Kostas
A tiny, decades-old souvlaki counter near Agia Irini square turning out a few perfect skewers and pitas.
The call
Worth it if you're watching the budget and you only have one day.
Short answer
Is Kostas worth it?
Kostas deserves a place on most first itineraries.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
A hole-in-the-wall grill with a short queue out front, doing one thing — charcoal souvlaki with a punchy tomato-and-spice sauce — extremely well.
- 02
Lunch, not dinner; eat on the square.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're watching the budget
Kostas earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep Kostas.
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Kostas is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Kostas is an easy yes.
The plates that decide it
- Pork souvlaki in pita with the house sauce — the signature; the sauce is the whole identity
- An extra skewer on the side — reliably worth it, portions are small
- Coming for a sit-down dinner — it's a stand-up lunch counter, not an evening out
Plan it well
- Cost
- A few euros per skewer; cash, very cheap
- Allow
- 20–40 minutes incl. queue
Sources and method (3)
- A tiny family-run souvlaki counter on Agia Irini square, an Athens institution since 1950, with lines spilling onto the square. afar.com ↗
- The identity is a secret-recipe spicy tomato sauce on charcoal pork souvlaki in pita. 2foodtrippers.com ↗
- nikodouniko.com ↗