Today's Takeout Pick: Athens Family Restaurant

My husband has a litmus test for restaurants: the more times a menu unfolds, the higher the chance the food will suck. Typically, breadth doesn’t equal quality, as anyone who’s ever eaten at The Cheesecake Factory knows.

But Athens Family Restaurant avoids this trap two ways. First, its enormous menu is printed, front and back, on a single piece of super-sized legal paper, so no folds. Second. Their food is great. Gargantuan portions of Greek fare are their specialty, of course, but what makes them an ideal takeout pick is their flexibility, reliability and big, bold flavors.

Craving an omelette at 8 p.m.? Done. Chicken alfredo for breakfast? They’ve got you. What about the kids? They’ve got 10 things on the kids menu, and 20 more that kids will want from the adult section. The prices are reasonable — nothing costs more than $20 — so mix it up alongside some greatest hits from below.

Htipiti

This spicy dip combines sweet red peppers, garlic and whipped feta to create a salty, addictive, umami-packed spread. Served with a buttload of fresh pita, it’s a stellar alternative to hummus (though Athens’ hummus is solid). If you love the whipped feta at Butcher & Bee, you’ll love this.

Avgolemono

If chicken-and-rice soup doesn’t sound like summer food to you, I get it — but I must also insist you are wrong. As far as I know, Athens has the only legit version of avgolemono in town, which means this is not chicken-and-rice soup flavored with lemon, but rather a creamy, tangy egg-lemon broth with chicken and rice in it. True avgolemono should have the viscosity of egg-drop soup, be solid once refrigerated and satisfy the hell out of you. This ticks all the boxes.

Breakfast

Diner breakfasts are an act of communion we all miss right now, and Athens does a bang-up job of bringing that to you. Order any omelette with feta, which gives a salty kick to creamy eggs, or mix it up with their other expansive offerings. Savory skillets, benedicts, bagel sammies, egg plates, buttermilk pancakes — they’ve got it all, including “Big Boy's Breakfast” (two eggs, choice of meat, home fries, short stack) which is ideal hangover food and also fun to order.

Suzukakia

If there’s one thing Greek meatballs prove, it’s that looks aren’t everything. Seasoned with cumin, cinnamon and garlic, these oblong delights are as zesty and delicious as they are homely. A little sweet, very meaty and set off by a light tomato sauce, they also make the shortlist for dishes that are fun to say aloud.

NYC-Style Reuben

Speaking of hangover food, were you aware that a New York-style reuben traditionally comes with parmesan cheese griddled on the outside of the bread? Yeah, me neither, and I think that’s because it’s not true, but you know what? Don’t care. This salt-bomb is fantastic. Made with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island and rye bread, the star is the corned beef brisket, which they smoke in house. Key takeaway: Griddle more things in parm.

Ashley Brantley

Htipiti

Avgolemono

Breakfast

Suzukakia

NYC-Style Reuben

Fries!

Places with takeout or delivery as of Monday, Aug. 10

Ashley Brantley

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