This visit to the pizzeria took place on June 27, 2025.
When selecting pizzerias to try during my few days in Athens, I tried to prioritize, when possible, those that aren’t prominently featured in international rankings. Like this one, Granello Pizza Italiana, located in a very central and super touristy area, not far from the trendy Psyri (or Psirri) neighborhood and just a stone’s throw from Syntagma Square (or Constitution Square).
I arrive without a reservation and can only be seated inside, as all the outside tables are reserved… and just as well, because as much as I might like the idea of eating on the sidewalk with people walking past me, I much prefer being pampered by the air conditioning. But I must say the outside setup is very nice: the tables are placed around some walls with imaginative murals. The indoor restaurant is spread over two floors, bright and modern. The lower one is quieter, but the upper one offers a view of the (gas) oven: guess where I sat? The prices here are decidedly on the high side, though I must say I can’t be surprised: a Margherita for €12 is exactly what I would expect from a modern pizzeria located in the center of one of the city’s most touristy neighborhoods.
My pizza arrives and, while I’m rather happy with the shape and bake, the aesthetic satisfaction ends there: the mozzarella (and I say mozzarella, not fior di latte, because that’s how it’s listed on the menu), poured on generously, has a ton of browning spots. I’ve said many times before that this in itself is not an indicator of the product’s quality, but rather of how it’s handled—and it often happens with lower-quality cheeses (ok, I know, it seems I’ve contradicted myself in two sentences, but the explanation is a bit more complex than that and should be done by experts, not by me).
In any case, I take a bite. The dough is made decently, but I can’t say it blows me away. In fact, a notable flaw is the excessive amount of semolina flour still stuck to the crust. Here, too, I’ve often said in the past that a light layer pleases my palate, but in this case, it was definitely excessive. Unfortunately, once again, I’m faced with a pizza that doesn’t have much taste. Not lacking in saltiness this time—like the Cretan experience—but simply a case of distinct flavors: not received. Tomato, zero. Mozzarella, zero.
I feel there’s room for improvement at this place, but I think they should review their topping suppliers. Ok, I only had a Margherita, I can’t speak for the other pizzas on the menu. But if you mess that one up, how can I trust the others? Yes, I know, it’s not an absolute rule; I’ve been to many places where I ate excellent pizzas of all kinds but where they fell short on the Margherita. However, given the prices at this place, and as much as I want to justify them for the location, I can’t accept that the result is this.
Fun fact: among the various pizzas on the menu, there was also one with pepperoni. And this makes me wonder, connecting it to other pieces of a larger puzzle. In my research, I noticed that Athens also has American-style pizza offerings: I found one pizzeria that does Chicago Deep Dish and another that does New York Style. Apparently, there was also one that offered Detroit-style, but it closed. This openness to Americanism is something I’m finding in many other European cities, and finding it here too makes me think: behind the facade of an Italian pizzeria, are they actually trying to please all tastes, also compromising on the quality of the products?
Granello Pizza Italiana, Perikleous 18, Athens 105 62, Greece
How to get there: Granello Pizza Italiana is a 5-minute walk from Syntagma Square, which is served by the Athens metro (stop: Syntagma) and is reached by several bus lines.
Have you tried this pizzeria? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.
This is an AI-assisted translation of the original Italian article, which I have lightly edited. Please let me know if you notice any mistakes!
