Best Craft Beer Bars in Athens: 7 Unique Places to Try Greek Craft Beer

Greece might just be an alcohol connoisseur’s paradise. The wine is plentiful and ouzo makes a tasty digestif, but there is a burgeoning Greek craft beer scene to explore too, especially in the capital. While the classic styles (lagers/pilsners, red and blond ales) are common, you won’t be disappointed by the hoppy IPAs, wild sour ales and pastry stouts that are on offer. These are some of the best craft beer bars in Athens where you can try them all.

Read more: Best Craft Beer Bars in Athens: 7 Unique Places to Try Greek Craft Beer

As always, if you need a quick guide to choosing what to drink, you can refer to our craft beer guide for beginners.

The Best Craft Beer Bars in Athens for Different Occasions

Barley Cargo: For proper meals to pair with Greek craft beer

On the fringe of Syntagma, a block from the National Historical Museum, Barley Cargo is one of the few craft beer spots in Athens that opens from mid-day. There is an extensive selection from the 17 taps (on rotation) and the bottle menu is vast, featuring both local and imported craft beers from elsewhere in Europe of various styles. You’ll find Greek winter beers as well.

Unlike some bars where you can hope for pretzels at best, you can have a proper meal here. Granted, it comprises burgers, wings, meat platters and other common fare (the cheese platter and Greek sausages are as local as it gets), but you will never need to drink on an empty stomach. There are also interesting pairings–the hazy IPA I had came with white chocolate made with the same hops that went into the beer.

Barley Cargo (Tap list on UnTappd)
Kolokotroni 6, Athina 105 61 (Nearest metro: Syntagma)
Open daily: 12 p.m.-3 a.m.

Tapfield: In the heart of Psyrri night life

Many Athenian craft beer bars are not in the tourist hot spots, which often means a dedicated trip that may take you away from where your travel companions want to go. If they want to explore other nightlife spots in one of Athens’ hippest neighbourhoods, then Tapfield will keep you close to them.

The small bar still boasts up to 23 taps of Greek and other European microbrews (including Arpus from Latvia, plus Guinness), more than 100 bottles and cans, and you can get oven-baked tapas like sliders, mini pizzas and bruschetta, pita and even fish and chips.

Tapfield (Tap list on UnTappd)
Navarchos Apostolis 4, Athina 105 54 (Nearest metro: Monastiraki)
Tue-Thu: 5.30 p.m.-1.30 a.m.; Fri: 5.30 p.m.-2.30 a.m.; Sat, Sun: 5 p.m.-2.30 a.m.

Strange Brew: The Greek craft beer taproom

Strange Brew’s taproom is a little off the tourist track in Koukaki but is absolutely worth dropping in. There are 11 taps showcasing some of the best Greece has to offer; at least five are their own beers and other local microbreweries feature as guest beers. Dr Haze is a must for lovers of hazy, fruity IPAs, while Chloe is as clean as they come. Don’t forget to check out the fridge for a healthy selection from around the world, but my highlight has to be P.I.G.S., one of the newest Greek contract microbreweries.

Strange Brew Taproom and Bottleshop (Website | Untappd menu)
Falirou 86, Athina 117 41 (Nearest metro: Syngrou-Fix)
Sun-Thu: 6 p.m.-1 a.m.; Fri, Sat: 6 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Brew Str: The bottle shop for takeaways

If you want some Greek craft beer to take home with you, Brew Str is the place to go and stock your luggage. Its location in Plaka makes it very accessible for tourists who choose to stay in this neighbourhood close to the Acropolis. The shop is across the street from the Jewish Museum of Greece.

On the shelves and in the chillers, you will find a hundred different local microbrews from all over Greece and also Dutch, Estonian, Italian, Polish beers. Drinking on-site is possible in the patio outside the shop and plastic cups are supplied for this purpose.

Brew Str Athens Beer Shop (Beer Menu on Untappd)
Nikis 50Α, Athina 105 58 (Nearest metro: Syntagma)
Mon-Sat: 12-11 p.m.; Sun: 6-11 p.m.

Other Greek craft beer bars in Athens worth a mention

Nomads is unusual in that you’ll find lots of imported craft beer in cans. While the British stuff is mostly BrewDog, I was surprised to see Adroit Theory, Energy City and Toppling Goliath (but no KBBS, fat chance) from the USA. Some of them make it onto the tap list. There is some Greek craft beer, mainly their own label on classic styles. Big meals like grilled meats, burgers, salads, wings and fries dominate the food menu.

Ermou 135, Athina 105 55
Tue-Thu: 4 p.m.-1.30 a.m.; Fri, Sat: 2 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sun: 2 p.m.-1.30 a.m.

Tales of Ales (website in Greek) on the edge of Psyri looks like a cosy traditional pub but the tap list and bottle collection is nothing to sniff at.

Miltiadou 19, Athina 105 60
Mon-Sat: 2 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sun: 4 p.m.-12 a.m.

Blame the Sun feels like a surf bar with its white walls and beach-inspired decor. Their own range is perfect for hot days and even the pastry stout isn’t heavy on the palate. It’s only a short walk from Strange Brew.

Veikou 60, Athina 117 41
Sun-Thu: 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Fri, Sat: 5 p.m.-1 a.m.

Greek craft beer breweries to look out for

• Seven Island’s sweet and rich pastry stouts stand out
• Strange Brew, Dark Crops, P.I.G.S. have some incredible hoppy IPAs
• Noctua was founded in Athens in 2016, making it the capital’s first microbrewery (no visits, though)
• Kykao does sours and Greek barrel-aged barleywines, among other adventurous things

There may be other local breweries like Santorini Brewing Company on the eponymous island, but we stuck to the mainland and tried only Plastigga when we were in Meteora. Big cities are still the best bet for trying Greek craft beer, hence until we visit Thessaloniki, this remains a “best craft beer bars in Athens” list.