Athens welcomed us with history, noise, and a lot of good food. We started the day at Takis Bakery with spanakopita and bougatsa, then moved to Mam for handmade cheese pies. At Achilleas we found a juicy pork gyros that stayed on our minds for days. We kept going with smash burgers and fried chicken at Ekiben Kitchen, tried simple and perfect meatballs at Yórghos, and closed the night at Alekos Canteen, a food truck that has been feeding the city since 1987. Athens gave us exactly what we were looking for: flavor, tradition, and a few surprises along the way.