Taf Coffee on Emmanouil Benaki in Exarchia is the founding Athens third-wave coffee bar from 2009, an in-house roastery with the Rosebud blend as the daily espresso.
Tip: The roastery on the bar is also a small retail shop; ask for the morning's single-origin filter.
Address: Emmanouil Mpenaki 7, Athina 106 78, Greece, Athens
The Underdog on Iraklidon in Thissio Athens is the third-wave coffee bar and micro-roastery from 2011, in a restored neoclassical building with a brunch carte at weekends.
Signature drink: Cold brew and weekend brunch in a neoclassical building
Tip: The cold brew is the order; the brunch at weekends pulls a queue from 10:30.
Mind the Cup on Aimiliou Veaki in Peristeri Athens is a specialty coffee roastery and bar on a pedestrian street, a third-wave Athens destination outside the centre.
Signature drink: Single-origin espresso and filter from in-house roastery
Tip: The pedestrian street outside is the spillover terrace; closed Sundays from October.
Little Tree on Kavalloti in Koukaki is the small bookshop café near the Acropolis Museum in Athens, a quiet room with filter coffee, handmade sweets and Greek titles.
Signature drink: Filter coffee and handmade sweets
Tip: The pavement bench faces the Acropolis Museum; closed Sundays in winter.
Kostarelos in Kolonaki Athens is the dine-in dairy of three generations of cheesemakers, where morning espresso comes with a cheese sandwich and a Kolonaki view.
Signature drink: Espresso with the morning cheese-sandwich counter
Tip: The morning rush ends by 10:30; the lunch sandwich service runs through to 15:00.
Krinos on Aiolou in central Athens has fried loukoumades on the same recipe and decor since 1923, a sit-down counter for the doughnut with honey and a Greek coffee.
Signature drink: Loukoumades with honey, Greek coffee
Tip: Closed Sundays; the queue moves fast and the seated counter at the back is the destination.
Lukumades on Aiolou and Agia Irini Square in Athens is the modern loukoumades shop with filled and topped doughnuts in a hipster-leaning counter near Monastiraki.
Signature drink: Filled and topped loukoumades with espresso
Tip: The injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
