Chloe Hamard - Blogger

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Where to find the best vegan gyros in Athens? 3 must-visit vegan street food spots

It’s official, Athens turned me into a vegan street food fan! I never thought I’d love this type of food, but here we are, I’m officially addicted to vegan gyros.

Athens is a dream destination for plant-based foodies and if you’re ever visiting this beautiful city, I highly recommend visiting these 3 amazing vegan street food spots for the best gyros.

3 amazing, 100% vegan street food spots in Athens

How great is it to have not one or two but three street food spots that are 100% vegan in Athens! All three are really worth a visit and make delicious vegan gyros. Find out more about each vegan gyros below.

Mama Tierra Acropolis

After opening a restaurant in the Exarchia neighbourhood, Mama Tierra recently opened a vegan street food spot near the Acropolis.

It’s mainly for takeaways as there’s only a couple tables but it’s the perfect place to grab a tasty lunch or dinner on the go.

You can read my full Mama Tierra review here.

Mama Tierra Acropolis is located on 29 Chatzichristou and is open every day from 1pm to 10pm.

Just like the restaurant menu, the street food options reflect the worldwide inspirations. You’ll find Greek gyros but also bao buns and burgers.

There are two gyros options: The Greek gyros (mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, tomato, parsley, tzatziki and chips wrapped in a corn pita) and the Indian gyros which has a curry mix and traditional Indian Raita sauce. Count 4€ for a gyros.

What I really liked: I opted for the Greek gyros and really enjoyed it. Between the well-seasoned mushrooms, the crunchy onions and the warm pita, there was a perfect balance of flavours and textures.

They were very generous with all the veggies, which made it a very filling meal. Oh and the tzatziki tasted incredible!

Cookoomela Grill

Cookoomela is all about sharing the best flavours found in the Mediterranean plant-based diet. They select their ingredients from small producers, prioritizing organic products and suppliers who are mindful about the environment.

Cookoomela uses recyclable and biodegradable packaging as well as eco-friendly cleaning products.

The spot is located on 43-45 Themistokleous in the Exarchia neighbourhood. There are quite a few tables outside for a sit-down lunch or dinner and the spot can accommodate small groups.

Cookoomela is open Monday-Saturday from 1pm to 11pm until Thursday and midnight Friday & Saturday.

They have several gyros variations on the menu, from the White & Classic (mushroom, tzatziki, tomatoes, onion, parsley and potatoes) to the Rainbow Supreme which is the chef’s secret creation. I’d say that Cookoomela has the most creative and flavourful menu out of the three spots.

All the gyros are priced at 3.80€ except the Rainbow Supreme which costs a little bit more (4,20€).

What I really liked: This is the spot that felt the most like a restaurant. When I arrived, I was handed a menu, pointed to a table and they took my order saying that I could pay before leaving, instead of straight away.

My gyros was ready extremely quickly and it was really warm, it’s not like they make them in advance.

I went for the White and Classic, which is the traditional Greek gyros recipe. What I loved the most is that the wholemeal pita was very thick and tasted really good on its own.

There was a very generous portion of mushrooms and the chips were like my grandma’s chips: soft and chewy inside, which made for a very comforting and satisfying gyros.

I love it so much that I came back to try a more creative gyro variation. I went for the Pink one, which has pink aioli, beetroot ketchup and almond cream cheese.

It was the best vegan gyro I had, the flavour combo was incredible! I would definitely recommend this one, you won’t be disappointe.

Vegan Beat

Vegan Beat is another 100% vegan street food spot, this one is located in the Plaka area. It’s a great pit spot if you’ve been doing some shopping and sightseeing in the neighbourhood.

The spot is located on 56 Perikleous 56 and is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 12 to 10pm.

They have a bunch of large tables and benches outside, which is handy if you’re coming as a group.

They have a limited menu but sometimes less is best, so you don’t hesitate between a million options.

There is one gyros on the menu, but you could try some of their other street food options. Oh and they also have vegan desserts which look rather tasty.

The main dishes are between 3.80€ (the gyros is the cheapest) and 7€ (for a vegan Caesar salad).

What I really liked: I opted for the Space Gyros and I absolutely loved the Turmeric pitta bread. This one didn’t have chips but had vegan mayo, which paired really well with the mushrooms.

I found it very tasty and slightly lighter without the chips. I enjoyed the addition of cabbage, giving a bit more crunch.

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