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Athens, Greece, has a great drinking culture. You’ll find locals and visitors packing the city’s bars and restaurants every night, both indoors and out. While Athens has excellent cocktail bars and local wine, in recent years, the city has become the hub of Greece’s craft beer scene. I’ve explored all over the city to find the best craft beer in Athens, including beer bars, breweries, taprooms, bottle shops, and more.
The Best Beer Bars in Athens
Barley Cargo
Barley Cargo has the largest selection of craft beer in Athens, with over 500 bottles and cans and 23 taps. Their fridges have an especially strong representation of Belgian beer. In addition to being a bar, it also functions as a bottle shop, with beers being available to go.
It’s a beer lovers paradise, with a long wood bar, beer keg tables, plus some space out front.
I especially liked the ship hanging above the bar with tap labels covering it, which I sat under while drinking a Sunday’s Honey Golden Ale from the Greek brewery Septem.
Address: Kolokotroni 6, Athina 105 61, Greece (map)
Website
Tapfield
Tapfield is one of my favorite Athens beer bars. Those who are frequent readers know if a bar has great beer, a bit of a divey vibe, and metal/rock music, I’m happy. Tapfield fits the bill.
Located in the lively Psyrri neighborhood, with narrow streets packed with restaurants and bars, I knew I would love it the second I walked in. It reminded me a bit of Toronado in San Francisco and Chupacabra Taproom in Mesa, Arizona, which was funny because a previous visitor had actually left a Chupacabra hat at Tapfield as a gift.
“I am here for the beer” is painted under the tap list, which includes up to 23 beers. Over 100 cans and bottles are also available, plus spirits & tapas. Some of the beer is Greek, while most of the remainder is from around Europe.
While listening to some Metallica, Black Sabbath, & Guns N’ Roses, I first enjoyed a hazy IPA from Noctua, an Athens brewery that does not have a taproom but can be found at many beer bars around the city. I followed this with a delectable Pineapple x Apricot x Coconut Sour Ale from Arpus Brewing in Latvia.
Address: Ναυάρχου Αποστόλη 4, Athina 105 54, Greece (map)
Website
Tales of Ales
Tales of Ales is another Athens beer bar that’s run by people who are passionate about beer. As soon as I arrived, I was immediately welcomed by one of the owners, who was happy to introduce me to the cozy bar.
Opened in 2018, Tales of Ales has 10 taps, plus over 100 bottles and cans, including a large selection of 30+ Greek beers. You can also get beer to go or order from their online bottle shop. They also offer pizza from a nearby shop, as well as flights.
Since it’s located on a quiet shopping street lined with fabric stores during the day, Tales of Ales isn’t a bar you might stumble upon, but for beer aficionados, it’s worth seeking out.
Inside, there’s wood chip on the wall, plus old school hip hop beats coming from the stereo. While you can sit inside, I recommend sitting on the nice front patio. I enjoyed the fresh air while drinking a couple of hazy IPAs, one from Midnight Circus in Athens and one from Seven Island Brewery in Corfu.
Address: Miltiadou 19, Athina 105 60, Greece (map)
Website
Brew Str – Athens Beer Shop!
Brew Str functions mostly as a bottle shop, but there’s also a nice little patio out front with a few stools plus counters for standing. I sat on the patio while enjoying Cavernous Ruins, a black IPA from Radical Way Brewing in Cyprus. The bar is conveniently located in central Athens, on a quiet street.
The selection at Brew Str is massive, featuring hundreds of bottles and cans. It’s quite possibly the biggest selection of Greek craft beer in Athens. I spotted most of the breweries I’d seen on their list. They also have tons of other international craft beers from prominent breweries.
Address: Nikis 50Α, Athina 105 58, Greece (map)
Website
The Local pub
Most Athens beer bars are located in central Athens. However, for true beer fans, a few bars & breweries are worth the journey out of the city center.
The Local Pub is the taproom for Anastasiou Brewery in Chalandri. Most of the beers (around 16 craft taps) are from their brewery, though there are also some guest taps for other local breweries. There are also a few taps with Irish & British favorites like Guinness, Murphy’s, Magner’s, and London Pride.
With old Guinness signs everywhere, plus Irish punk playing on the stereo, it feels like an Irish pub, right down to the old dog sleeping in the middle of the wood floor.
Despite visiting on a weeknight, The Local Pub was packed, especially the large front patio. It makes sense since it’s the only good place for beer in the area. The bar has received many awards from Ratebeer as the best beer bar in Greece.
As soon as I walked in the door, I was immediately welcomed by one of the bartenders, who asked me if it was my first time in the bar. I got the sense that they don’t get a ton of tourists wandering in. He gave me a quick intro to their beers and the brewery next door. I especially liked their Monopoikiliaki Citra.
