Restaurant in Athens, Greece

CTC

Name: CTC
Address: Plateon 15, Athina 104 35, Greece, Athens, GR
Telephone: +30 21 0722 8812

725Pearl Points

Surprise tasting menu, one Michelin Star, book ahead.

About CTC

CTC holds a Michelin Star and ranked #444 in Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Europe (2024). Chef Alexandros Tsiotinis runs an 11-course surprise tasting menu from Tuesday to Saturday in central Athens. Book two to four weeks ahead; summer terrace slots go faster. Strong choice for special occasions and serious food-focused dinners.

CTC, Athens: Worth Booking?

For fine dining in central Athens, it is one of the tightest cases for booking you will find. The question is not whether CTC is good — it is whether you are planning your visit around it correctly.

The Experience

Chef Alexandros Tsiotinis runs an 11-course surprise tasting menu at CTC, with courses revealed progressively by the service team rather than handed to you upfront as a printed list. That format is the core of the experience. Dishes draw on modern Mediterranean cooking with creative reinterpretations of classical references, sea bass ceviche, pesto calamari, a reworked tarte tatin have been cited in coverage of the restaurant. Wine pairings are available alongside the tasting menu.

The room pairs a soft-toned interior with subdued lighting, suited to celebrations and date nights where atmosphere matters as much as the food. If you visit in summer, the outdoor terrace, an urban space with trees and greenery, adds a different dimension. The terrace is popular enough that summer bookings, particularly for outdoor seating, are harder to secure.

Multi-Visit Strategy

Because the tasting menu is a surprise format, CTC is structured well for repeat visits, you are not working through a static à la carte list. On a first visit, come with no fixed expectations about the menu progression; the revelation format is intentional and part of what makes the pacing work. On a second visit, request the terrace in advance if the season allows, consider upgrading to the full wine pairing if you skipped it the first time. A third visit rewards those who want to see how the menu evolves seasonally, since Tsiotinis works with creative reinterpretation rather than fixed signatures. If you are planning multiple visits to Athens fine dining more broadly, rotate CTC with Hytra and Delta to see how different kitchens approach modern Greek cooking.

Who Should Book

CTC works well for special occasions, celebrations, serious food-focused dinners. The surprise tasting menu format makes it less suited to guests who need full menu transparency ahead of time for dietary reasons, though it is worth contacting the restaurant directly to clarify what accommodation is possible. It is not a quick dinner option: an 11-course menu at this level requires two to three hours. Solo diners can and do book, though the format leans toward an experience shared across a table. For business meals where a structured progression and atmospheric room matter, it fits well. For a faster, more casual Athens evening, look at Makris Athens or Hervé instead.

Booking

CTC is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 pm to midnight. It is closed Sunday and Monday. Given its Michelin Star status and summer terrace demand, booking at least two to three weeks ahead is advisable for a standard midweek table. Weekend slots and summer terrace seats should be booked further in advance, four weeks minimum is a safe working assumption during peak season. No phone or website is listed in current data, so check Google or reservation platforms directly for the current booking channel. Booking difficulty is rated Easy relative to comparable Athens fine dining, meaning availability is generally better than at venues with longer lead times, but this does not mean last-minute tables are reliably available.

Know Before You Go

Address: Plateon 15, Athina 104 35, Greece
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 7:30 pm–12 am. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Format: 11-course surprise tasting menu with wine pairing option
Awards: Michelin Star; Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in Europe #444 (2024), #601 (2025)
Booking: 2–4 weeks ahead recommended; summer terrace requires more lead time
Leading for: Special occasions, date nights, food-focused dinners
Price range: Not published, contact the venue directly

Explore More in Athens and Greece

CTC sits within a strong Athens fine dining bracket. For broader planning, see our full Athens restaurants guide, our full Athens hotels guide, our full Athens bars guide, our full Athens wineries guide, and our full Athens experiences guide. If you are travelling across Greece, comparable fine dining worth considering includes Koukoumavlos in Fira, Aktaion in Firostefani, Lycabettus in Oia, Almiriki in Mykonos, Etrusco in Kato Korakiana, and Avaton Luxury Beach Resort in Halkidiki. For modern Greek cooking outside Greece, Peckham Bazaar in London is a useful reference point. If you are benchmarking against international fine dining more broadly, Le Bernardin in New York City represents the standard CTC is competing with at Michelin level.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead should I book CTC?

