Drinking coffee in Thessaloniki — a way of life

It is a fact that Thessaloniki is famous for its coffee shops and coffee culture. The people here are obsessed with their coffee. That is a great thing for a city to be known for.

To people who visit Thessaloniki it is strange to see how full the cafés are, even during the work hours. At every table you can see a group of friends happily chatting and sipping their frappes. Drinking coffee in Thessaloniki is a social activity, you don’t just grab an espresso or a latte and jump off to work. The right way to drink coffee in Thessaloniki is in a laidback atmosphere with your friends, chatting about politics, or sports, or gossip, or anything you feel like talking.

People of Thessaloniki are well known for their laid back attitude, and even infamous for always leaving the work for latter, for after they finish their coffee. While this is not entirely true, people here also work hard as everybody else, they seem to resist the frenzy rhythm of work the Athenians have started to accept.

As for the types of coffees that people like the most. The favorite certainly is the frappe, it is even considered the national coffee. It is a sensational frothy mixture of coffee, sugar, water, and ice. The coffee, sugar and water are first mixed with a shaker then added over the ice and topped with milk and some optional flavors. Thessaloniki is the birthplace of frappe. It was invented by accident in 1957 at the International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki. The representative of the Nestlé Company was exhibiting a new product for children, a chocolate beverage produced instantly by mixing it with milk and shaking it in a shaker. He was looking for a way to have his usual instant coffee during his break but he could not find any hot water, so he mixed the coffee with cold water and ice cubes in a shaker. This improvised experiment established this popular Greek beverage.

Turkish coffee is also popular, better known in Greece as the Greek coffee. Nowadays it is less popular than frappe. But it is lighter and, therefore, healthier than frappe and many people prefer it. If you think that Greek coffee is too small, you can always order a double.

Espresso and cappuccino are also very popular, and you can order them everywhere. So no need to worry if you are not a fan of experimenting with your coffee. But if you are, espresso freddo and cappuccino freddo are good alternatives to espresso and cappuccino, especially in the hot summer days.

Coffee shops can be found all over Thessaloniki and they are open from 9 or 10 am up until late at night. They are busy even on weekdays. Coffee in Thessaloniki center is not cheap, at €3,50–4,50 for a frappe at the city center and a bit lower prices on less prominent places. Don’t worry about ordering, the staff always speaks English and menus are on English and Greek.

Finally, most important tip for drinking coffee in Thessaloniki. Don’t be in a hurry, relax, lay back and enjoy your frappe one sip at a time.

This article was brought to you by Zaliki Boutique Hotel Thessaloniki