Delta

Delta is the most decorated restaurant in Athens, holding two Michelin stars. It occupies the fifth floor of the Greek National Opera building at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Kallithea, so dinner here comes with a view over Renzo Piano's park and canal towards the sea. The dining rooms are dramatic, with a bronze bar and sculptural trees suspended from the ceiling.

The kitchen is led by chef George Papazacharias, with Dimitris Zannikos as sommelier. The cooking is creative and contemporary Greek, framed by the restaurant as mindful gastronomy: much of the produce comes from the chef's own vegetable garden, with the rest from local producers and sustainable fisheries. Dinner is built around a single tasting menu of around a dozen courses called Omnivore, which features playful trompe-l'oeil dishes, and a vegetarian version is available. The Michelin inspectors singled out tuna aged in koji with chilli, plum pit paste and amazake sauce.

The wine cellar is a serious one, and pairings are offered with the menu, so it is worth letting the sommelier guide you through Greek producers you may not know. Expect the evening to last three hours or more. Prices sit at the very top end of the Athens market, and this is very much a special-occasion restaurant, well suited to couples and food lovers who want to see how far modern Greek cooking has travelled.

Delta opens for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday and is closed on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Michelin Guide; check the restaurant's own site when booking, as reservations are handled directly by the restaurant and fill up well ahead. The restaurant is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible. Tell the team about allergies or dietary needs when you reserve so the kitchen can adapt the menu.

The SNFCC is about six kilometres south of the centre. A taxi from Syntagma takes around 15 minutes, which is the easiest way back late at night, while the centre's free shuttle bus from Syntagma is handy if you want to arrive early and walk in the park or watch the sunset from the Lighthouse before dinner. Combine your booking with a performance at the Greek National Opera downstairs for a complete evening out.