Book at least 3 to 4 weeks out, further in advance for summer when the terrace is in high demand. CTC holds a Michelin Star and is consistently ranked among Europe's top restaurants by Opinionated About Dining, which keeps availability tight. Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are your best chance at shorter lead times; Friday and Saturday fill fastest.

Is CTC good for solo dining?

CTC can work for a solo diner, but the surprise 11-course tasting menu format is better suited to pairs or small groups where the reveal element lands with more impact. The Michelin Star and the progressive course presentation make it a considered experience rather than a casual solo meal. If solo dining is your preference, confirm counter or bar seating availability when booking.

What should a first-timer know about CTC?

The menu is a surprise format: you will not see the full 11-course lineup upfront, with courses revealed progressively by the service team. Chef Alexandros Tsiotinis frames the cooking around modern Mediterranean ideas, often reworking classical dishes. Wine pairings are available and worth considering given the tasting menu structure. CTC is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30pm, closed Sunday and Monday.

Is lunch or dinner better at CTC?

CTC operates dinner service only, Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30pm to midnight. There is no lunch service. If an evening terrace experience is part of the appeal, summer bookings fill quickly, so plan accordingly.

What should I order at CTC?

The menu is a fixed 11-course surprise tasting format, so there is no à la carte ordering. Your decision at booking is whether to add the wine pairing, which is designed to accompany the full sequence of courses. Opinionated About Dining cites dishes including sea bass ceviche, pesto calamari, a reinterpreted tarte tatin as representative of the kitchen's style.

Does CTC handle dietary restrictions?

The database does not include CTC's stated dietary restriction policy. Given the surprise tasting menu format across 11 courses, check the venue's official channels before booking if you have allergies or specific requirements. The service team manages the progressive reveal, so they are the right point of contact to confirm what adjustments are possible.

Location

Plateon 15, Athina 104 35, Greece

Athens, Greece

Compare CTC

CTC vs. Similar Venues

Venue	Cuisine	Price	Awards	Booking Difficulty
CTC	Modern Greek			Easy
Botrini's	Contemporary Greek, Mediterranean Cuisine	€€€€	Michelin 1 Star	Unknown
Hytra	Modern Greek, Modern Cuisine	€€€	Michelin 1 Star	Unknown
Spondi	Contemporary Greek, French	€€€€	Michelin 1 Star	Unknown
Tudor Hall	Contemporary	€€€€	Michelin 1 Star	Unknown
Aleria	Greek	€€€		Unknown

A quick look at how CTC measures up.

Also Consider

Botrini's, Contemporary Greek, Mediterranean Cuisine, €€€€
Hytra, Modern Greek, Modern Cuisine, €€€
Spondi, Contemporary Greek, French, €€€€
Tudor Hall, Contemporary, €€€€
Aleria, Greek, €€€

How CTC Compares in Athens Fine Dining

CTC and Spondi are the two most credentialled fine dining options in Athens at Michelin level, both hold a star, both price at the upper end of the market. The key difference is format: Spondi leans into French-inflected contemporary cuisine in a more formal setting, while CTC runs a surprise tasting menu rooted in modern Greek and Mediterranean cooking. If the format of not knowing your menu in advance appeals, CTC is the clearer choice. If you want a more conventional tasting menu with full upfront transparency, Spondi is a closer fit.

Hytra and Aleria sit at €€€ and offer better value entry points into Athens creative Greek cooking. Hytra is the more design-conscious option with a rooftop setting that competes on atmosphere, it is worth booking alongside CTC if you are spending multiple evenings in Athens. Aleria gives you a more accessible price point for Greek-focused cooking without the tasting menu commitment. Botrini's and Tudor Hall are both €€€€ options with strong reputations, but neither holds a Michelin Star, which puts CTC ahead on formal recognition within that price bracket.

For a two-night Athens fine dining plan, CTC pairs well with Hytra, different price points, different formats, complementary approaches to modern Greek cooking. If your budget stretches to a third dinner, Delta adds a creative angle worth including. CTC is the hardest to replicate in terms of its Michelin credential and surprise format, which makes it the anchor booking around which to plan the rest of the trip.