Coffee is part of Greek culture, and during the months that turn from warm to hot, Greeks are known for spending hours tasting iced coffee. Whether it's "a cup in the morning, a refreshing day," a cup of afternoon coffee, or a stroll on the beach, there's always a cup of iced coffee that accompanies the Greek summer.
A day in Greece begins with a cup of strong and sweet coffee. Pour the finely ground coffee into a copper pot with a handle, add a tablespoon of sugar, pour hot water, then heat it on a stove, and after boiling, skillfully remove the foam from the upper layer and pour it into the cup. Coffee powder and granulated sugar sink into the bottom of the cup to form a thick sweet syrup, which is the favorite of the Greeks.
Greek coffee originated in Arabia and has a strong flavor. Traditional Greek coffee does not use filter paper or strainers, but is cooked in a small, classical long-handled copper pot called briki. This pot is very heavy, but the brewed coffee tastes better, and most people who like this copper pot will say so, of course, with thick cream. Serve the coffee in a small cup, and it should not be drunk to the bottom, and the bottom of the cup must always have a layer of residue. Whether as a foil for conversation or to help you think deeply, this is the most Greek way to start your day.
The Greeks were a people who liked to drink coffee. Greeks have a lot of time and live a leisurely life, so Greek cafes abound. There are three types of Greek coffee: Frappé - iced coffee, Freddo Espresso - espresso iced coffee, Freddo Cappuccino - ice cappuccino.
Frappé - Iced coffee
The earliest iced coffee in Greece was iced coffee made from instant coffee (Nescafe), water, sugar and condensed milk. In 1957, Nestlé representative Dimitris Vakondios accidentally invented smoothies in Thessaloniki, which you can now find throughout Greece.
There are three sweetnesses to choose from, depending on the amount of sugar used, and most importantly, each category will have its own name, you should remember it!
1. Glykos, is "very sweet", the ratio is 2 teaspoons of coffee and 4 teaspoons of sugar
2. Métrios, is "moderate sweetness", the ratio is 2 teaspoons of coffee and 2 teaspoons of sugar
3. Skétos, is "original", the ratio is 2 teaspoons of coffee, unsweetened
All categories can be added with condensed milk or without. Sometimes, ice coffee is not watered and replaced with milk.
Freddo Espresso - Espresso
The most recent popular coffee in the Greek coffee world is Freddo coffee, which can be bought with espresso or cappuccino. Freddo espresso is basically a cup of hot espresso poured into a metal can. Then stir with a few ice cubes with an electric blender, adding sugar during the mixing process. The temperature contrast between hot and cold depends on how much signature foam is produced when mixed.
Freddo Cappuccino - Ice Cappuccino
Iced cappuccino is a lot like iced espresso with a lovely creamy lather on top, and if you like to put milk in your coffee, this one is for you. Its foam is created by putting some ice cubes in a glass and then pouring enough evaporated milk to cover the ice cubes. Stir with a blender or tamper until a very fluffy milk foam appears.
As for which flavor to drink, it's all up to you, take your time and try it!
In Larissa, a city with the title of coffee capital in Greece, whether it is to wake up with an early morning coffee or to be accompanied by coffee throughout the day, in Tachydromeon Square, the ancient theater or Ppakyriazi Street, it is the best way to punch in the city of coffee.
Basically, for the local residents of Larissa, there are only two ways to enjoy coffee, one is to take it away immediately, and the other is to sit in the warm sunshine and taste it quietly when the weather is good. People here drink at least three cups of coffee a day, and no one sits quietly at home drinking coffee, coffee has become the social way of the people of Larissa, everyone drinks coffee in public by default, so the café has become the most important scene in this small town.
Research data show that the inhabitants of Larissa are almost the largest coffee consumers in Greece. Yiannis Biotis, head of the local association that represents the owners of cafes and restaurants, said that "while there is no guarantee that Larissaians drink more coffee than Greeks elsewhere," the people here do drink a lot of coffee each year, as the city has 680 cafes with only about 160,000 inhabitants.
Three coffee chains in Larissa have now expanded across Greece, the most famous of which is Mikel, which has opened branches in London and Dubai in addition to the Greek mainland. Two other Bruno and De-Tox stores will also start in Athens, while the Larissa Coffee Festival is on the agenda.
In this way, Larissa has become the leading city in Greece in the field of coffee, so we bring you a few Larissa local café recommendations, which are definitely worth a good place! If you want to say which places in foreign countries will let you directly understand the local people's life fireworks, if the vegetable market is the first, the café is the second.
KUBRICK: Stop clicking Frappe
A selection of coffee bean varieties from small farms, at KUBRICK, it's all about coffee quality and extraction. There's absolutely no Frappe (Greek iced coffee) on the menu here, and Chief Barista Fotini Vouga says people are learning to embrace the new and start experimenting with the richer varieties of coffee we offer here.
The interior spaces are paved with wooden floors and stone walls, making it look stylish and comfortable. The table at the edge of the square, combined with specialty coffees and a variety of high-quality beverages, makes this one of the city's most popular meeting points. In addition to being a café, KUBRICK is also the first professional cocktail bar in Larissa, where the bartenders are hospitable and hosts an annual "bar punch card" event (7-13 May), which attracts some of Europe's best bartenders to perform. So, as you might think, KUBRICK is definitely a café worth a full day!
Address: Kubrick, 12 Protopapadaki,
Phone: 697.445.6789
LAS RAMBLAS: Perfect for brunch
If there is a strong brunch in Larissa, it must be called LAS RAMBLAS!
Pancakes, scrambled eggs with salmon or ham, Eggs Benedict, high-quality sandwiches and delicious desserts make up a premium menu at this perfect brunch spot.
Out of a love of brunch, owners Thanos Kobogiannopoulos, Kostas Letsios and Achilleas Papahatzis became the first restaurateurs in Larissa to focus on breakfast and brunch, and their shop has become one of the hottest restaurants on La Ramblas. Today, they serve about 500 breakfasts a day, and most of those orders end up being photographed by guests and uploaded to social media. On Sundays, in addition to à la carte dishes, you can also enjoy a special Sunday buffet with six main courses and three desserts, the restaurant is decorated in a tough industrial style, and the outdoor table is also equipped to satisfy the alfresco dining guests. At the same time, there's a premium and rare one-piece coffee, paired with a chocolate muffin that's the perfect Brunch for the weekend! Address: Las Ramblas, 8 Apollonos,
Phone: 2411.1103.90
KLIMAX: A great experience of combining jazz and reading
It's not only famous for its coffee, but also for its strategic location on the Venizelou pedestrian street opposite the ancient theater, making it now a very famous cultural space in Larissa.
KLIMAX is divided into two floors, the first floor is a café and bar, and the second floor is a comfortable reading corner and work space. Small concerts or other cultural events are usually held in the evenings, and the roof garden and terrace are also common venues for their cultural and entertainment events.
There are nearly 550 wines to choose from, and the high-quality, one-piece coffee paired with fresh desserts is a timeless home for regulars. Here, reading, working, tasting wine, drinking coffee, listening to jazz, all activities are branded with KLIMAX, unique and timeless.
Address: Klimax, 2 Ifestou and Venizelou,
Phone: 2410.2511.08
Seeing this, are coffee lovers a little moved? Greece is not only beautiful, Greek coffee is also worth exploring and tasting, the heart is not as good as action, after the end of the epidemic hurry to Greece!