Snacks

One of the more interesting effects of the financial crisis in Greece has been that a whole lot of bakeries have found fertile ground to open their bread-making business to the public. However, contrary to what one would expect from this development, many of these new bakeries have come to specialise in the higher range of prices and respective quality. La Bella Fornarina is where you can get the very best.

This is where we get our daily bread from. My mother insists on always buying the gluten-free dinkel for our everyday needs: “It’s like medicine for your body!”, she tells me when I express my concerns on buying such expensive bread so often. But to be perfectly honest, I can’t complain: this is some of the best bread anyone can ever hope to get their hands on. And it’s not just the bread, oh no: the sesame koulouria half dunked in bitter chocolate, the cereal cookies, the cinammon twists, the heavenly spinach pies and sandwiches (great selection for vegetarians too!)… They also carry traditional Greek pasta and related goods.

This bakery might be far from the most affordable around but one thing’s for certain: you get your money’s worth and exceptional food. You’ll find it in the central square of Nea Smyrni right next to tram stop Agias Foteinis.

A small classy bistro located in the most controversial neighborhood of Athens. You should definitely give it a try and enjoy excellent coffee, wine or liqueur from a wide variety accompanied with delicious snacks. First of all, as a coffee addict, I love it for the quality of coffee they serve and then for the great atmosphere that is created from the retro style and the jazz sounds. Aleksadrino combines excellent quality with reasonable prices, inside a scenery inspired by French movies of the 30′s.

However you should be prepared! Most of the time it’s crowded and it’s difficult to find a place to sit. Even if that happens to you there are many other nice bars and restaurants just next to it.

I highly recommend this place for any occasion and at any time of the day or night. That cozy, Paris, jazz feeling that this place provides will make you feel like you’re in another era!

Magaze is a lovely café located in one of my favorite pedestrian areas in Athens, Aiolou Street. It is just a simple café but the friendly atmosphere and the outdoor tables on the sun are the elements that making this place exceptional for me. Especially between eleven to three o’clock you can really get sunburned there.

Sitting at Magaze is one of the best ways to enjoy Aiolou Street and watch the people go by! I usually go to Magaze after long hours of shopping in Ermou. It is also a great solution if you need to relax a while after visiting all the nearby sightseeing.

The inside space is characterized by the urban, industrial decorations and the smart bathtub in the toilets. Hipsters and open minded persons hang out there. This place is recommended all day long for coffee and snacks or even at night for a drink.

Situated in the beating heart of the Athenian cultural and night life which is Kerameikos, next to low houses and other cafés and bars, Beduin has got to be one of my favourite spots in this part of the city, if not all of Athens.

I’ve been visiting it since 2008, which is when chance brought me to it while exploring the streets of Kerameikos. I was with my ex girlfriend and we were astonished that Beduin had a go set, which we happily used for me to teach her how to play. Today it’s in the cupboard at the very bottom of the stacks of other games, interesting books and 15-year old issues of National Geographic.

Beduin has a very special, almost mystical atmosphere. Just have a look at their website: it carries over that feeling unexpectedly well. The entrance framed by bougainvilleas, the high ceiling, the dark wooden furniture and floor that give off an essence of northern Africa, relaxed music just at the right volume, the warm colours. It all comes together to make for a very cozy place all-year-round.

I’m also happy to say that the spot’s special quality also reflects on the variety of edibles and drinks on offer. Cheap beers, a huge range of coffee and teas, rakomelo as the neighbourhood strictly necessitates (no complaints here!), and great food, with emphasis on Cretan specialties. You should try the dakos (pictured) and the organic beer from Rethymno. Mondays 40% off on drinks!

Just before you walk out of the area of Psirri there is this taverna – Tsipouradiko. If you start up drinking early at night and you happen do get hungry, just drop by and you’ll get some delicious plates and of course nice nice cold raki. Or if you just get hungry at any time of the day for something tasty from Crete, drop by!

And if you’ve managed to get your stomach full and the raki has made you want something more to drink, you’re just at the right spot. Just a few meters down the street you’ll find other nice places and bars and of course all the other mostly over-rated and crowded bars of Psirri. But well you’ll definitely get in touch with the night-life of Athens!