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 decor.
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 espresso.
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.
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 and a retail shop.
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 growers.
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 and fish.
Tip: Most stalls are cash only; the spillover from Strefi Hill end has the best honey vendors.