Cafes Amidst The Athenian Gardens

Finding a greenspace in Athens is harder than it looks, but thankfully, Culinary Backstreets searched for us and found a few delightful garden cafes, perfect for a coffee, tea, or snack.

Just behind Parliament lies the Ethnikos Kipos, or National Gardens, the indisputable green heart of the city. The gardens’ café sits at the Irodou Attikou entrance, with retro green tables arrayed symmetrically in the relaxing shade of the alleyway.

The Black Duck Garden, located on Klauthmonos square between Omonia and Syntagma, is housed in one of the city’s oldest surviving neoclassical buildings. Constructed in 1833, it was the temporary palace of King Otto and Queen Amalia. It’s an ideal getaway for a quiet coffee or a glass of wine paired with a Greek cheese platter.

Hidden behind high walls, away from the noise of the busy touristy area of Anafiotika in Plaka, the nonprofit Alumni Association of the School of Fine Arts (Enosi Ptichiouchon Scholi Kalon Technon), with its old marble statues and lovely details, has the artiest green courtyard in the city. The old-fashioned coffee-shop tables and the built-in benches under the tall, leafy trees contribute to a warm, convivial atmosphere.

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