The kafeneio is Greece's traditional café. Every village has at least one, usually on the main square beside the church, in the shade of a plane tree. For centuries it was the centre of social life: where men met, read the paper, argued about politics and harvests, struck deals and played games.
A little history
Coffee houses came to the Greek world with the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. Under Turkish rule kafenia were also places for conspiracy and news; after independence they became informal political party headquarters, so in many villages each party had "its" kafenio. Many kafenio names still recall history or the owner.
What it looks like
The furniture is plain and often a little worn: wooden chairs with woven rush seats, metal or marble tables, a counter with a burner for coffee, a television for the football, yellowed photos on the walls. In summer everything moves outdoors into the square or onto the pavement. The owner, the kafetzis, knows every customer and their habits.
What people drink
- Greek coffee, made in a briki: sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet).
- Ouzo or tsipouro with a little plate of mezedes: olives, tomato, cheese, dried octopus.
- Tsai tou vounou, mountain tea, and vissinada, sour cherry syrup.
- Nowadays also frappé and freddo espresso.
Tavli, cards and komboloi
The kafenio game par excellence is tavli, backgammon, played at astonishing speed to the sharp clatter of dice and counters slapped on the board. Cards are played too, prefa and kontsina. Many men click a komboloi, a string of beads with no religious meaning, used to pass the time and calm the nerves.
Men and women
The traditional kafenio was long a male space: women did not go in except in passing. Things are changing, and in towns and resorts kafenia are for everyone. Women traditionally had other meeting places, such as the church, the bakery and the fountain.
The kafenio today
In cities the traditional kafenio has given way to modern coffee shops with music and sofas, where young people spend hours over a freddo espresso. But many old kafenia survive, and some have been rediscovered and restored by young owners, becoming fashionable places that also serve traditional dishes. On the islands the harbour kafenio is the best place to wait for the ferry.
See also eating out in Greece and Greek society.