We stopped by KOMNA TRAKA on a sunny Sunday morning, the kind that makes Kypseli’s backstreets hum softly. Just off Patission, this tiny 61-meter lane has always been there – sleepy, unassuming – until recently, when it gave its name to one of the city’s most talked-about new hangouts.
From the outside, nothing screams for attention. A low-key sign, a few tables catching the sun, and that old “Bakery / Patisserie” sign still hanging from the previous tenant – a sweet nod to the past, when the spot was known for its mouse cake. Step inside, though, and there’s that familiar, quietly elegant charm: handmade wooden tables, mosaic floors, a long counter that bridges the interior with the street and an easy warmth that feels both designed and accidental.
We sit outside gazing to the blue tents as they hug the exterior of this urban site that’s nicely hit by the glorious morning sun. Specialty coffee by Area51 is served and alongside it a delicious yoghurt bowl served with shredded mint, hazelnuts and flower honey – top! We also go for the best seller of this place – their grilled cheese sandwich served with strawberry jam.
The playlist doesn’t follow trends – no predictable background buzz. You might catch Hadjidakis or something equally nostalgic or start dancing to more electronic beats after the sun goes down. It’s that kind of place: the details are small, but they matter.
By the time we left, the tables outside were full — young couples, locals, someone reading a book alone.
On a different night, we start with a Negroni, beautifully balanced and served with olives and marinated anchovies – a pairing so simple yet so spot-on it could only come from people who care. The pork neck wrap was juicy and perfectly spiced, wrapped in pita with yogurt dressing and tomato. The tuna melt, buttery and decadent, hit that comforting note we didn’t know we needed. And for something lighter, the homemade chicken bites were crisp, golden, and gone in seconds.
The menu moves effortlessly from coffee to cocktails, with a few Greek wines and craft beers tucked in. Nothing extravagant — just things done well, in tune with the space and the people around it.
Behind KOMNA TRAKA are four friends – Marios Papachatzis, Antonis Voglis, Dimitris Louras and Marios Nikoli – who’ve spent years in hospitality but wanted something real, something that would feel like part of the neighborhood rather than a concept imported into it. With chef Stavros Syggros at the helm, the food follows that same ethos: humble, thoughtful, quietly good.
KOMNA TRAKA doesn’t try too hard, and maybe that’s its charm. It just flows – like the street it sits on – a small lane that finally found its rhythm.
