Coffee in Athens runs from traditional Greek coffee (elliniko) brewed in a briki to the frothy frappé and the city’s beloved freddo espresso and cappuccino, all enjoyed slowly in a famously relaxed café culture. Build a café break into your sightseeing with skip-the-line tickets and tours from My Greece Tours.
Coffee is a way of life in the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover Greek coffee, the frappé, the freddo, how to order, the café culture, where to drink it and a few tips.
What is Greek coffee?
Greek coffee (elliniko) is a traditional coffee made by simmering very finely ground coffee with water, and optionally sugar, in a small long-handled pot called a briki, then poured unfiltered into a small cup so the grounds settle at the bottom. Strong, thick and served with a glass of water, it is sipped slowly and never stirred once the grounds settle.
The most traditional and time-honoured coffee in Athens is Greek coffee, known in Greek as elliniko, a strong, aromatic brew with deep roots in the country’s culture. It is made from extremely finely ground coffee beans, almost a powder, which are simmered together with cold water, and sugar if desired, in a small long-handled pot called a briki, heated slowly until a rich foam, the kaimaki, rises to the top. The coffee is then poured, unfiltered, into a small demitasse cup, where the fine grounds gradually settle to the bottom, so you drink the liquid above and leave the thick sediment behind. It is traditionally served with a glass of cold water and often a small sweet, and it is meant to be sipped slowly over conversation rather than gulped.
You order it by sweetness: sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium, one sugar) or glykos (sweet), specified when you order since the sugar is brewed in. Closely related to what was once called Turkish coffee, this elliniko is a quintessential part of old Athenian life, still served in traditional kafeneia across the city. It offers an authentic taste of Greek tradition. The coffee pairs with the food culture in the Greek dishes to try guide. Modern Athenians, though, often reach for iced coffees.
What is a frappé?
A frappé is a frothy iced coffee made from instant coffee, sugar and a splash of water shaken or blended until foamy, then poured over ice with more water and milk to taste, and served in a tall glass with a straw. Invented by accident in Thessaloniki, it is strongly associated with the Greek summer and is sipped slowly for hours.
The drink that for decades defined Greek summer coffee culture is the frappé, an iced, frothy coffee that is both refreshing and endlessly sociable. Famously, it was created by accident at a trade fair in Thessaloniki, when a Nescafé representative, unable to find hot water, improvised by shaking instant coffee with cold water, and a national icon was born. To make it, instant coffee, sugar and a small amount of water are vigorously shaken or blended together until the mixture turns thick and foamy, then poured into a tall glass over ice cubes, with extra cold water and, if you like, evaporated milk added to taste, and finished with a straw.
The result is a long, cool, caffeinated drink crowned with a layer of creamy foam. The frappé is inseparable from the image of the Greek summer, sipped lazily on café terraces and beaches, and crucially it is designed to last: Greeks famously nurse a single frappé for an hour or more, the ice melting slowly as they talk, people-watch and relax. You order it like Greek coffee, by sweetness and with or without milk. For a taste of classic Greek café life, the frappé is essential. Its more modern rival, however, has largely taken over. The newer iced coffees now dominate the cafés.
What are freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino?
Freddo espresso is a Greek iced espresso: one or two shots of espresso shaken with ice until chilled and frothy, then poured over ice. The freddo cappuccino is identical but crowned with a generous layer of chilled, frothy milk foam (afrogala). First made in Athens around, the freddo has overtaken the frappé as the city’s most popular coffee, especially among younger Athenians.
The drink that now reigns supreme in Athens, having largely overtaken the older frappé, is the freddo, a sophisticated iced espresso-based coffee first created in the city around. There are two main versions, and knowing the difference is key to ordering like a local. The freddo espresso is made by taking one or two freshly pulled shots of espresso and shaking or blending them with ice in a mixer until the coffee is chilled and develops a light foam, then pouring it over fresh ice in a glass; the result is a strong, smooth, intensely refreshing iced coffee. The freddo cappuccino starts the same way but is then crowned with a generous layer of cold, airy frothed milk known as afrogala, creating a creamy counterpoint to the espresso below.
An important point of etiquette: a freddo cappuccino should not be stirred, as the cold milk foam is meant to sit atop the coffee, and as you sip slowly the two layers gradually mingle, giving an evolving texture and flavour. Made with real espresso rather than instant coffee, the freddo is considered a more refined drink than the frappé, and it has become the everyday coffee of choice for most Athenians, particularly the young. Trying both is part of the experience. The freddo is the modern face of Athenian coffee. Knowing how to order makes it effortless.
How do you order coffee in Athens?
To order coffee in Athens, name the drink (elliniko, frappé, freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino), then specify the sweetness: sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet). Say if you want milk. Most iced coffees come unsweetened unless you ask. Coffee is usually paid for when you leave, and you are welcome to linger as long as you like over one cup.
