Coffee has always been a vital component of Greek life, and it just keeps getting better. A new school of coffee culture is on the rise in the Greek capital, demanding high quality and innovative techniques.

The latest global trend in coffee is slowly but surely wafting through Athens. This so called ‘Third Wave of Coffee‘ calls for coffee consumption to be an experience, not a routine stop. According to this philosophy coffee is much more than a quick pick-me-up, but an artisanal food product with a wealth of complexities to explore like wine or cheese.

Now one of these next generation cafes has just opened bang in the center of Athens’ busiest street, Ermou.

Coffee Berry serves espresso and filter coffees sourced by their Greek mother company from small producers around the world. Customers are encouraged to see the act of having a cup of joe as something of a gourmet sensory thrill, (thankfully without a pompous price being laid on). The coffees are prepared using elaborate, cutting-edge equipment straight out of an alchemist’s lab: the v60 Copper coffee dripper, the Chemex and Siphon systems.

For those seeking full flavor without the buzz, the store’s espresso coffee range include a rare-to-find decaf made via a high pressure water process that removes caffeine without using any chemicals. The cafe also caters to vegans, offering soy or almond milk for dairy-free froth, as well as several healthy vegetable-based sandwiches and salad options prepared on site. The most unique of these is the light-as-air, activated charcoal focaccia topped with tomato and olives.

‘Sinful’ indulgence is encouraged via a selection of aromatic cocoa-based drinks and handmade chocolate bars like salted caramel and dark chocolate with berries.

The coffee shop also celebrates tea drinking, preparing tea on the spot in a fish bowl-like Largo tea dripper, and selling packaged blends of black and herbal teas from around Greece and the world.

Finally, there is also a wall of glass shelves packed with nuts, berries and dried fruits that can be bought by the kilo. Definitely a welcome stop for zombified shoppers and tourists alike!

Coffee Berry outlets (there are a total of six) can also be found in other Athenian neighborhoods.