Monday’s prestigious Toques d’Or (Golden Caps) gastronomy awards highlighted the excellence of Greek gastronomy, recognizing 45 top restaurants across the country. The awards, now in their 32nd year, were presented at Asteria Domus in Glyfada, where the evening’s theme “Haute Gastronomy and High Fashion – Eclectic Affinities” set the tone for a glamorous night.
For the 13th consecutive year, Corfu’s Etrusco, led by chef Ettore Botrini, secured the title of Best Restaurant in Greece with a score of 17/20 and two Golden Caps. Botrini’s Athens and Delta also earned a score of 16.5/20 and two Golden Caps each, marking the first time three restaurants received two Golden Caps in the same year.
Greek summer destinations once again shined in the awards, with 24 of the awarded restaurants located in the Aegean and Ionian islands, as well as Halkidiki. Santorini led among the islands with 6 awarded restaurants, while Athens was recognized as a gastronomic hub with 16 restaurants. This year’s Toques d’Or also included special honors — title of Best Pastry Chef 2025 was given to Manolis Stithos, Head Pastry Chef of The Margi hotel, while the People’s Choice Award went to Ex Machina.
Seven new restaurants made their way onto the distinguished list, while four others moved up in rankings. However, three establishments lost their Toques d’Or, reflecting the continued tightening of evaluation standards. Overall, 23 Greek restaurants are rated Top Notch, four more than last year.
The awards dinner was prepared by Karime López and Takahiko Kondo, executive chefs of the Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence. Drawing from their culinary backgrounds López and Kondo created a fusion menu for the approximately 300 guests which incorporated elements of Mexican, Japanese, and Italian cuisine.
Cover Photo Credit: Golden Caps
