Coffee Deflation

There are still many cafeterias in Athens that are offering a cappuccino for 4.50 euro and more, here is Gregoris here is a clear sign of deflation. It started as a temporary offer and now it is permanent. A small cup of cappuccino is now one euro, down from 1.80!
It is unavoidable phenomenon and for me who lived the same in Japan for several years it is not a good sign unfortunately.

Espresso @ Alea

Having eaten at Vincenzo in Glyfada, we needed espresso. We could of course drink one in Vincenzo, but the table we got wasn't so good that it wasn't worthwhile to stay longer.

There are many cafeterias in Glyfada, especially in Zisimopoulou Street, but I find them too noisy and busy. That is why we settled at Alea.

Alea is a patisserie with eat-in space. They have branches in Psychiko and Kolonaki as well.



I would have loved to order some sweet, but we were too full after the carbohydrate celebration at Vincenzo. We just had 2 espressi.



Coffees were very good. I did not particularly like the butterly cookies they gave us as an accompaniment, but it is just a small detail. We liked also the water provided with crashed ice.

ALEA
Esperidon Square and Kyprou 76
Tel. 210-898 3959

Kolonaki Branch
Soto Center
Anagnostopoulou 9, Tsakalof 6
Tel. 210-362 5528

Espresso with Whipped Cream and Ice Cream

Yes, it is a bit over the top, but it was still a pleasant dessert for me.


This is at cafeteria STYL by the Mitropolis (Cathedral of Athens), just in front of another cafeteria Central. I think I paid 4.50euros.

The vanilla ice cream was mediocre, but the cream wasn't that disgusting vegetable white substance disguised as dairy cream.

Besides, the cafeteria is situated under many trees and we feel like being in a wood. It is a pleasant place to be.

Caramel Frocaccino @ Flocafe

Greek cafeteria chains are creating lots of own brand coffee drinks for differentiation. Well, it is not only "Greek" as also Starbucks and the like do the same, but here, because of the weather, there are more cold varieties.

The other day, I tried one of them at Flocafe (large Greek cafeteria chain that you can find everywhere in Athens and probably elsewhere as well) of Marina Zeas, Piraeus.


This is Flocaccino Caramel (270ml). To the right is ordinary nes frappé with milk.



Flocaccino is Flocafe's own bland of iced coffee made with Jacobs coffee and there are 3 varieties: classic, caramel, and chocolate. There is large size for all of them, which is 400 ml.

Flocaccino caramel is iced coffee with caramel syrup with whipped 'cream'.



Now the taste. To be honest, it was too sweet for me. BUT, I do know that the Greeks like their coffee sweet (quite many throw 3 to 7 spoonfuls of sugar into their coffees) and I was not surprised by it. Although I was not surprised by this either, but the vegetable cream, instead of dairy cream, was disappointing as usual.

I will try various cold coffees this summer. More reports coming up!


(Oh, I want to note also that the lady's toilets of this Flocafe do have lock!)