Kafenio — Greece's traditional coffee house

A kafenio is the traditional Greek coffee house, historically a village or neighborhood gathering spot and, in many places, historically a predominantly male social space centered on conversation, cards and backgammon (tavli) as much as on the coffee itself. Traditional Greek coffee is finely ground and simmered unfiltered in a small pot (a briki), producing a strong cup served with the grounds settled at the bottom.

In warmer months, the Greek-invented frappé — a cold, frothy drink made by shaking instant coffee with water and ice — is just as central to Greek café culture as the traditional hot brew, and is commonly ordered at a kafenio or a modern Greek café alike.

Ordering Greek coffee typically involves specifying the sweetness — sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet) — since, like Turkish coffee, the sugar is added during brewing rather than afterward. A kafenio is traditionally a place to linger over a single small cup for an extended conversation, rather than a quick stop.