Lamia eats well for a city its size. The streets around Plateia Diakos and the pedestrianised lanes off Rozaki Angeli are lined with tavernas serving straightforward grilled meat, fresh salads, and good local wines. The regional specialty is lamb from the Spercheios valley, often slow-cooked with local herbs. Several butcher-grill hybrids (the Greek hasapotaverna) are clustered near the central market.
The café culture is strong — driven by a large student population — and the area around Plateia Eleftherias has a dozen or more coffee shops that stay busy from mid-morning until past midnight.