Where to find the best vegan moussaka in Athens? Veganaki restaurant review
Wondering where to enjoy the best vegan moussaka in Athens? Look no further and head to Veganaki! Find out more about this 100% vegan and gluten-free restaurant in Athens.
Veganaki: 100% vegan and gluten-free restaurant in Athens
Originally called Zahari & Alati (Sugar & Salt), the restaurant opened in 2005, serving high quality fast food. In 2013, the restaurant switched to a 100% vegetarian menu then made the jump to a 100% vegan menu in 2017.
In 2019, the restaurant changed name to Veganaki, in line with the vision and menu. Their latest big move? Only serving gluten-free dishes since 2021!
Veganaki philosophy
Veganaki is
Vegan. The menu revisits the traditional Mediterranean specialties with a vegan twist.
Gluten-free. Veganaki bake their own pita bread, pizza base etc to keep everything free from gluten*
Homemade. They cook everything from scratch and do not use highly processed or ready-made products.
Healthy. Veganaki reminds us that healthy food can be tasty, with well-balanced dishes that are oven-baked as opposed to fried.
*However they no mention that they are not yet officially gluten-free certified and not a suitable place for those with severe gluten allergy.
Where to find Veganaki?
Veganaki is located on 38 Athanasiou Diakou, Athens. It is near the Temple of Olympian Zeus and not so far from the Acropolis.
The restaurant is open every day from 9:30am to 11:45pm. However they don’t have a breakfast menu (yet!) but you can come a get a coffee in the morning.
What’s on the Veganaki menu?
Mediterranean-inspired
The menu features wraps, salads, pizzas, classic appetizers such as hummus and tzatziki as well as traditional specialties including Pastitsio, Keftedakia and, of course, moussaka.
They also have a range of desserts, like tiramisu and muffins. You can check the menu online here.
The best vegan moussaka in Athens
This is THE must-try dish here. Even if you’re not vegan, this will give you a taste of how delicious plant-based cuisine can be.
This moussaka is packed with flavours and makes the perfect comforting, hearty dish. The vegan bechamel simply melts in your mouth. It’s so creamy and tasty that it can be hard to believe that it’s 100% vegan!
What else should you try?
I went to this place several times with my partner and everything we tried was absolutely delicious. Other than the moussaka, my personal recommendations are:
The appetizer platter to share, perfect portion size for two. It includes a selection of dips, salads, wedges and comes with rice pita bread. Oh and also some of their cashew cheese which is to die for.
The pita burger, which is an oven-baked lentil lentil burger served with cashew cheese, homemade mayo, tomato, lettuce and onion. Instead of a bun, it’s in a folded pita and comes with potato wedges.
The falafel platter, a classic that never disappoints! The falafels are drizzled with tahini and accompanied with quinoa tabbouleh salad, hummus, salad and a red pepper dip. If you choose the wrap option instead of plate, it will be served with potato wedges.
Veganaki honest review
This is based on my honest experience as a paying customer, after visiting this place several times.
The service
The staff is very friendly and the service is relatively quick. Even around Christmas when they had reduced staff, the wait wasn’t very long.
It’s a great spot if you want to sit down for a proper meal but don’t have much time for lunch. It’s also ideally located near many historic sites, for a break between two visits.
However, if you’re planning on getting a pizza you’ll need to wait about 30 minutes, so it would be a better evening meal choice.
The food
Healthy, tasty and vegan, what else can you ask for? Every dish sounds incredible, which is why one visit wasn’t enough! But if you won’t have time to go back, you should definitely choose the moussaka. It’s simply incredible.
I am personally not gluten intolerant but I think it’s great to have a fully gluten-free menu for those who have to/choose to cut gluten out.
The price
The dishes are reasonably priced in my opinion. Most of the wraps and main dishes are around 10€ to 12€.For instance, the pita burger is 11,50€, the moussaka is 10.50€ and the sharing platter is 23€ for two.
Just like many places, the drinks are quite expensive (3€ for a small can) so a simple way to reduce the bill is to drink the free tap water they provide.
I’ve not tried the desserts, so I can’t tell you if they are worth it, but they seemed a little too expensive for my liking and after a very filling main meal I wasn’t really hungry for dessert.
Final words
Veganaki is a must-visit spot for plant-based foodies in Athens! You can book a table but if you’re in the area around lunch time you can just walk in and enjoy a delicious vegan lunch that won’t break the bank!