Wander around Athens, and like Cyprus, you will not find good coffee.
The times they are a changing, excellent coffee as in Cyprus is starting to make an appearance.
I had walked around The Acropolis. Arrived at Thislo, a Metro Station I did not know. I thought maybe one of the coffee shops I was looking for was nearby. I had walked past it. I back tracked.
A fairly nondescript building, no name, nothing to indicate the delights inside.
Like Taylor Made, ultra trendy. I later learnt same designer.
Multi level, a roastery below, serving area, various brew methods, railway sleepers as a table. Standart and Drift available to browse. Not on sale.
I had never heard of Drift before, let alone come across. It is very much like Standart, high quality writing on art and coffee culture, only each issue devoted to a single city. At $22 an issue, roughly twice the cost of Standart, expensive.
Also on display trophies for World Championship in Coffee in Good Spirits. This year they came second, previous two years they won. Different baristas, but incredible for one coffee shop.
I found myself chatting to the guy who came second.
In June I was chatting to the guy who won, Martin Hudak.
He recommended I visit Taf, and a coffee shop beyond Taf called Mr Bean.
I ordered a cappuccino. Excellent.
As at Taylor Made, no saucer, served with a glass with a spoon.
This I queried. It was as I guessed, lack of a saucer, somewhere to put the spoon.
The Underdog offer a cold brew which strictly speaking is not a cold brew. Brewed in a Chemex, poured into bottles, stored in a fridge to chill. In essence a variant of Japanese iced coffee, where instantly chilled with ice in the carafe, but not cold brew.
The Underdog supply coffee to other coffee shops, but as with Square Mile in London, exact high standards if you wish to use their coffee.
At the weekend from Acropoli Metro Station, stroll along Dionysiou Areopagitou, it runs between the Museum and The Acropolis. Do not visit The Acropolis at weekends, too crowded. Then turn around to the right along Apostolou Pavlou. At weekends lined with stalls and musicians. It also leads a back way into Agora of Athens. Past a few cafes and bars, then more stalls. Eventually a Metro station reached. Backtrack to the bars and restaurants, and take a turning to the right for The Underdog. Easily missed as a nondescript building on the outside.
Tags: Athens, coffee, The Underdog, Thislo
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