The holiday season brings an irresistible craving for Christmas sweets, with melomakarona—traditional Greek honey cookies—consistently taking the top spot. Devotees start their search for the city’s best melomakarona as early as December.

In the past, almost every family made their own version, passed down through generations. Today, those who can’t bake themselves can find dozens of bakeries and pastry shops in Athens honoring this tradition. Using pure ingredients, tried recipes, and diverse styles—from classic pieces to bite-sized, stuffed, or chocolate-covered—these melomakarona cater to every preference, making the choice a delightful challenge.

Highlights from popular spots include:

• 72Η
  Small, cinnamon and clove-scented cookies richly soaked in honey but retaining a crispy exterior, topped with chopped walnuts.
  Address: Mitropoleos 27 & Patrou 9, Syntagma
  Phone: +30 216 000 6770

• Pavlov’s Lab
  Aromatic, walnut-covered, small-sized melomakarona with a fresh hint of orange zest and juice, balanced cinnamon and clove flavors, without any semolina.
  Address: Patriarchou Grigoriou E 15, Nea Erythraia
  Phone: +30 211 0102 4691
• Afoi Asimakopouloi
  Traditional recipe with carefully selected ingredients, honey-drenched with a light walnut taste, quickly disappearing from plates.
  Address: Trikoupi Charilaou 82, Exarchia
  Phone: +30 210 364 1846
• Papaparaskevas
  Known for its flavorful kariokes, now famous for small Isli-type melomakarona filled with toasted walnuts, dipped in honey syrup but remaining crispy outside and juicy inside.
  Address: Papandreou 13 & Lazaridi, Glyfada
  Phone: +30 210 8980 220

• Akra
  Based on a grandmother’s recipe, richly spiced with orange, soaked warm in cold syrup, generously topped with walnuts and honey.
  Address: Amynta 12, Pagkrati
  Phone: +30 210 725 1116
• Remoundos
  Baking the same recipe for 70 years, melomakarona that melt in your mouth, scented with thyme honey, cinnamon, and clove, with long lines from early morning during holidays.
  Address: Tinos & Kypselis, Kypseli
  Phone: +30 210 8215 808

• La Maison – Fine Pastry
  Featuring cinnamon, orange, clove, and subtle nutmeg, with a crispy exterior and juicy, syrupy inside that’s wonderfully chewy.
  Address: Dimosthenous 149, Kallithea
  Phone: +30 216 7006 518
• Artiston
  Classic elongated melomakarona with perfectly balanced syrup, plus a round walnut-filled version.
  Address: Sp. Trikoupi 61 & Metsovou, Exarchia
  Phone: +30 210 8211 029

• Yum Guilt Free
  Oat-based, small, spicy with orange aftertaste, syruped with maple for a soft inside and crispy outside.
  Address: Xenofontos 40, Glyfada
  Phone: +30 210 961 3374
• Saray
  Large, blond-colored, richly flavored with a crispy exterior and chewy inside reminiscent of ravani cake, with mild spices.
  Address: Lefkosias 45, Athens
  Phone: +30 210 8613 489

• Tyligadis
  Oat flour, small, sugar-free, richly spiced and honeyed, eaten two at a time.
  Address: Eptanisou 72, Agia Paraskevi
  Phone: +30 210 654 2789

• Kora
  Soft, small, aromatic, with a delicate syrup, so addictive you might finish a whole box before getting home.
  Address: Anagnostopoulou 44, Kolonaki
  Phone: +30 210 362 7855

• Django
  A twist on tradition using goat butter for extra flavor, soft and honeyed with a salty touch and spicy aroma (anise, cinnamon, clove).
  Address: Veikou 15, Koukaki
  Phone: +30 211 422 2029

• Lykavittos Bakery
  Tiny, addictive, crispy bites melting in your mouth with a rich orange and cinnamon aroma, topped with a subtle nut powder.
  Address: Deinokratous 59, Kolonaki
  Phone: +30 210 721 1348

• Takis Bakery
  Large melomakarona with strong cinnamon and clove aromas, syrup retained inside but delightfully crispy outside.
  Address: Misaraliotou 14, Koukaki
  Phone: +30 210 923 0052

• Lido
  A small pastry shop with long queues, where melomakarona smell of cinnamon, clove, and orange, heavily topped with walnuts.
  Address: Chremonidou 35, Pagkrati
  Phone: +30 210 751 6898

• Ntouras
  Small, well-spiced bites with orange scent, lightly honeyed, generously coated with walnuts.
  Address: Epidavrou 87, Chalandri
  Phone: +30 210 685 3298

• Choc O Rock
  Made with excellent extra virgin olive oil, fresh butter, and Greek wildflower honey; these Smyrna-style melomakarona by Rena Oroklou attract loyal fans yearly.
  Address: Voutsina 105, Cholargos
  Phone: +30 211 0122 512