Welcome and thank you for visiting Café Athena’s website!!!

A visit to our Pacific Beach Taverna is like a visit to Greece, only closer.

For those of you who have been to Greece, we hope your dining experience at Café Athena is something of a nostalgic reminiscence…or a glimpse of toothsome delights awaiting those who plan to visit Hellas.

Greeks believe that even the simplest meals may become ambrosia when you are in a happy mood. We hope our hospitality sustains your happy mood and we look forward to sharing with you the pleasures of this delightful cuisine. Critics agree that Café Athena is a contender for best Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in Southern California.

Our Cuisine is shaped by simplicity and spawned by ingenuity. Simple, unpretentious foods such as grains, pasta and legumes are enriched by the pungent, earthy flavors of garlic, onion, eggplant and artichoke, and by the essences of the olive oil, lemons and raisins.

Greek cooking which is tied to nature and to the seasons, reflects the simple environment of sun-earth-sea. The cuisine of Greece flourishes because of this quality. Here at Café Athena we strive to serve food with the same elemental quality.

Our chefs have created dishes that allow natural flavors to emerge and stimulate the senses. They have refined some traditional favorites into a repertoire of much lighter dishes by reducing the fat content while retaining the zest, tempting aromas and robust flavors that are hallmarks of Greek fare.

When it first opened its doors in 1990 Café Athena had a capacity of only 20 seats, but it quickly grew to 55 seats in 1992 and to 110 seats in 1994. Today, Café Athena is pleasing more patrons than ever and has a seating capacity of 130 (106 indoor and 24 outdoor.).

People from around the world have discovered that Café Athena serves the true foods and wines of Greece, along with a large dose of the country’s warm and lively spirit.

 

Seating Capacity

East Dining Room: 56

West Dining Room: 50

Patio:  24

 

Parking

Free, on premise parking.

Well lit Pacific Plaza II shopping center lot.

Security guard on duty.

 

Awards

Throughout the years Café Athena won many awards;  to name a few with testimonials:

Zagat Survey: “Clearly the best Greek & Mediterranean restaurant in San Diego” “Consistently delicious Hellenic cuisine that is carefully prepared and offered at reasonable prices.”

San Diego Union Tribune: 1st place multiple years; “The best Greek & Mediterranean restaurant in San Diego.”

San Diego Magazine: Won best Greek restaurant in San Diego multiple years.

Beach & Bay Press: Won Readers’ Choice 1st place Gold Medal multiple years.

City Beat: Won best Greek restaurant in San Diego multiple years.