Athens Market Taverna’s menu runs long, and a first-time guest staring at forty menu items can lose ten minutes just deciding where to start. This list is what regulars actually order — the ten dishes that show off why this has been one of the best Greek food destinations in San Diego since 1972, especially useful if you’re planning a visit during San Diego Restaurant Week, which runs September 13–20 this year.
Start With the Fire: Flaming Saganaki
Saganaki is fried Kefalograviera cheese, and the version here comes out lit tableside with a splash of brandy — a small performance that takes less than two minutes and sets the tone for the whole meal. It’s the dish first-timers remember, and it’s the right way to open a table of four or more before the mains arrive.
The Top 10, In Order
- Flaming Saganaki — fried Kefalograviera cheese, lit tableside with brandy.
- Moussaka — layered eggplant, spiced ground lamb, and béchamel, baked until the top browns.
- Grilled Baby Octopus — char-grilled and finished with olive oil and lemon.
- Avgolemono Soup — a lemon-egg broth whisked the traditional way, not a shortcut version.
- Pastitsio — baked pasta layered with spiced meat and béchamel, Greece’s answer to lasagna.
- Grilled Lamb Chops — simply seasoned, cooked over an open flame.
- Spanakopita — spinach and feta wrapped in phyllo, flaky rather than soggy.
- Lentil Soup — a secret-recipe dish regulars order without checking what else is on the menu.
- Daily Fresh Fish — whatever’s freshest that day, grilled simply with herbs and lemon.
- Baklava or Galaktoboureko — closing the meal with honey-soaked phyllo or a custard-filled version.
Why These Dishes Are Different From Fast-Casual Greek
A fast-casual Greek spot can put a gyro on a plate in ninety seconds. What it can’t easily do is a moussaka with a properly whisked béchamel, or a saganaki lit tableside, or a pastitsio that’s been baked long enough for the layers to actually set. Dishes like Britannica notes moussaka’s modern Greek form was refined in the 1920s by chef Nikolaos Tselementes — this is technique-driven food, not assembly-line food, and it takes a kitchen that’s been doing it the same way for decades to get it right consistently.
Several of these dishes also happen to line up with what nutritionists now call Mediterranean diet eating — the lentil soup, the grilled fish, and the olive-oil-forward vegetable dishes weren’t designed around a health trend, they’re just how the kitchen has always cooked. The Mediterranean diet guide breaks down which dishes on this list fit that pattern if that’s part of why you’re visiting.
What to Expect on Price and Portion Size
Appetizers like saganaki and spanakopita are built for sharing across a table, while mains like the lamb chops and moussaka come out as full dinner portions — plan on one main per person rather than ordering everything family-style. Check the full dinner menu for current pricing, and note that the lunch menu, served Wednesdays only, runs smaller portions at a lower price point if you’re trying dishes for the first time before committing to a full dinner.
Use Restaurant Week to Try It All
San Diego Restaurant Week brings more than 120 restaurants across 30-plus neighborhoods into a single week of curated menus, typically two-course lunches and three-course dinners. It’s a low-risk way to work through several items on this list in one sitting instead of picking just one or two dishes on a normal visit. Reserve ahead during Restaurant Week specifically — participating tables fill up faster than a normal Tuesday night.
Bringing Someone Along for Their First Visit
If you’re the one introducing a friend, a date, or a colleague to Greek food for the first time, order a round of shared starters — saganaki, spanakopita, maybe the lentil soup — before anyone commits to a full entrée. It takes the pressure off picking “the right dish” and turns the meal into a tasting instead of a single bet.
For a bigger introduction — a full team or family event — the private dining rooms can run a custom tasting menu built around this exact list, which is a common request for first-time corporate groups.
Every dish on this list traces back to the same source: recipes Mary Pappas brought from a Greek village decades ago and never changed. The full story behind those recipes is worth a read if you want the context before you’re staring at the menu deciding between moussaka and pastitsio.
What Regulars Order Off-List
Ask five regulars for their favorite dish and you’ll get five different answers beyond this list. Some swear by the vegetarian pasta primavera on a weeknight, others build a whole meal around a round of appetizers and skip a main entirely. The list above is the safest starting point for a first visit, not the only right answer — once you’ve been a few times, the menu opens up.
Reserve Before You Go
Make a reservation rather than walking in, especially on a weekend or during Restaurant Week — the dining room fills up on the strength of exactly the dishes on this list. Dinner runs Monday through Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m., and the restaurant is closed Sundays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the single best dish to order on a first visit?
The flaming saganaki, hands down — it’s fast, shareable, and sets up the rest of the meal well.
Is Athens Market Taverna participating in San Diego Restaurant Week?
Check the reservations page or call (619) 234-1955 for current Restaurant Week participation and menu details.
What should I order if I’m not familiar with Greek food at all?
Start with saganaki and spanakopita as shared starters, then choose between moussaka and grilled baby octopus for a main — both are the dishes regulars order most.
Can I bring a group to try several dishes at once?
Yes — groups of 20 to 80 can book a private dining room with a custom tasting-style menu.
Ready to Get Started?
Ten dishes is a good list to start from, but the only way to know your own favorite is to sit down and order.
Make a Reservation or call us at (619) 234-1955.