Mokka Coffee Bar
ATHENS, Greece
If you want to travel forward and backward in Greek history within a few minutes time the MOKKA coffee bar is the place to visit.
Located next to the vibrant traditional meat, fish, and vegetable markets, the modern shop is the ideal place to sit for a while and absorb the sight, smell and sound of the historic section of Athens. Expansive and ornate, the coffee bar is equipped with the finest brewers, espresso machines and roasting equipment in all of Greece.
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Order whatever coffee you want: A fine-powdered Greek style brew served in the traditional Ibrik, an iced frappe or the first espresso-based beverage that comes to mind.
On the other side of the wall you will find a big brass Sakantaris Bros. Coffeetool roaster and stone grinders and a variety of freshly roasted award-winning coffees from around the world.
Owner Nikos Psomas follows in the footsteps of his innovative great-grandfather who established the business in 1922. If you don’t see him, it’s because he is traveling the world buying coffee directly from a single estate or serving as an international cupping judge. Perhaps he is teaching an SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) coffee diploma course or testing a coffee sample in his lab before bidding at the Cup of Excellence (CoE) auction.
Psomas is well known in Greece. He was part of the first group of trainers certified by SCAE, the first Greek member of the CoE international jury and was ranked 5th at the World Cup Tasters Championship in 2006.
The coffee bar is located on Athena Street within walking distance of the Greek parliament building. The structure has been entirely refurbished but retains the coffee atmosphere of old. Just sit and absorb it with the locals.
- Alf Kramer