From Turkish-style coffee houses and old-line café-patisseries to modern café-bars, Athenians know only one way to enjoy the world’s most popular beverage: slowly and with lots of talk. Although the end of the Italian espresso craze in the late 1990s gave way to a rash of rather bland and uninviting establishments, the capital’s coffee scene has been making something of a comeback in the past few years, with the old-style coffee houses reclaiming ground and new businesses introducing fresh concepts. One of the best cups of java in town can be had at Taf Café on Benaki Street. It is the first café in Greece to adopt the philosophy of specialty coffee by importing quality beans from around the world and roasting them in Athens so that the brews are always fresh and full of their signature aromas. The coffees are prepared by award-winning baristas, while you can also buy beans to take back home.

The area around the Church of Aghia Irini on Aeolou Street has become one of Athens’ hottest hangouts and it is also home to Tailor Made. Decorated in a contemporary urban style, it serves familiar varieties that are roasted in-house, a variety of coffee-based beverages and great cocktails prepared with expertise. It is especially popular with the young crowd so finding a table on a weekend morning may be something of a challenge. After a walk around Varvakeios Market and Evripidou Street, with all its Oriental spice shops and meat delicatessens, an ideal spot for a rest is Harvest, an espresso bar with something of a Spanish air on the bustling Aeolou Street, serving specialty coffee and tapas from the Iberian Peninsula. You won’t find the same coffee every day, but, rather, will taste different varieties from different countries. There is also a large selection of wines and interesting dishes made with Mediterranean ingredients to go before or after a cup of coffee.