30 editor picks across Greece.
30 cafes worth the trip across Greece, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Greece guides.
Kirkor has long sold bougatsa on Lions Square in Heraklion, sweet myzithra or plain custard inside hot phyllo, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar.
OrderBougatsa with sweet myzithra, honey and cinnamon
TipOrder at the counter, take a table on the square, and expect the bougatsa to arrive scalding hot.
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.
TipThe roastery on the bar is also a small retail shop; ask for the morning's single-origin filter.
Phyllosophies has worked Smyrna phyllo on Lions Square in Heraklion since 1922, filling its bougatsa with fresh cream or sweet myzithra to order.
OrderBougatsa with myzithra, honey and walnuts
TipThe recipe traces to a bougatsa master from Smyrna, and the phyllo is still opened by hand every morning.
Roasters Kolektiva is Thessaloniki's leading specialty coffee roastery with five locations across the city. The Sykies flagship doubles as the roastery.
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.
TipThe cold brew is the order; the brunch at weekends pulls a queue from 10:30.
Think Tank is the espresso and wine bar of central Heraklion, a neoclassical room on Idaiou Androu with specialty coffee and Cretan bottles.
OrderThe house espresso, then a glass of Cretan white
TipBook the terrace in advance. The room hosts wine tastings, and the same team runs both counters.
The Neapolis branch of Roasters Kolektiva brings the full single-origin menu and pour-over expertise to a residential neighbourhood north of the centre.
Sortie near the Rotunda is part coffee bar, part wine bar, and part gallery space. At Gounari 20. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
Ypsilon occupies a restored 1868 neoclassical building near Aristotelous Square, splitting its programme between a smoke-free morning coffee room.
The original Elenidis patisserie in Panorama is where the trigona panoramatos was invented: a crisp phyllo triangle filled with cold pastry cream.
Bantis has produced Thessaloniki's cream bougatsa from a marble counter near Dikastirion Square since 1969. At Panagias Faneromenis 33. Booking recommended.
The Blue Cup on Salaminos in Ladadika is the third-wave specialty coffee shop and cocktail bar in a heritage building, with single-origin manual brews.
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.
TipThe pedestrian street outside is the spillover terrace; closed Sundays from October.
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.
TipClosed Sundays; the queue moves fast and the seated counter at the back is the destination.
Kappa is the city's most technically rigorous pour-over specialist, occupying a narrow space near the waterfront. At Dragoumi 5. Booking recommended.
Estrella became a local phenomenon with its bougatsa croissant, a cream-filled phyllo hybrid that sells out by 10am most mornings. At Pavlou Mela 48.
Super Ioulios doubles as a morning coffee spot and an evening natural wine destination on Mitropolitou Gennadiou. At Mitropolitou Gennadiou 6.
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.
TipThe pavement bench faces the Acropolis Museum; closed Sundays in winter.
Lukumades on Aiolou and Agia Irini Square in Athens is the modern loukoumades shop with filled and topped doughnuts and a hipster-leaning counter just steps.
TipThe injected loukoumades with cream are the order; queue runs longest on summer weekends.
Ariston on Voulis behind Syntagma in Athens is the 1910 takeaway-pie bakery where the morning Greek coffee comes alongside the spanakopita on the counter.
TipStand-up counter only; closed Sundays. The morning pies fly out before 10:00.
Granary pours Taf Roastery coffee in central Heraklion, an espresso bar and eatery serving Mediterranean plates and Greek wine by the glass.
OrderFilter coffee and a plate off the day menu
TipOne of the few Heraklion rooms that genuinely works as a cafe, an eatery and a wine stop in turn.
Frankly My Dear is the specialty coffee and brunch room on Karterou in Heraklion, doing freddo espresso, salmon toast with avocado and fresh juices.
OrderSalmon toast with avocado, and a freddo espresso alongside
TipIt sits on Karterou beside Agia Aikaterini square, five minutes uphill from the Agora.
The ground floor cafe of Ergon Agora serves Roasters Kolektiva coffee alongside the full Ergon Greek producer pantry. The morning brunch menu, Greek pastries.
Taxim Hill is the most evocative cafe in Ano Poli, set in a restored Ottoman-era house with views over the Byzantine walls and the city below.
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.
TipThe morning rush ends by 10:30; the lunch sandwich service runs through to 15:00.
Drupes and Drips in Makrygianni near the Acropolis Museum in Athens flips between third-wave coffee in the morning and a spritzeria in the evening.
TipCoffee runs through the morning; the bar flips to spritz and Italian wines from 13:00 onwards.
ML Espresso Bar is a third-wave coffee counter on Eleftherias Square in Heraklion, rotating single-origin beans through espresso and filter.
OrderA filter coffee, whichever origin is on that week
TipA takeaway-first counter on Eleftherias Square, open from seven in the morning until eleven at night.
626 All Day is the city-garden cafe off Idomeneos in Heraklion, open from nine for coffee, brunch plates and a glass of wine after work ends.
OrderBrunch in the garden, with a filter coffee
TipThe garden is the reason to come. Ask for a table outside rather than in the indoor lounge.
Pagopoieion serves coffee under old ice-factory beams on Agios Titos square in Heraklion, with art shows and poetry readings through the week.
OrderMushroom risotto, with a glass off the Cretan list
TipThe old ice factory on Agios Titos square works as breakfast room, lunch stop and wine bar, so time your visit to the mood you want.
Tazza d'Oro brings an Italian approach to espresso on Proxenou Koromila, standing-bar format included. The cornetto and espresso at 07:30 is the shortest.
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