With a long history of Athenian life, Kypseli is the epitome of a neighbourhood that offers a lively environment, bringing people closer to each other on everyday life. Its present is equally adorable as after going through a rough patch Kypseli is now getting more hip and lively by the minute. Here’s why!
I first visited Kypseli in the early 2010s on random weekdays when going to the theatre. The area around Patission Avenue is full of theatre venues that were once boasting the best of Athenian nights with the city’s bourgeoisie making it the coolest spot. Mind you this is back in the 60s and 70s as commerce is flourishing on Patission Avenue, nightlife is buzzing and Athens overall is attracting more and more residents from the province.
Over the course of the next few years, there were many occasions either for coffee, visiting the Central Municipal Market or trying a new restaurant. Bauhaus, post-modern and art nouveau buildings always made me look up when walking in the island-named streets of this area and adore the architecture from back in the days.
On weekday mornings when the schedule allows I will swing by Williwaw on Kerkyras street for a specialty coffee to go and most likely not resist the temptation of their soft-baked oatmeal cookies. If there’s more time to spare and can work remotely for a couple of hours, then I’ll definitely make it to Ano Kypseli’s Mellem for a more homey vibe and great coffee! Their sandwiches are also a treat as they source bread from Flake close to the Central Market. Pavlos Tsiolekas, a pastry chef that made it through Instagram, also provides them with daily specials such as the delicious cardamom bun and the finger-licking chocolate babka.
Homey vibes, great coffee and delicious treats at Mellem
The area around the pedestrian street of Fokionos Negri is indeed interesting as you can see how different cultural backgrounds come together out in the cafés and pocket parks. If you want to grab a bite and try something different, Marili serves a delicious khachapuri, the original Georgian cheese pie, that she bakes daily in her stone oven on Agias Zonis street. For a more complete and wholesome meal, you can head to Geitonia that serves home-cooked dishes on a daily basis.
Otherwise, head north to the outskirts of Kypseli for a fully blown meal at the traditional taverna of Axotis. The place is known for their french fries (on which much has been written over the years since the 1960s) and serves an amazing bunch of meze including their infamous lamb chops!
Marili’s infamous Georgian khachapuri cheese pie
Despite Kypseli’s narrow streets that are always packed with parked cars, when the sun is out it’s amazing to walk in the area. The sun hits the facades of the numerous bauhaus, post-modern and art nouveau buildings making them a beautiful spectacle, alongside the numerous faces of this mutli-cultural neighbourhood sitting in the colorful stools and chairs around the numerous cafés and shops. If you want more green, then make your way to Pedion tou Areos for a nice walk inside this vast city park.
At night, the tempo gets a bit more upbeat at Eprepe wine bar that serves delicate treats alongside a well-stocked winelist. More classic cocktails are served at Izznogood & Nephew with a 70s allure and great vinyl tracks on the speakers of this tiny 20sq.m. bar. The place may be relatively new but DJ Iznogood is not a stranger to the people of Kypseli. With a long standing presence at various bars in Athens, including bar guru bar, Giannis Georgoulas finally opened a place of his own (now with his nephew who is also spinning decks occasionaly).
For the afterhours, you’d have to dig a bit deeper and head south of Patission Avenue to APOTEKA. Stefanos Konidaris (an old timer from Use Bar on Karytsi square) launched this alternative 70s-80s place in 2022 that has attracted many accolades from those that know how to party.
See
- Pedion tou Areos – huge park with cycle paths & churches, plus busts of war heroes & a statue of Athena.
- Kypseli Central Market – bright, casual shopping plaza offering a variety of retailers & services in airy quarters.
- Fokionos Negri street – pedestrian street full of cafés and little shops that is bustling with life from locals.
Eat/Drink
- Lisa Athens – cool pizza place for tasty bites on the go, founded by one of the crew of Sotiris Kontizas’ team from Proveleggios. Try their Marinara pizza if you like tomato and certainly the Pepperoni one if you dare a bit more spice!
- Axotis – renown traditional taverna for their french fries and their finger-licking ribs. Read our full review here
- Ouzeri tou Laki – casual seafood meze place in the far end of a pedestrian street close to Patission Avenue
- Lesvion – classic seafood meze taverna in the outskirts of Kypseli close to Galatsi
- Klassikon (O Giorgos) – one of the best souvlaki spots in town that was recently renamed. Grab one or two to go and you can thank us later!
- Marili – Georgian bakery that serves an amazing khachapuri
- Mpozas – famous for their pasta amygdalou (almond dessert)
The traditional taverna of Axotis in the outskirts of Kypseli
Delicious pizza at Lisa Athens
- Mellem – brand new specialty coffee spot, also dubbing as a drinks place at night serving natural wine and craft beer. Read our full review here
- Williwaw Café & Canteen – nice specialty coffee on Kerkyras street
- KICK – specialty coffee spot that also dubs as a retail/art space. Flake nextdoor offers high quality baked goods in the morning. Read our full review here
- Village – classic coffee and drinks spot in the square of Saint George
- Φridda Γρικ Μπιστρο – quiet coffee place
- Eprepe bar – one of the best bars in Kypseli, also serving creative bites to share
- Au Revoir Bar – lengendary bar on Patision Avenue, great for a whiskey or two in the cold winter nights
- APOTEKA – hip crowd and casual, budget drinks in the outskirts of Kypseli
- Iznogood & Nephew – old fashioned bar on the pedestrian street of Agias Zonis
