Philly Phoodies in Athens

In mid November my wife and I will be on holiday in Athens on our first visit to Greece. Food and wine are a key part of our travels so I am looking forward to comments and suggestions from the experts on this site. We do not speak Greek, but have survived in the past in areas where we did not speak the local language (we will learn key phrases like please, thank you, where is the bathroom, and red or white wine). Fortunately the rest of the world is bilingual to make up for our shortcomings. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to visit the US and not be able to speak English.

We are interested in a range of experiences from gourmet white tablecloth to local picnic table. I will eat just about anything, but my wife is not quite as adventurous (stays away from shellfish and octopus) but is a real trooper. We will be staying in the Plaka area. If I do not count the first evening due to jet lag, we have six nights for dinner. I have identified the following possible restaurants.

Dinner
• 48 The Restaurant
• Aristera-Dexia
• Varoulko
• Daphne’s
• Spondi (Or should we follow the chef to Jérôme Serres)
• Hytra

Lunch
• Mamacas
• Taverna Tou Psiri
• O Thannassis
• Orizontes Lykavittou (Is the view worth it?)
• GB Corner (Is the old time hotel service and view worth it?)

Do you agree or have better suggestions or comments?

We are also planning a day trip out to Hydra. Any taverna’s open for lunch worth trying?

Do we need lunch or dinner reservations this time of the year? (Last year we stopped for lunch at a great tapas bar (Taktika-Berri) in Barcelona on a Tuesday and even arrived early, but they were fully booked. Fortunately we were able to sample the food at the bar.

Thanks for your input.