Athens Prepares for Easter with Gastronomos’ Top Tsoureki Selections
As Easter approaches, the aroma of mahlepi, mastic, and cardamom fills the air in Athens, signaling the annual tradition of enjoying tsoureki. Gastronomos, a leading culinary publication, has once again compiled its definitive list of the city’s finest tsoureki, offering a comprehensive guide for locals and visitors alike.
This year’s selection, updated on April 6, 2026, showcases a variety of styles, from fluffy and cloud-like to chewy with distinct ‘cords’ in the dough. The featured bakeries and patisseries, both long-standing institutions and newer establishments, are dedicated to crafting this beloved Easter delicacy.
The Art of Tsoureki: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation
Tsoureki, a sweet, brioche-like bread, is deeply embedded in Greek Easter customs. Each bakery on the Gastronomos list infuses its tsoureki with unique characteristics, often drawing from decades-old family recipes while sometimes incorporating modern twists.
- Temps Perdu: Known for its exceptional sourdough tsoureki, incorporating active sourdough for enhanced flavor, texture, and shelf life. Their recipe, inspired by Constantinople, features orange zest, mahlepi, mastic, cardamom, and a hint of Madagascar vanilla. (Karaiskou 114, Piraeus & Athanasiou Axarlian 2, Syntagma)
- Dimitra Gounaridi Workshop: A family workshop in Nea Ionia, crafting tsoureki with perfect ‘cords’ in the dough. Their recipe, originating from Asia Minor refugees, uses plenty of milk butter, mastic, and mahlepi, topped with chopped almonds. A secret ingredient is kefir, which contributes to a soft texture and aids fermentation. (Evangelikis Scholis 5, Nea Ionia)
- Belle Vue: This tsoureki is characterized by a delicate aroma of butter, mahlepi, and especially mastic. Available in both round and classic braided shapes, it boasts a compact texture with chewable fibers. (Leof. El. Venizelou 104, Nea Smyrni)
- Kora: A classic choice for Easter, Kora’s tsoureki features mahlepi, Chios mastic, and fresh orange, resulting in an elastic crumb and balanced aroma. (P. Anagnostopoulou 44, Kolonaki)
- Akra: One of the softest and most elastic tsourekia tested this year, Akra’s version is well-baked and hydrated with good cow’s butter. It emphasizes the aromas of mahlepi and cardamom, with a delightful crunch from sprinkled sugar and organic almond slivers. (Amynta 12, Athens)
- Rio: This bakery in Palaio Faliro is renowned for its robust and flavorful tsoureki. It boasts a shiny, light brown crust and a strong aroma of good butter and mahlepi. (Proteos 4 & Mouson, Palaio Faliro)
- Sweet Alchemy by Stelios Parliaros: Offers classic Politiko tsoureki with mahlepi and mastic, as well as Colomba di Pasqua, an Italian sweet Easter bread with plenty of orange and raisins, baked in dove-shaped molds. (Irodotou 24, Kolonaki)
- Youlia: Operating since 1945 in Nea Ionia, Youlia’s Politiko tsoureki is based on the great-grandmother’s recipe. Fragrant, fibrous, and adorned with almond slivers and a sprinkle of sugar, it’s so popular that customers often take numbered tickets during Easter. (Alekou Panagouli 24, Nea Ionia; Anagenniseos 49-51, Nea Ionia; Mesologgiou 24, Nea Ionia)
- La Maison: Their tsoureki, made with a recipe learned from an old artisan, is characterized by its balanced flavors of mastic, mahlepi, and orange zest, with a soft texture and just the right sweetness. (Dimosthenous 149, Kallithea)
- Tillas: This Politiko tsoureki offers perfect proportions of good butter, mahlepi, and mastic. It’s a substantial, flavorful bread with a subtle sweetness, making it an excellent accompaniment for cheeses, tea, and milk. (Agias Triados 2, Nea Filadelfeia)
- No Crumbs: The new bakery in Pagrati offers a fragrant, chewy tsoureki rich in Chios mastic, cardamom, mahlepi, orange juice, and zest. Its preparation involves five successive rises, contributing to its moist and soft texture. (Ymittou 225, Pagrati)
