Esthio Athens

Fantastic place! We had an amazing dinner. We tried several dishes, baked calamari, homemade sausage, chicken stuffed with calamari and lamb sweetbreads. All were very delicious, each next dish was better than the previous one. Our highlight of the evening was lamb sweetbreads, the balance of sweetbreads with the tart, creamy risotto way amazing. On top of amazing food, the service was very welcoming and friendly.

The upscale yet casual ambiance made a very good first impression. Love the sweet and attentive manners of the waitress. The little spreads are quite tasty. The sourdough bread was worth mentioning for its texture and complexity, if I recall correctly it’s made of white, wheat and semolina flours. The beef cheeks are expertly prepared with classic french culinary techniques, worked beautifully with the celeriac purée. The highlight I must say was the red mullet- fresh, sophisticated and super chic presentation. I loved it! The choice of wine by the glasses was however limited. The one I picked was just okay. But overall we enjoyed the dinner very much.

Best meal of our 3 week trip! Im vegetarian, my partner is not. Delicious and unique take on all our dishes. Wonderful service. Reasonable pricing. In addition to our photos we had the tomato salad- delicious

Somewhat off the beaten track, this spot is a gem. Far from the pushy, fake-ish Greek meal we had the night before, the service was personalized and the food DEEEELICIOUS. Truly top-end, w edible flowers and nuanced flavors. The fish of the day was the highlight (forgot to take a pic). We eat earlier than locals, so at 6:30 had the place practically to ourselves.

My family and I had a positively fabulous dining experience at Esthio! Our sever was kind, attentive, and very helpful. The ambiance was lovely and the food was incredible! The portions were not too large and packed with flavour, which was perfect after a long, a hot day. The homemade bread was springy and had a delicious sourdough tang, and the aivar spread was smoky and sweet. I shared the beetroot salad and baked calamari with my mom, which were both delicious. I loved the fava bean purée beneath the squid - it was creamy and warming. My only comment on this dish is that it was slightly too salty for my liking. I also had a negroni which was very nice (and very strong!) Overall, I’d highly recommend this spot :) it’s on a side street away from the hustle and bustle of the main row of restaurants, which makes it a quiet and intimate spot for dinner.

Esthio, nestled in a charming 1931 neo-Classical building just steps from the heart of Athens, is a rare find: a restaurant where Balkan and Greek traditions are not merely preserved but elevated, reimagined, and, most importantly, respected. The space is intimate and minimalistic, stripped of excess yet warmed by attentive, genuinely welcoming service. The staff are knowledgeable and eager with recommendations, guiding guests through a menu that bridges the familiar and the unexpected. There is a sense here of being invited not just to dine, but to participate in a story, a gentle hospitality that lingers long after the meal. My journey began with a rustic slab of homemade bread, its crust dusted with flour and its crumb airy and fragrant. Alongside, a bowl of glossy Kalamata olives and a vibrant ajvar set the tone: bold, honest flavors, each ingredient allowed to shine. The bread, still warm, was the ideal vehicle for the ajvar’s smoky-sweet depth and the olives’ briny punch. The tomato salad arrived as a riot of color and texture: cherry tomatoes bursting with late-spring ripeness, scattered with olives, slivers of pepper, and generous clouds of feta. What could have been a pedestrian dish was instead a masterclass in ingredient selection and balance. The addition of pepper “textures” (roasted, perhaps pickled) and the creamy tang of feta elevated this classic to something memorable. Esthio’s moussaka is not the heavy, bechamel-laden slab of Greek cliché, but rather a delicate, almost ethereal stuffed eggplant. Here, the eggplant is gently roasted and filled with a savory stew of ground beef, finished with a whisper of potato béchamel so light it barely registers. The result is a dish that honors its roots while refusing to be weighed down by them. Comforting, yet sophisticated. Perhaps the evening’s highlight, the giaourtotavas, is a traditional Balkan recipe rarely encountered in such refined form. Tender crisped lamb sweetbreads are nestled in a creamy yogurt sauce, with rice providing gentle ballast. Each spoonful is rich, tangy, and deeply satisfying, a testament to the kitchen’s technical skill and respect for tradition. A glass of rosé, bright and refreshing, paired beautifully with the lighter starters, while a robust yet supple red wine stood up to the richness of the sweetbreads and moussaka. The meal concluded with a complimentary glass of masticha, the best I’ve tasted! I hope I will find time to visit again and explore more from the menu.

Esthiō is conveniently situated near the Acropolis and is easily accessible via the metro. The ambiance is both pleasant and inviting, creating a comfortable atmosphere for diners. I should mention that the staff was super helpful, polite and very tentative. Well done! The menu features a blend of Balkan flavors, offering a variety of fish and meat dishes. Notable highlights include the excellent spreads, such as taramasalata, accompanied by handmade bread. However, there is considerable room for improvement. A notable concern is the use of frozen ingredients, such as shrimps, in several dishes. In restaurants like these you would expect menus to be centered around fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Good plates: the spreads (tarama salad) and the bread Flat plates: chicken, pasta.

Fabulous dining experience at Esthio! It's a relatively new restaurant but we had a great time - the marinated fish was so fresh and flavourful, the lamb sweetbread was v tasty and tender and the muscat grape dessert was delicious. Service was too notch, staff were attentive, hospitable and friendly. Thank you for the lovely time!