Where to Eat the Best Pork Souvlaki on a Platter in Athens? Souvlaki Leivadia, Athens, Greece

Souvlaki is an essential institution in Athens. Only Athens? It is widespread all over Greece and is the national dish of Greeks. We have already written about one of the best representatives of souvlaki, a Greek fast food dish, in Athens. Now it’s time to visit Leivadia, one of the best souvlaki restaurants in Athens. This time, it’s served on a plate instead of in pita bread: Souvlaki Leivadia.

Leivadia (Livadia) is the name of a city in central Greece. The name of the place also comes from this city. Souvlaki Leivadia was founded in 1965, meaning that this place is historically and nostalgically significant for Athenians. Located in the city center, close to Kaningos Square, this restaurant is a symbol for Athenians and the bearer of the traditional Souvlaki flag.

Speaking of souvlaki, let’s talk about the word ‘kalamaki.’ Kalamaki means ‘small straw’. In other words, it is the name given to the skewered meat. Souvlaki is the general name given to this kind of food in Greece. Kalamakis can be served between pita bread and lavash or on a plate, like here (in Souvlaki Leivadia).

We visited Souvlaki Leivadia for the first time at the beginning of spring, and many of Athens’ elderly and local regulars gathered with their friends, feasting on kalamakis/beers.

We found ourselves at a table overlooking the fountain in the square and ordered souvlakia with a draft Alpha beer. There are two types of souvlakiaki at the restaurant: Pork and Chicken. But Souvlaki Leivadia is famous for its pork skewers. So we cannot recommend chicken. Since it is a place visited especially for pork souvlakis, we ordered pork without thinking. We were delighted.

Where to Eat the Best Souvlaki in Athens? Souvlaki Kostas, Athens, Greece

In addition, another flavor element that makes Souvlaki Leivadia different for those who have been coming here for years is the tiny pitas they make themselves.

They even write on their website;

“In 1965, two friends came up with the idea of opening a shop in the center of Athens to serve authentic Greek souvlaki, Kalamakia, to their customers. They decided to name the shop “Souvlaki Leivadia” because of the reputation of the pork Kalamaki in this particular place. The Kalamaki was served free of charge and with unlimited farm bread in this shop, where most people who traveled to Northern Greece wanted to stop for a short break and have a tasty snack. That’s why more and more people started to visit every day. Many of our customers tell us that when they were students, they used to come and buy only one Kalamaki and that in those difficult years, they had to eat a lot of bread .”

This good behavior has not been forgotten. Athenians continue to pay for the unlimited bread served with the skewers they once ordered.

Let’s talk about our experience;

In addition to 6 pork skewers, we also tried potatoes, beer, drinks, four mini pitas, and tzatziki on the menu for two (25 Euros each). We loved the skewers. We were incomplete, so we ordered four additional skewers (2 Euros each) and squeezed lemon on them. (Note: You can squeeze lemon on meat everywhere in Athens; this practice is perfect. Try it. The flavor receptors on your tongue start dancing. The flavor of the food you eat increases)

The Greek salad (Horiatiki) and tzatziki of Souvlaki Leivadia are also very successful.

If you are searching for the best souvlaki restaurants in Athens, Souvlaki Kostas and Souvlaki Leivadia will satisfy you. We will continue to write about the other Souvlaki restaurants we discover over time. (Stay tuned)

Let’s leave you with our comprehensive “Where and What to Eat in Athens” guide. See what you can find in Athens that fits your taste and palate.

Bon appetit…

Souvlaki Leivadia
Kaniggos 2-4, Athens, 106 77, Greece
Tel: +30 210 3832413