- Karavan: A classic and essential stop for tsoureki in Voukourestiou. This small bakery offers a delightfully fibrous tsoureki with good moisture levels, a creamy mouthfeel, and a relatively mild sweetness. (Voukourestiou 11, Kolonaki)
- 72H: Beyond the classic fluffy sourdough tsoureki, 72H Artisanal Bakery offers a unique laminated tsoureki, a successful hybrid of tsoureki and croissant. New this year are tsoureki rolls with extra spices, a creamy trikalino cheese topping, and a praline Easter egg decoration. (Ergon Bakehouse Athens, Mitropoleos 27 & Patroou 9-11, Syntagma)
- Rita’s Cookies: Rita meticulously braids her tsourekia, using good French butter, mastic, and a moderate amount of sugar. Her exemplary technique results in a finely textured tsoureki that pairs well with cheese, jam, and boiled eggs for breakfast. (Domokou 40, Piraeus)
- Asimakopouloi Brothers: A classic choice, their tsoureki features beautiful fibers and is adorned with coarsely chopped, roasted almonds. Patient kneading ensures perfect ‘cords’ in the dough, which also contains goat and sheep’s butter and plenty of orange zest. (Harilaou Trikoupi 82, Exarcheia)
- Toad: This charming Kifisia bakery offers fragrant braided tsourekia with fine aromas of mahlepi, cardamom, and mastic. Instead of traditional almonds, they use roasted hazelnuts for decoration. (Gortynias 3, Kifisia)
- Maxim: Maxim’s tsoureki, a famous family recipe, fills the neighborhood with the scents of butter, mastic, and mahlepi. Its chewy texture and fluffy crumb are attributed to the experienced hand of the artisan. (Tsakirouglou 23, Pl. Vasileos Georgiou B’, Nea Smyrni)
- Lycabettus Bakery: This tsoureki is shiny, fluffy, and juicy, with a subtle sweetness and delicate aroma. (Deinokratous 59, Kolonaki)
- Takis Bakery: Operating since 1971, Takis offers a fragrant Easter tsoureki made with strong flour, natural Chios mastic, mahlepi, and milk butter from Kostakis dairy in Chania. They also feature Mykonian Easter kouloura and Lenten tsoureki with raisins, sesame, and cinnamon syrup. (Misaraliotou 14, Koukaki)
- Lido: Lido’s Politiko tsoureki, available year-round, is exceptionally soft with mahlepi dominating the aroma. It’s also offered with a chocolate paste filling. (Chremonidou 35, Pagrati)
- A la Grec: In Chalandri, A la Grec makes a traditional Cretan tsoureki called ‘galatero,’ fermented with sourdough and featuring fresh cow’s butter and sweet spices. It’s fibrous, fluffy, and aromatic. (Ag. Paraskevis 65, Chalandri)
- Nouvelle: Offers classic Politiko tsoureki made with yeast, mahlepi, and mastic, braided loosely and sprinkled with almond slivers. Also available with hazelnut praline. (Leof. Amfitheas 168, Panagitsa, Palaio Faliro)
- The Zillers Pastry Bar: This year’s tsoureki, a light-colored braid (around 400g), is fluffy and not overly sweet, infused with vanilla, mastic, orange, and mahlepi. It’s adorned with croquant and baking sugar for a crunchy texture and sweet aftertaste. (Palaiologou Benizelou 6)
- Varsos: Varsos’ tsoureki is a brioche-like, buttery pastry, without the classic mastic and mahlepi aromas, but made with fresh eggs, milk, orange zest, and high-quality butter, following a recipe from 1892. (Kassaveti 5, Kifisia)
- Jesus Crust: This microbakery in Psychiko offers a traditional-tasting tsoureki with balanced mastic and mahlepi. The braided tsoureki is fragrant with orange (zest and juice) and cow’s butter. (Solomou 9, Neo Psychiko)
This comprehensive guide from Gastronomos ensures that Athenians can find the perfect tsoureki to grace their Easter tables, celebrating a cherished culinary tradition.
Source: https://www.gastronomos.gr/agora/ta-kalytera-tsoyrekia-tis-athinas-i-lista-toy-gastronomoy-gia-to-2026/359441/
