There is a certain rite of passage associated with being invited to dinner or coffee at a Greek friend’s house. Not so much because of what you will end up eating or drinking there, but because of what the other guests will be bringing as gifts. To most Western Europeans’ surprise, one of the most popular gifts for the host is a big dessert – the kind of cake that is usually reserved for birthdays or big celebrations in other countries. Greeks often arrive bearing big, rectangular patisserie boxes containing anything from a large cheesecake to ice cream- and sorbet-layered cakes. And of course, very often these boxes contain a pan of the Greek national dessert, galaktoboureko.

Editor’s note: For our First Stop series, we asked Toronto blogger Peter Minakis, who writes about Greek cooking and dining at Kalofagas, where he heads first for food when he arrives in Athens. Minakis is the author of The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook and his latest book, The Big Book of Mediterranean Recipes, is due out by the end of April.

With its rich, profound history – its roots lie in epics and at the foundation of modern civilization, after all – the Greek language is ripe for and with metaphor, particularly of the food-related variety. Folk sayings and proverbs have a prominent place in colloquial language and everyday life, and they are at turns humorous, instructive and ironic. And sometimes they are all three at once.

We know that there’s a trend away from gluten and carbs these days, and all we have to say to that is: more for us! In Athens, bread and pies still form the foundation, if the not the substance, of many a meal – breakfast especially. Make like a local and start your day off right with cheese pie or koulouri from one of our top picks. (These places are also perfect for a pick-me-up later in the day.)

Update: This spot is sadly no longer open. In Athens, we take full advantage of our proximity to water. An incredible variety of fresh fish and seafood go straight from the fishing nets into our pots and onto our grills. So naturally, we know a thing or two when it comes to seafood restaurants. One is the master of fried dishes, another grilled, while yet another on our short list is known for creative experimentation. What they have in common is supremely fresh seafood at a reasonable price (as well as a penchant for fishing nets as decoration, it seems). And they’re all located close to the sea – where else could they be? In no particular order:

Behind 2,340-year-old Kallimarmaro Stadium, located in the picturesque area of Athens between Mets and Pagrati, lies a scene that would not be out of place in a provincial city: small neighborhoods, old houses, hilly roads, stray cats, a couple of abandoned houses and old taverns. Among the last, we love Vyrinis, which is especially old and now in the hands of the third generation of the same family. The restaurant has been renovated and updated but still retains some elements of the old tavern, such as the huge wine casks that serve as decoration and the small backyard. Here, young and old contentedly intermingle, and the friendly, always smiling waiters add to the cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

In this time of crisis, the only growth industry in Greece seems to be food. New restaurants, cafés, upscale souvlaki joints, bakeries, shops specializing in traditional products, patisseries, tapas bars, artisanal pizzerias, frozen yogurt, hot dog and crepe stands open every day all over Athens. So it shouldn’t be news when yet another takeaway in the northern suburbs joins them.

Editor's note: Our second stop on CB's Global Bar Crawl is in Athens, where two classic old watering holes have been tending to the drinking needs of locals for decades. If there’s one realm in which Athens has improved by leaps and bounds since the economic crisis began, it may very well be the city’s bar scene. Perhaps this can be attributed to a sense of nihilism or an uncertain future, but Athens has never had so much to offer in terms of drinking. From theme bars specializing in meatballs and cocktails to boîtes with a different DJ every night to converted bistros in former fabric shops, the list of venues is endless and endlessly varied.

Update: This spot is sadly no longer open. Last summer, we took a look at the popularity of Cretan cuisine in Athens and noted that Alatsi, which introduced the island’s cooking to the city in 2005, had since seen a decline in fortunes. Until now. In early September, Pericles Koskinas took over at the helm and steered the restaurant back on course. The former chef of Milos Athens, Koskinas is famous for his simple and seasonal approach to cooking. He has a talent for bringing out the best in his raw materials with the least possible manipulation and tangling of flavors. Leaving behind a high-end restaurant to resuscitate another whose reputation had tanked was no small undertaking. His first move? He jettisoned the strict Cretan theme, looking beyond the island to all of Greece – and further still. He sources ingredients from small producers, and the majority of them have a protected designation of origin, including wild greens from Messinia, beef and xinotiri (sour cheese) from Naxos, apples from the Taygetos Mountains and eel from Arta.

Update: This spot is sadly no longer open. The corner shop had stood empty for at least two years, so naturally I was interested when signs of renewed occupancy began appearing just a few blocks from where I live. Plaster came off the façade, revealing beautiful amber-colored stone walls with a cream trim that matched the perforated half-moons above the windows. Then the paper was stripped from the glass, and lo and behold the neighborhood had a new bakery, with tempting displays decorating the sills. Two slender olive trees in wooden churn-like pots planted with red cyclamen guarded the door, but I slipped past them to wish the owners kalo riziko – good roots – and to see what was going on.

Known for its excellent fish and seafood, the port town of Piraeus, just west of Athens, was not until recently a destination for meat lovers. But that all changed a year ago with the opening of Bar Bee Kiou. Situated in the center of town, a two-minute walk from Zea Harbor, this tiny eatery is the ideal place to cap off a promenade around picturesque Pasalimani.

Editor's note: We are regret to report that Nixon and Hip Cafe are closed. Editor's note: Our third installment for CB's Breakfast Week takes us to Athens, where we take a look at traditional breakfasts and how globalization is changing the way Greeks eat -- especially on weekend mornings. In Athens, brunch has become big business. Over the last couple of years, locals have fully embraced this foreign import, and numerous venues have sprung up across the city to bring Eggs Benedict and Bloody Marys to hungry Athenians every weekend.

Just a stone’s throw from centrally located Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue, the tree-lined neighborhood in and around Plateia Proskopon (Scouts’ Square) is verdant and full of charm. Wonderful dining options abound here, with new entrants such as the popular Mavro Provato joining a host of beloved older eateries. Among the latter is Magemenos Avlos, a glamorous throwback specializing since 1961 in European cooking, and a favorite meeting place of musicians, poets, actors, politicians and remarkable personalities of the 1960s and ’70s.

Just after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve or on the first day of the New Year, many Greek Orthodox families gather around the table to cut and split the vasilopita, a cake named after St. Basil (Aghios Vasilios), the Greek Santa Claus. The head of the family “crucifies” the cake three times with a knife and then cuts it into triangular pieces. Usually, the first piece is offered to Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, the third to St. Basil and the fourth to the “house” before family members and friends each receive one. Some may offer a slice to St. Nicholas, the patron of sailors, to the poor, as St. Basil cared for them, or to the family shop or company. The custom of dividing the vasilopita is performed at many events throughout January and even into early February among many associations, agencies and other organizations. Each person wishes the others chronia polla (“many years”) and “Happy New Year” to bless the house and to bring good luck.

Editor’s note: This post is the penultimate installment of “Best Bites of 2013,” a roundup of our top culinary experiences over the last year. Be sure to check out the “Best Bites” from all of the cities Culinary Backstreets covers. To Rodi Tucked into a small corner of a working-class residential suburb, with unimpressive décor reminiscent of a local souvlaki joint, the Armenian-Turkish restaurant To Rodi is further evidence that appearances can be deceiving.