Athens, Greece Coffee Scene

Athens is busy, loud, and a bit gritty... which is by far my favorite environment to be in. Compared to the islands or the mainland villages, it can be an easy city to get overwhelmed in.

I grew up visiting my grandparents on a large but sparsely populated island in the Aegean. I would wake up to my γιαγιά drinking the strongest, most intense briki coffee in the islands — and we'd sit there for an hour or two every morning, she with hers black, me with mine, two-thirds milk.

That ritual stuck with me. Whether you're in the center of Athens or a small island village, coffee is far less of a utility than it is stateside — it's about slow enjoyment (σιγά σιγά — slowly, slowly) and παρέα (community). The cup is really just an excuse to sit.

Over the years, I've collected a running list of my favorite cafés and coffee shops in Athens. Here are a few of them:

Cultivos Coffee

Located in the Koukaki neighborhood, just a few minutes' walk away from the Acropolis Museum, Cultivos is a Greek multi-unit coffee chain. While you can find their locations all across Athens (including Exarchia and Kolonaki), this location stands out as a local staple.

They also have a full breakfast and brunch menu if you're feeling a bit peckish.

THIRD PLACE.

If you're looking for that modern, minimalist aesthetic in Athens - THIRD PLACE. does the trick. Best of all, it's right in the heart of Athens, just steps from Plaka. I enjoyed an Americano during my visit, but their menu features the classics like freddo cappuccino or pour overs.

Peggy Sue

This shop is a favorite of mine, with ample outdoor seating, high ceilings, and most importantly, neon lights. Similar to Cultivos Coffee, this shop has a terrific breakfast and brunch menu in addition to its coffee menu.

If you want to grab and go, this shop makes a terrific freddo cappuccino that you can take with you while strolling in Monastiraki Square.

If you make it to any of these, here's my sincere suggestion: don't rush. Immerse yourself in the Athenian lifestyle and spend at least 15 minutes sitting and relaxing, freddo cappuccino or traditional frappé in hand (the frappé is my guilty pleasure).

And if you can't make Athens coffee happen right now? Visit our Bedford location, where we're trying to bring a little παρέα back to NYC coffee.