Ordering coffee in Athens is simple once you know the basic vocabulary, and getting it right helps you blend in and get exactly the drink you want. First, name your coffee: elliniko for traditional Greek coffee, frappé for the frothy instant iced coffee, or freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino for the modern iced espresso drinks, with a plain espresso or cappuccino (sometimes served zesto, meaning hot) also available. Next, and importantly, specify the sweetness, as Greeks calibrate this carefully: sketos means no sugar, metrios means medium or one sugar, and glykos means sweet; for Greek coffee the sugar is brewed in, so you must say upfront. Indicate whether you want milk, particularly for a frappé or freddo, as many order them me gala (with milk) or choris gala (without).
Most iced coffees arrive unsweetened unless you request sugar. When it comes to paying, the relaxed custom in Greek cafés is usually to settle the bill when you leave rather than upfront, and there is absolutely no pressure to drink up and go; lingering over a single cup for an hour or more is entirely normal and expected. A small tip is appreciated but not obligatory. With these few words, you can order confidently anywhere. The ritual reflects a deeper café culture. That culture is central to Athenian life.
What is Athenian café culture like?
Athenian café culture is famously relaxed and social: coffee is less about caffeine and more about meeting friends, talking and watching the world go by. Athenians linger for hours over a single cup, and a meeting “for coffee” means unhurried conversation. The city has one of the highest concentrations of cafés in Europe, from traditional kafeneia to stylish modern coffee shops.
To understand coffee in Athens, you have to understand that it is far more than a drink; it is a cornerstone of social life and one of the most beloved daily rituals in the city. For Athenians, going for a coffee is rarely about a quick caffeine fix and almost always about connection, conversation and the simple pleasure of taking time out. People famously linger over a single frappé or freddo for hours, sitting on café terraces to talk with friends, catch up on news, conduct relaxed business or simply watch the passing world, and a meeting arranged “for coffee” is understood to be an open-ended, unhurried affair. This unhurried attitude reflects a wider Greek philosophy of valuing leisure and company over haste.
The city accordingly overflows with cafés, boasting one of the highest concentrations in Europe, ranging from atmospheric old-fashioned kafeneia where elderly men play backgammon over Greek coffee, to fashionable modern coffee shops serving expertly made freddos to a young, stylish crowd, to the rise of specialty third-wave coffee and takeaway cups. Joining this culture, by claiming a café table and lingering over your coffee, is one of the most enjoyable and authentic things to do in Athens. It is the city at its most relaxed. The best cafés are spread across every neighbourhood. Where you drink shapes the experience.
Where should you drink coffee in Athens?
Drink coffee across Athens’s neighbourhoods: stylish freddos in Kolonaki and Koukaki, traditional Greek coffee in old kafeneia in Plaka and Monastiraki, hip cafés in Exarcheia, Psiri and Pangrati, and coffee with Acropolis views from rooftop and Thissio terraces. Each district has its own café scene, and the experience of lingering with a coffee is the same wonderful ritual everywhere.
Wherever you go in Athens you will find good coffee, but different neighbourhoods offer different café experiences, and seeking out a few is a delightful way to explore the city. For chic, fashionable coffee culture, the elegant streets of Kolonaki are the spiritual home of café society, where a well-dressed crowd sips freddos on smart terraces, while up-and-coming Koukaki and artsy Pangrati buzz with stylish modern cafés and brunch spots favoured by locals. For tradition, seek out the old-fashioned kafeneia tucked into Plaka, Monastiraki and the central market area, where Greek coffee is brewed the old way and the atmosphere is timeless.
The bohemian, intellectual neighbourhoods of Exarcheia and Psiri are full of characterful, often cheaper cafés popular with students and creatives, perfect for soaking up an alternative vibe. And for coffee with a view, the rooftop cafés and the terraces along the promenade in Thissio let you nurse your drink with the Acropolis in sight, a magical Athenian experience. Prices are generally reasonable, especially away from the busiest tourist spots. Whichever you choose, the essential pleasure, claiming a table and lingering, remains the same. The neighbourhoods themselves reward exploration, as in the Kolonaki guide. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular coffee in Athens?
The most popular coffee in Athens today is the freddo, an iced espresso drink, especially the freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino, which have overtaken the older frappé. The traditional Greek coffee (elliniko) remains beloved in old kafeneia, while the frappé is still a classic, nostalgic summer drink.
What is the difference between frappé and freddo?
A frappé is made from instant coffee shaken with water, sugar and ice into a frothy iced drink, while a freddo is made from real espresso shaken with ice. The freddo espresso is iced espresso over ice, and the freddo cappuccino adds a layer of cold milk foam. The freddo is now the more popular, refined choice.
How do you order coffee like a local in Athens?
Name the drink (elliniko, frappé, freddo espresso or freddo cappuccino), then state the sweetness: sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet), and say if you want milk. Most iced coffees come unsweetened unless you ask. You usually pay when you leave and can linger over one cup for as long as you like.