, continues to serve its well-known sfoliata cheese pie, which has a flavour that is attested to by the high calibre of its ingredients. Generations of hungry Athenians have been served here, and people who work in the city centre still enjoy it as a snack. (Pesmazoglou 3 & Panepistimiou 34, Athens)
DODONI (ΔΩΔΩΝΗ)
Dodoni, famed for its outstanding kourou cheese pie and a selection of nine additional pies, is a cherished local establishment and a culinary cornerstone in the city centre. It continues to stand firm against the encroachment of chain food enterprises in the area. (Lykourgou 9, Omonoia)
HARRY’S KITCHEN
Some of the greatest pies in Athens can be found at the small Harry’s Kitchen store in the city centre. The pies are savoury and sweet, made from traditional and unique recipes, and are little but delicious with fresh ingredients. The pie with Cretan Gruyère and Mytilene cheese stands out among the others. (Athanasiou Axarlian 2, Syntagma)
DIETHNES (ΔΙΕΘΝΕΣ)
This classic pastry shop, which opened in the 1970s, is a staple for Pagrati residents. People flock here to try its famed cheese pies in many varieties, which are made with puff or kourou pastry. The cheese filling is well-seasoned and really flavourful. (Spyrou Merkouri 76, Pagrati)
TO SPITI TIS TYROPITAS (ΤΟ ΣΠΙΤΙ ΤΗΣ ΤΥΡΟΠΙΤΑΣ)
Generations of lawyers have taken their breaks in court at this classic cheese pie shop on Alexandras Avenue. The range of puff pastry products is impressive, but the triangle cheese pie stands out as being extremely filling and delicious. (Leof. Alexandras 150, Athens)
ΤΟ ASYNAGONISTOΝ (ΤΟ ΑΣΥΝΑΓΩΝΙΣΤΟΝ)
This shop, which has been in the market of Vyronas since 1971, serves delicious puff pastry pies prepared in-house by the owners. All of their items are excellent, but the cheese pie with puff pastry and anthotyro is particularly delicious, leaving a balanced aftertaste from the butter and the cheese. (Kolokotroni 85, Vyronas)
FILIPPAS (ΦΙΛΙΠΠΑΣ)
This small workshop, hidden in the streets of Kareas, is a common secret among the locals. The workshop produces not just pies but also other baked goods. But the airy cheese pie with puff pastry, a buttery flavour, and high-quality cheese is really special. The main issue here is that products sell out quickly each day. (Anapiron Polemou 31, Kareas)
MPELLAS (ΜΠΕΛΛΑΣ)
This is another pie workshop with a long history (from 1968) located in Kaisariani. There are no surprises or innovations here, only a wide variety of pies, particularly cheese pies. The wonderful and balanced flavour of kourou, as well as the buttery puff pastry with feta cheese, stand out among all of the freshly made items. (Leof. Eth. Antistaseos 172, Kaisariani)
PARADOSIASKO TYROPITADIKO (ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΙΑΚΟ ΤΥΡΟΠΙΤΑΔΙΚΟ)
Despite shifting to a new address in the same Psychiko neighbourhood, the quality of this excellent workshop, which has been in operation for several years, has not changed. Freshly baked delicacies are available in a wide range of flavours, with cheese pies taking centre stage. The pie with graviera and crust dough is fantastic here. (Karatheodori 26, Neo Psychiko)
Ο TASOS (Ο ΤΑΣΣΟΣ)
The modest Tasos patisserie in Glyfada is a timeless gem in the neighbourhood. Their signature product is the kourou cheese pie. With its golden, buttery crust giving way to a velvety, rich cheese filling, this cherished staple embodies Greek comfort food. And because it’s small, one is never enough. (Maragkou 6, Glyfada)
O NIKOS (Ο ΝΙΚΟΣ)
Nikos in Nea Smyrni, with a nearly 50-year history, requires no introduction. Their products have provided breakfast for generations of students in the region, as well as fans of Panionios, whose stadium is located directly across the street. The products here are high-quality and always freshly baked. The famed kourou with sesame seeds and the puff pastry with kasseri cheese are both outstanding. (Kon/nou Paleologou 36, Nea Smyrni)
MITSOS (ΜΗΤΣΟΣ)
The sign on Davaki Street in Kallithea that reads “tyropites” (cheese pies) in large letters gives you an idea. Much has changed in the surrounding neighbourhood, but Mitsos workshop has not altered since 1970. All of the goods here are created with puff pastry and are consistently fluffy and tasty. The daily output goes out rapidly, so you have to be early to get it. (Davaki 32A, Kallithea)
SPITAKI (ΣΠΙΤΑΚΙ)
You can taste cheese pie made with airy piroshki dough baked in the oven at this little Kallithea workshop instead of bougatsa, puff pastry, and kourou. The feta filling has just the proper amount of salt and tastes great. The two kind ladies who knead at their counter all day make the dough and all the products on-site with a smile. (Agion Panton 87, Kallithea)
GOUNARIDI (ΓΟΥΝΑΡΙΔΗ)
This traditional pies workshop is a family-run business that has been producing pies and delicacies from Asia Minor since 1945. The place is well-known for its cheese pies made with matsoverga phyllo. The phyllo is thin and crunchy, and the pies are baked or fried. (Evaggelikis Scholis 5, Nea Ionia)
AN AUTHENTIC ATHENIAN EXPERIENCE
There are undoubtedly many more places in Athens that serve excellent cheese pies but are not mentioned in this article. For generations, cheese pie has been a popular snack among Athenians. It is a popular food that has no age or social constraints and can be enjoyed by anybody. If you’re visiting Athens and want to have an authentic Athenian experience, grab a cheese pie and walk the city’s streets.
