Cafeography
Athens · Syntagma & Plaka

Cafés in Syntagma & Plaka

Parliament square, the lanes of Plaka and Anafiotika, and old sweet shops on Voulis.

Photo: Shir Danieli, Pexels License

Syntagma (Σύνταγμα, constitution) takes its name from the constitution King Otto was forced to grant after the uprising of 3 September 1843; until then it was Palace Square.1 The Old Royal Palace across Amalias Avenue has housed the Greek Parliament since 1934.1

Plaka (Πλάκα) covers the northeast slope of the Acropolis between Syntagma and Monastiraki, and is called the oldest district of Athens, inhabited without a break since the Neolithic period.2 Its cafés split two ways: office streets around the square, such as Voulis, Panepistimiou and Voukourestiou, and the pedestrian lanes of Plaka, where many tables sit outdoors.

Local tip: The Evzones change guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every hour; George Cafe at Othonos 10, beside the square, opens at 06:30 on weekdays for a coffee beforehand.1

At a glance

138Cafés listed
8With opening hours
06:30Earliest opening
01:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Coffee tree cafe, from 06:30 (Mon–Fri 06:30–20:00 · Sat 07:30–15:00 · Sun Closed).
  • Closes latest: Βρυσσακι, until 01:00 (Daily 09:00–01:00).
  • Most listed streets: Κοραή (2).
  • Most common features: outdoor seating (15%), wi-fi (9%), partial wheelchair access (9%).

Coffee tree cafe

  • Μασσαλίας 14
  • Mon–Fri 06:30–20:00 · Sat 07:30–15:00 · Sun Closed
  • +30 21 0361 3313
  • Partial wheelchair access
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Coffee chains in Syntagma & Plaka

Getting to Syntagma and Plaka

Syntagma metro station, beneath the square, is where Lines 2 and 3 meet, and the Athens Tram has its northern terminus beside it.1 Adrianou, the largest street in Plaka, divides it into Ano Plaka above and Kato Plaka below.2 Anafiotika, a Cycladic-style enclave under the Acropolis, was built by settlers from the island of Anafi during King Otto’s reign.2

In front of Parliament, the Presidential Guard changes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every hour. On certain days a ceremonial version with an army band and most of the 120 Evzones takes place at 11:00.1

Old addresses around the square

Athénée, at Voukourestiou 9, opened as Zonar’s in 1939 and has been a hangout for well-heeled Athenians since; it took its current name in 2019 after a restoration that kept its retro glamour.3

Voulis Street keeps two old sweet shops. Aristokratikon at Voulis 7, founded in 1928, sells chocolates, truffles and loukoumia, and Mitropolitikon at Voulis 39, from 1930, makes almond baklava and quince jelly.4

Specialty bars between the square and Plaka

Δύο γουλιές & δύο μπουκιές (two sips and two bites), at Dragatsaniou 8, has been run by Nikos and Tânia Anemos since 2016 and serves flat whites and a filter coffee with honey.5 Tailor Made, by Agia Irini Square, roasts its coffee on the premises.6

Third Place, at Apollonos 23, pours coffee from the Athenian roaster Ofellia and sells sculptures and ceramics alongside; it opens 08:00–22:00 from Monday to Saturday.7

Plaka lanes and Anafiotika

Plaka’s cafés are smaller and often outdoors. Κλεψύδρα (Klepsýdra, water clock), at Thrasyvoulou 9 by Anafiotika, opens 09:00–01:00 daily, as does Βρυσάκι (Vryssáki) at Vrysakiou 17, on the Monastiraki side. Κιμωλία (Kimolía, chalk), an art café at Ypereidou 5, keeps books for customers to read and plays piano music in the background.8

The name Plaka first belonged only to the area around the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, which locals once called the Kandili, the lantern of Demosthenes.2

Office hours around the square

Near the square, George Cafe at Othonos 10 and Coffee tree cafe at Massalias 14 open at 06:30 on weekdays, and Aioli on Nikis opens at 07:00 and stays open until 22:00. Public cafe, at Karageorgi Servias 1, runs 09:00–00:00 from Monday to Saturday.

Several cafés here combine Wi-Fi with outdoor tables: Il Gufo on Stadiou, Tazza d’oro at Petraki 4 and Twinks Peaks at Voulis 45. A section of the Peisistratian aqueduct is on display at the square.1

Sources

  1. Syntagma Square, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Plaka, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  3. Athens’ grande olde dame has a name change (17 June 2019), Athens Insider, accessed October 2026
  4. Historic Athenian pastry shops, This is Athens, accessed October 2026
  5. 9 Great Coffee Shops in Athens (Daryl and Mindi Hirsch, updated 23 July 2026), 2foodtrippers, accessed October 2026
  6. The Athens Coffee Guide (28 February 2018), The Coffeevine, accessed October 2026
  7. Tour Four of the Best Cafés in Athens, Greece (Michaela Tomchek, 28 May 2025), Barista Magazine, accessed October 2026
  8. 4+1 καφέ για διάβασμα, ακόμη και εργασία (15 October 2021), iefimerida.gr, accessed October 2026
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In Syntagma & Plaka, also browse: Specialty coffee Outdoor seating Wi-Fi Open late Brunch

FAQ

Syntagma & Plaka cafés: questions

How often is the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square in Athens?

The Presidential Guard changes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in front of Parliament on Syntagma Square, every hour. On certain days a ceremonial version with an army band and most of the 120 Evzones takes place at 11:00. Syntagma metro station, where Lines 2 and 3 meet, is beneath the square.

What happened to Zonar’s café in Syntagma, Athens?

Zonar’s opened in 1939 at Voukourestiou 9 and became a hangout for well-heeled Athenians. After a restoration that kept its retro glamour, it took the name Athénée in 2019. Nearby on Voulis Street, Aristokratikon (1928) and Mitropolitikon (1930) still sell chocolates, loukoumia and almond baklava.

Where can you get specialty coffee near Syntagma and Plaka in Athens?

Δύο γουλιές & δύο μπουκιές at Dragatsaniou 8, run by Nikos and Tânia Anemos since 2016, serves flat whites and filter coffee with honey. Tailor Made roasts on the premises by Agia Irini Square, and Third Place at Apollonos 23 pours coffee from the Athenian roaster Ofellia, 08:00–22:00 Monday to Saturday.

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