Wine is not just a trend. It is passion, joy, friends or even loneliness. Athens loves the good wine and in almost every corner of its center, it has wonderful wine bars that bring the scents of the world and especially of the Greek vineyard to your glass. Discover all of them, one by one!
Para Siempre (43 Charitos Street, Kolonaki)
A beautiful environment in retro-vintage style that blends harmoniously with modern and industrial, creating a special yet cozy space. It has 50 labels, exhausting the whole range of the selected Greek market while you will also find imports from Italy, France and Spain. The philosophy of the shop is inspired by Spanish culture and cuisine, serving flavors such as tapas, paella, brochettes and many others, making ideal for a lunch break under the sounds of Spanish, Italian or French music, with lounge and chillout elements!
Chocolat Royal (27 Apostolou Pavlou Street, Thisseio)
On the ground floor of the wonderful Chocolat Royal you will find this sophisticated Wine Bar, with a magnificent view of the Acropolis. 60 wine labels are waiting for you to discover, many of which are rare and well-lit (the 15 are also available in a glass). The wine list includes the most remarkable wines of the rich Greek vineyard, while in order to find the wine that suits your tastes perfectly, trust Dimitris Moschogiannis-sommelier’s knowledge. A unique relaxation shelter and a glass of really good wine, but also some delicious touches from the food list create the ideal way out. Also, twice a month you can find interesting wine tastings.
Winepoint (2 Porinou Street, Makrygianni)
The meeting point of those who love wine right next to the Acropolis. The wine cellar boasts 270 labels from 55 indigenous and 25 international varieties, to which Winepoint’s experienced oenologists undertake to guide you to the 5,000-labels underground cellar to get a unique experience and knowledge around the wine. Homemade spirits are also served, which could very well be described as “Greek brandy”. Whichever you choose, accompany it with one of the cold dishes made exclusively with high-quality Greek products –made by small Greek producers- and travel to the sounds of quality music from all over the world. Every month there is the “Producer of the Month” event, where the products of the producer are emphasized, who is also in the shop and is in direct contact with the customers. Do not skip, climbing upstairs, look up and admire the unique ceiling painted by the painter Katarina Vasickova.
By the Glass (3 Souri & Filellinon Street, Syntagma)
It is a wine bar unique in Greece, a reference point for the world of wine as it is proud of unique magnum bottles, old crops and rare collectible bottles. which is housed in an amazing high-ceiling building with a history and a special color, located in the small “secret” city Rallis Arcade. Equipped with the unique open bottle dispenser, it ensures that you always taste your wine in the most ideal conditions. It has about 200 labels in its wine cellar that honor the Greek vineyard and you will be able to order it in your desired amount (25 ml, test, 75 ml and 150 ml). You can also accompany your wine with delicious homemade flavors. There are also special wine-making events that make us joiners in the magic world of wine.
Monk (4 Karoris Street, Monastiraki)
This “educative” wine bar- restaurant invites all people, whether are wine friends or not, to have fun with their company, by giving them the opportunity to “get trained” on wine, to love it and to make it part of their culture, and the daily presence of sommelier Vassilis Papadopoulos whose purpose is to convey his knowledge of wine to Monk’s customers and friends, is a way to prove it! Its wine cellar numbers over 100 selected wine labels from all over the world (Greece, Europe, America) for all palates and styles, adjusted to all budgets. What, however, makes it so special and specialized in its field is nothing but the “Coravin” system, which enables the customer to try any label of the cell, without buying the whole bottle. This is done through a needle that penetrates the wine capsule and cork and removes the amount of the order, adding inert gas (Argon 65), which maintains the taste and quality of the wine unaltered. Monk also features wine-based cocktails as well as cold kitchen suggestions made in the open air kitchen at the time of your order.
Heteroclito (2 Fokionos & 30 Petraki Streets, Syntagma)
His name means this “something different” in Greek, a fact that it is obvious by the Italian and French design, Greek products, Indian marbles, 70s lounge furniture and gentle jazz music -seemingly heterogeneous elements that create this small but warm place! The wine cellar of the store numbered 200 wine labels, which come exclusively from Greek producers and of which 20 are served in a glass. The accompanying plates are cold, distinguished for their careful presentation and made directly by Greek producers.