Address: Chaimanta 25, Chalandri 152 34, Greece (map)
Website
Arch Beer House
Take the M2 Red Line to the end at Anthoupoli, then walk a few blocks south, and you’ll find Arch Beer House. It has been open since 1993.
This northwest Athens beer bar in Peristeri is like a German beer hall, but if a German beer hall played rock music. It’s spacious inside, plus there’s also a large beer garden out front.
Arch Beer House has a full food menu with German & American beer bar favorites.
Regarding the beer selection, most of the beers are from Germany and Belgium, but there is also a small selection of about a dozen Greek craft beers.
Address: Eth. Antistaseos 91, Peristeri 121 34, Greece (map)
Website
The Dogs Place
The Dogs Place is a friendly bar with a nice beer selection located southwest of Philopappos Hill, which has some of the best views in Athens.
It’s on a bustling square with many other bars and restaurants, so most patrons drink outside.
The bar has a great selection of 24 taps plus a couple of hundred bottles and cans. One drawback was that a good portion of the taps were from BrewDog, so much so that between those and the name, I wondered if it was a BrewDog bar, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Aside from that, the selection is nice, with a big selection of hard-to-find beers. There isn’t a huge Greek selection; most beers are from elsewhere in Europe.
Address: Anteou 3, Athina 118 52, Greece (map)
Tap 27 Athens
Tap 27 is a neighborhood beer bar located a short distance from Panathenaic Stadium.
The bar has 12 taps, plus a fridge filled with bottles and cans. In addition to a small inside space, they also have tables out front on the sidewalk.
Address: Eratosthenous 27, Athina 116 35, Greece (map)
The Best Breweries in Athens
Strange Brew Taproom & Bottleshop
South of the Acropolis is Koukaki, a quieter, leafy green neighborhood with plenty of bars and restaurants, including a few breweries.
The Strange Brew Taproom & Bottleshop is a bit outside the city center, but it’s a pleasant walk. The nomadic brewery has been producing beer at various breweries around Greece since 2015. They particularly enjoy experimenting with their beer while maintaining strong connections with the beer community through collaborations and events.
Inside, there are 12 taps. About half were guest taps when I visited, thanks to a takeover from Hop Hooligans in Romania. There is also a fridge filled with guest cans and bottles, plus some from Strange Brew.
I especially like their Mandy Black stout. That, plus metal & rock on the stereo and free pretzel sticks, makes me a happy man. It doesn’t take much.
Address: Falirou 86, Athina 117 41, Greece (map)
Website
Blame The Sun Athens Taproom
Blame The Sun Athens Taproom is located a few blocks closer to the city center from Strange Brew in Koukaki.
The tiki & surf culture-inspired brewery has 10 taps, about half of which are their own, and a refrigerator with cans and bottles. In addition to the beer names such as Beach Bum Tropic, Welcome Aboard, and Black Flag, the theme continues through the music, which leans toward West Coast punk. They also brew the house beer for the Athens cocktail bar Baba Au Rum.
The outside patio gets busy, but there’s also some comfy sofa-style seating in the back.
Address: Veikou 60, C, Athina 117 41, Greece (map)
Paragon Brewery & Taproom
Paragon Brewery & Taproom is another Athens beer spot that’s located a good distance outside the city center, but it’s right near the Άγιος Δημήτριος Metro station, so it’s easy to reach.
The journey is worth it, as they brew some of the best beers I’ve had in Athens. If you can’t make it out to south Athens, their beers can also be found at many of the beer bars on my list.
As I opened the door to the Paragon taproom, which opened in 2021, I was hit by that lovely brewery smell. Through the windows behind the bar, I could see a fresh batch in progress. Couple that with great IPAs and a 90s & 00s music soundtrack with a strong pop-punk focus, and my senses were happy.
With 16 taps, there’s a good beer selection split roughly equally between their own concoctions and guest brews. Paragon Brewery emphasizes IPAs and other pale ales, though they also brew stouts and lagers.
Address: Lemesou 3, Ilioupoli 163 46, Greece (map)
Website
Slow Down Brewing TapRoom Athens
Slow Down Brewing TapRoom Athens is located in a quieter residential neighborhood of Athens known as Petralona. The brewery itself is located on the island of Ikaria.
When I first arrived at Slow Down Brewing, there was a beer tasting session going on. Despite that, I was promptly served & also got info about the beer, including the fact that I was the first person to have their brand new Maibock, Over and Again, since it had just been tapped.
The dog-friendly bar has 10 taps. Around 6 of the beers were their own, plus a couple of collabs & a couple of guests. They also serve quesadillas and soft pretzels.
Address: Kidantidon 39, Athina 118 51, Greece (map)
Website
Here are some great Athens tours & activities & other things to see & do in Athens.
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Athens, check out these hotels. I recommend the Moxy Athens City, InnAthens, and Pan Hotel Athens.
Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!
