The university and anarchist quarter with Athinaikon, Mama Tierra and Taf Coffee, where political graffiti, bookshops and ouzeri counters share the same blocks.
Athinaikon on Themistokleous is the Exarchia ouzeri of record in Athens, opened in 1932 and moved to its current corner in 1989 with vintage decor intact.
Signature: Shrimp saganaki, Marides, Aubergine in oil
Order: The shrimp saganaki, a plate of marides and a carafe of tsipouro from Tyrnavos.
Tip: The Mitropoleos sister room is the modern outpost; the Themistokleous original is the destination.
Athinaikon on Themistokleous is the Exarchia ouzeri of record in Athens, an institution opened in 1932 that moved to its current corner in 1989 with vintage.
Signature: Shrimp saganaki, Marides, Aubergine in oil
Order: The shrimp saganaki, a plate of marides and a carafe of tsipouro from Tyrnavos.
Tip: The Mitropoleos sister room is the modern outpost; the Themistokleous original is the destination.
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.
Signature drink: Single-origin espresso, Rosebud house blend
Tip: The roastery on the bar is also a small retail shop; ask for the morning's single-origin filter.
The Black Salami in Exarchia Athens is the microbakery of Antonis Kazakos and Bruno Pezzia, three daily sourdoughs, focaccia and Roman flatbreads with flour.
Tip: The open kitchen at the back is the show; pastrami sandwich on the day's focaccia is the lunch order.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaf with Bongiovanni Italian flour
Taf Coffee on Emmanouil Benaki is the Athens third-wave roastery from 2009, an in-house roaster and cafe with the Rosebud house blend on espresso.
Tip: Wholesale beans across many Athens cafes; ask for the seasonal single-origin to take home.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Warehouse on Valtetsiou in Exarchia, Athens is the corner all-day wine room of the quarter, with morning coffee, an all-day menu and a deep cellar of Greek.
Signature pour: A glass of orange wine from Santorini
Wine focus: Natural Greek growers, Exarchia wine room
Food: Charcuterie and small plates
Tip: Open daily from morning coffee through late-night wine; the Valtetsiou pavement tables fill first.
Kallidromiou in Exarchia is the Saturday farmers' market that Athens runs, on the FT World's Best list, a Strefi-Hill-edge street market with seasonal fruit.
Tip: Most stalls are cash only; the spillover from Strefi Hill end has the best honey vendors.
Athens International Food Film Festival runs three July nights at Cine Anesis with food documentaries, chef pop-ups and wine pairings outdoors.
Tip: The gala dinner with rotating chefs sells out first; the screening-only passes still include the wine tasting in the courtyard.
Telion on Ithakis in Kypseli is the audiophile bar inside the former Telion patisserie, with an elegant wooden interior, a vinyl and CD listening programme.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; the music programme leans jazz, afro and disco. Victoria Metro L1 is the nearest stop; the room is small, arrive early.
Au Revoir on Patision Avenue in Kypseli has run since 1958 as the city's oldest cocktail bar, an Aristomenis Provelegios interior unchanged.
Tip: Cash-only bar; the green-leather banquettes and the original 1950s decor are intact. Victoria Metro L1 is the closest stop; the room is small, arrive early.
Off the Chain on Zoodochou Pigis in Exarchia is the indie after-hours bar that opens after the rest of the neighbourhood closes, with heavy rock.
Tip: Doors after the other Exarchia bars close; the rock-and-metal programme runs to dawn. Cash bar is faster; Omonia Metro is the closest stop.