Falafel or Pizza? In Athens’ Kypseli Neighborhood, We Had Both

Spring walks in Athens have a charm all their own. You stroll through its neighborhoods with a coffee in hand, browsing shop windows, watching people pass by, soaking in the atmosphere. And when the walking and conversation inevitably work up an appetite, the city offers endless possibilities. Sit down for a meal? Grab something on the go? Or finally try that place that caught your eye during your wanderings?

Kypseli is exactly that kind of neighborhood.

One of Athens’ largest and most diverse districts, Kypseli still retains the feel of a true neighborhood. Old businesses coexist with new arrivals, while its streets pulse with color, energy and character. At its heart lies Fokionos Negri, one of the Greek capital’s liveliest pedestrian avenues. Along its length—and throughout the maze of side streets branching from it—you’ll find countless aromas, storefronts and culinary temptations competing for your attention.

The choices are endless. More importantly, they are choices worth making: authentic flavors that rarely disappoint.

During our latest outing around Fokionos Negri and the surrounding streets, our group sampled two such destinations. That is what happens when several friends go out together—agreeing on one place to eat is nearly impossible. One stop is already considered a Kypseli institution; the other is still something of a newcomer, especially for those who do not regularly visit the area.

Both deserve recognition not only for their excellent food, but also for their atmosphere, philosophy and the people behind them.

Authentic Syrian falafel in Athens

Chickpea fritters are hardly unfamiliar to Greeks. Across the eastern Mediterranean, however, falafel is elevated into an art form. In the hands of those who have mastered it, falafel becomes fragrant, light and airy. It is wrapped in thin Arabic flatbread and paired with fresh salads, grilled vegetables and an array of sauces, creating a meal that can be customized to every appetite.

“In Arab countries, falafel shops often advertise themselves as ‘falafel and more,’” says Hassan Meidan, the man who, six years ago—just before Greece entered its first strict COVID-19 lockdown—decided to bring a taste of his heritage to Kypseli’s central pedestrian district.

His restaurant, Flavors of Damascus, opened during one of the most challenging periods imaginable for the hospitality industry. Yet despite repeated lockdowns and prolonged uncertainty, it endured. By 2023, the business was finally able to operate normally and has since become known for serving some of the most authentic falafel available in Athens.

There are no compromises here. No attempts to modify recipes to suit local tastes. The food is prepared exactly as it would be in Syria, the homeland of Hassan’s family.

Although Hassan grew up in Greece, his connection to Syria remains strong. His parents originally arrived in Greece as tourists, fell in love with the country and ultimately decided to stay, building a new life from scratch.

“Falafel is a very humble, everyday food,” he says. “Everyone can eat it, at any time of day. In Syria and throughout the Arab world, you find it everywhere. It’s healthy, filling and a complete meal. And it’s always served with specific accompaniments.”

That brings us back to the idea of “falafel and more.”

The same approach followed in Syria, Lebanon and Istanbul—where Hassan’s family operates similar restaurants with the exact same menu—is replicated in Kypseli. The falafel is freshly fried, aromatic and served either on its own or wrapped in flatbread as a sandwich.

Then come the salads and dips: fattoush, tabbouleh, classic hummus or beetroot hummus, mutabbal, baba ghanoush, muhammara and fattah. Everything is prepared fresh and in-house using the recipes of Mrs. Sofia, Hassan’s mother and the undisputed heart of both the kitchen and the business itself.

She cooks. She fries. She serves.

Her warmth and affection for the flavors and traditions of her homeland are present in every dish. The food feels familiar and comforting, yet carries a sense of mystery—echoes of a country that is distant, troubled and proud. It is food that brings people together, whether entire communities or simply friends catching up over a falafel sandwich.

It is also the kind of place you find yourself returning to again and again.

A pizza sent from heaven

Or rather, from a man who in Naples is revered almost like a saint.

Anyone who visits the vibrant southern Italian city quickly discovers that Diego Maradona remains omnipresent long after his death. The legendary Argentine footballer is everywhere—in murals, shrines and conversations. Naples continues to celebrate him with extraordinary devotion.

The city is equally devoted to another passion: pizza.

Authentic Neapolitan pizza is famous worldwide for its simplicity. Few ingredients, carefully fermented dough, airy crusts and a balance so precise that an entire pizza can disappear without ever feeling heavy. Greece may have arrived late to the Neapolitan pizza movement, but it has embraced it wholeheartedly.

Since 2021, Tzan Boybeyi has been making precisely this style of pizza at Dieguito, his original pizzeria in Nea Makri, a coastal town east of Athens. Eventually, longing for the atmosphere of Naples—a city he openly admits he adores—he decided to relocate his oven, his dough and his vision to what he calls “the Naples of Athens”: Kypseli.

Dieguito opened on the corner of Kypselis and Rineias streets a year ago and quickly felt as though it had always belonged there.

“Kypseli has art, multiculturalism and a raw beauty,” Boybeyi explains. “Naples and pizza share a certain popular spirit. Something familiar, comforting. That’s what we wanted to create.”

His philosophy is refreshingly straightforward.

“We have a romantic approach to what we offer. Just pizza, salad, wine and spritz. We don’t serve hard liquor or cocktails. We want something simple and quick. No pretension, no unnecessary theatrics.”

The result is a neighborhood restaurant that instantly became part of the community.

It is the kind of place where you sit with friends for hours sharing stories over exceptional pizza. It is also somewhere you can comfortably visit alone. It feels like home—except that home rarely has a wood-fired oven operating at 500 degrees Celsius and delivering pizzas in under two minutes.

The menu remains faithful to tradition. Nothing experimental. Nothing overcomplicated.

The dough ferments for 48 hours. Sauces are made in-house and scented with basil and oregano. Mortadella arrives from Bologna, while fresh mozzarella provides the finishing touch.

What more could you ask for?

Like many beloved spots in Kypseli, Dieguito spills out onto the pedestrian street with outdoor tables. Some spring and summer evenings in Athens practically demand that you sit outside. Other times, you might simply stop by, grab a pizza box and continue your walk.

Both options fit perfectly into the rhythm of a neighborhood that rarely says no.

This summer, Dieguito plans to honor the great Diego once again by hosting Argentine-themed evenings. Just when you think things cannot get any better, the “Hand of God” seems to appear and point you back toward Kypseli one more time.