History and development of the Greek Coffee Culture

There are countries that have developed unique coffee cultures that have influenced the international reality of coffee, such as Italy. Although Greece does not claim such laurels, it has over the years developed its own special coffee culture!

We all know that coffee has always been very popular in Greece - our country is among the top fifteen per capita consumption of coffee all over the world, as coffee consumption in our country reaches 5.5 kg per person per year. The roots of coffee in Greece are very deep back in time, while the particular forms we took our favorite drink in Greece, as well as the special habits we have developed around it, are of particular interest. Such habits have not only to do with the preparation and the consumption of coffee, but also with the cultural and social importance gradually gained by the coffee for the Greeks, which is still important.

 - From "Turkish" to the Greek Coffee

The first contact of the Greeks with coffee dates back to the years when Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire. As in the rest of the Ottoman Empire, so in Greece, the traditional preparation of coffee in the briquette (what we now know as "Greek coffee") has spread since the 19th century, perhaps even earlier. In Greece, as in the rest of the Balkan countries, this coffee has remained the protagonist for decades, almost until the end of the Second World War. Although already ever more often ordered as "Greek" and not as "Turkish", the invasion of Cyprus and its tense, hostile relations with Greece’s neighbors catalyzed the adoption of the name "Greek Coffee", which was accomplished through targeted advertising campaigns.

Greek coffee, with its 48 (!) different preparations, its unique aroma and its ... special fortune telling qualities, was the most popular beverage since the creation of the Greek state until the Second World War, so it began to get slowly and gradually unpopular , but has yet to lay the foundations for the development of the first pillar of Greek coffee culture: the “kafeneio”.

- Kafeneio, Pastry Shop and Kafeteria : The temples of Greek Coffee Culture

The first form of shop serving coffee in Greece was without a doubt the “kafeneio”. The first coffee houses were located in Greece since the last years of the Ottoman domination and they served Greek coffee, drinks and some sweets. Despite the years that passed, the coffee shops did not grow very much, as they remained plain and simple, which almost exclusively engage in men's audience and remained faithful to the original requirements of coffee, without any innovations - that is, more or less, the traditional coffee shops that survive to this day.

As the traditional cafes did not attract women, but not even the Greeks of the top economic classes, from the late 19th century onwards, more luxurious cafés, with a more European orientation and more appetite for innovation, began to appear. These bourgeois cafes, as well as cafeterias, to which women were also frequent, actually put the seed for the further development of coffee in Greece and in the 1960s they will evolve into “cafeterias”: the modern coffee shops that are addressed in the youngsters and serving all kinds of beverages. Traditional “kafeneia” still survive along with “kafeterias”, while in recent years the coffee chains that open stores everywhere have been strengthened, making it an easy choice for a quick coffee.

Greek coffee shops are indicative of the place coffee occupies in everyday life of the Greeks. For most of us, coffee is not just a drink but a reason for going out with friends. It is typical that, unlike the bars of the Italian espresso bars, Greek cafes and cafes always have tables, as a cup of coffee with friends lasts for an average of one and a half to two hours in Greece - sometimes even more. It is no coincidence that the most common proposal for appointment, marking the beginning of a new relationship, a new friendship or just a new social touch, is the question of "shall we go for a cup of coffee?” For this reason, coffee may have been so deeply rooted in the everyday life of the Greeks, beyond its taste and its other qualities: it is a coherent element in creating a companion, an occasion for socialization and the cheapest, easier entertainment.

- From Greek Coffee to Frape

In the late 1950s, an easy, instant coffee came to compete  Greek coffee. Dimitris Vakondios at the 1957 International Fair of Thessaloniki mixes instant coffee with cold water, ice cubes, sugar and milk and creates the frappe that will monopolize the preferences of the male audiance and the youngsters in general by the late 1980s. and is considered to be a typical Greek delicacy, indicative of the  Greek coffee culture (which he also influenced as it is consumed too late, making coffee consumption even more time consuming), it has became unpopular, and does not seem to easily retrieve the oldest glories.

 - Εspresso & Cappuccino : From Italy's Espresso Bars to Greek Cafeterias

Although the introduction of espresso in Greece was quite early, since there were hangouts of artists, secular and intellectuals who served espresso in the 1950s, what was delayed enough in Greece was its widespread dissemination. Until the 1990s, espresso and cappuccino in Greece were the case of a limited group of people, but the landscape changed sharply and quickly espresso and cappuccino were popular with the general public. Two Greek variants, Freddo Espresso and Freddo Cappuccino, which combined the rich taste of espresso with the Greek need for frozen, refreshing drinks, contributed catalytically to the unpopularization of frappe and to the almost universal adoption of espresso as well as all beverages relyed on it. Espresso became the new favorite Greek habit, whether we are talking about espresso, cappuccino or even their frozen versions.

 - Coming to today

In the early years of the 21st century, the Greek coffee scene is more plural than ever. It is a fact that in our country has developed a highly informed and demanding audience, who is always looking, reading, trying and having a view on the coffee he drinks. The innovations and habits of the "Third Wave" of coffee have found a good ground in Greece, and the whole debate that has developed around coffee always leads to more choices for the consumer, but also to the improvement of the services provided. The only thing that has not changed is the core of Greek coffee culture: coffee is time consuming, it's a simple and everyday entertainment and is always enjoyed with friends, whether it's an old-fashioned frappe or a quality Italian espresso. The only sure thing, with as many changes as it may come, is that we will always continue to enjoy our coffee!