BoBo – Boheme Bourgeois (36 Anastasiou Zinni Street, Koukaki)
Housed in a 1960s building, it has retained many elements of space, such as the interior, classic staircase and some lighting fixtures. It has an updated wine list with more than 80 selected labels exclusively by the Greek vineyard (the proposals are renewed at regular basis), with 20 of them served in a glass. Tasting suggestions exclusively with Greek raw materials perfectly combine your wine choice. In addition, it serves wine-based cocktails, some beers and selected premium beverages.
Oιvoscent (45-47 Voulis Street, Syntagma)
A friendly and modern wine bar that combines industrial with antique while indie, jazz, trip hop, british pop and garage are the musical range. It boasts for a huge range with nearly 1,000 labels, coming from both Greece and abroad, from countries like Italy, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, France, Austria, Germany and America. 30 of these are served in a glass, as well as 12 different spirits. The bar keeps constantly updating the menu (every 15 days) so that the customer can always find something new and original, while it is used one bottle of each label, which after its use is replaced by a different one, so that customers discover new flavors.
Kiki De Grece (Ipitou & 38 Voulis Streets, Syntagma)
One of the city’s nicest wine halls, Kiki De Grece serves the world of wine keeping low tones, offering you some well-known and other rare Greek labels. An adding treasure is the saucers that accompany your order!
Vintage (66-68 Mitropoleos Street, Syntagma)
A Beautiful and up-to-date wine bar with a European aura, a surprising upper floor and outer tables for the good days, combine a must-do scenery. More than 300 wine labels, the special “Coravin” system, which enables the customer to try any label of the cell, without buying the whole bottle, interesting food suggestions are deserving of the title of the most comprehensive “wine proposal” in Athens.
Fabrica di Vino (3 Emm. Mpenaki Street, Exarcheia)
It was the first bar of the city that used the term “wine bar” and remains one of the most authentically alternative choices, where more than 600 well-known and rare labels of the Greek and international vineyards with accompanying plates made by local products are waiting for you to discover. Housed in a restored building of 1880, “Fabrica” is divided into three parts: the bar, with an industrial and slightly neoclassical decoration in which one can enjoy his upright drink, the house where one can sit, the decoration being more traditional with oriental elements and the cellar, where every Sunday hosts an art night, in which buffet with food is free as long as you order a bottle of wine. A big Greek feast with live music of Greek repertoire every Friday and Saturday will definitely cheer you up!
Wine O’Clock (10 Lembesi Street, Acropoles)
In your walks around Sacred Rock, in the favorite neighborhood of Athenians, you will meet the entire Greek vineyard. You will find 85 labels, all from Greek producers, because, as Alexander, the owner and oenologist, says, “Greek producers are doing great work and it’s time to get to know them.” Lovely food is here to accompany the wine while listening to the soft jazz sounds.
Sousourada (44 Mavromichali Street, Exarchia)
If you want to hear real stories about the Greek wine , this is the bar as its owner holds his own vineyard. Thus, besides the 45 Greek labels, you can also taste some of his own wines. Also, the most dreamed wine-food is waiting for you to enjoy, while a delightful brunch is served on Sundays! Tip: Find out about the regular lives with jazz, swing and gipsy swing music.
Divino Wine Case (11 Akamantos Street, Thisseio)
Katerina and Dimitris –the owners- are what we call as wine lovers. A unique space beautifully decorated with an impressive construction that holds the glasses of wine, the great glass windows looking at the most beautiful neighborhood of the city and the chosen bottles in the foreground. The wine bar,is filled with the most interesting labels of the Greek vineyard, while the winelist is being gradually enriched with foreign labels. The winelist is well-updated (which is being renewed regularly): Of the 90 labels you will discover, the 16 are served in a glass (from € 3.50). If you do not know what to do, trust the knowledge of the owners. They are sure to find the wine that best suits your taste. There are several accompaniments, such as delicious brunch, salads, cheesecake or small-scale sausages and day dishes. Wineries and wine-tasting presentations are held twice a month, while you will find live music, to travel you to ethnic, jazz and funky soul trails.
