The truth is that going for coffee in Thessaloniki is something of a… ritual for the locals and is very different from drinking anywhere else for one main reason. In Thessaloniki, everything goes smoothly, at such a pace that a coffee with friends can last… up to 3 hours!
Thessaloniki is the birthplace of “frappe” (Greek iced coffee drink made from instant coffee (generally, spray-dried Nescafé), water, sugar, and milk [optional]), the most famous Greek coffee, and has countless, truly, options for anyone who wants to enjoy one, any time of the day. To be honest, I had a hard time choosing ten places to drink coffee in Thessaloniki since there are many historic, old and new, small and large cafes all over the city in every neighborhood.
So, let’s check out some of the best cafes to drink your coffee in Thessaloniki, Greece!
Best cafes to drink coffee in Thessaloniki, Greece
YPSILON
Ypsilon café is located in the narrow streets of the city center, just 500 meters from the main square of Thessaloniki (Aristotelous Square), and was voted one of the best cafés in the world in 2018! A beautifully decorated space, in an industrial style with brick walls and bare pipes, housed in a preserved 19th-century neoclassical building, full of fresh coffee aromas. Apart from coffee and drinks, Ypsilon is the place to enjoy live music and various kinds of artistic evenings, and is also ideal for studying and reading or working on a laptop.
Location: Edessis 5, Thessaloniki 54625, Greece
Web: YPSILON
CIEL Bar
Ciel is one of the many cafes in Thessaloniki that have the privilege of being located right in front of the sea. The modern decoration of the space combined with the sea view and the aromas of the coffee make it an ideal choice to enjoy not only your coffee in the city, but also a signature cocktail of the café, a unique distillate, and taste the flavors it has to offer.
Location: Leoforos Megalou Alexandrou 12 Nea Paralia, Thessaloniki 54642 Greece
Web: CIEL Bar
Prigipos
Prigipos carries a history of many years in Thessaloniki, being one of the oldest “kafeneia” (traditional coffee shop) in the city. The ideal choice is the traditional Greek coffee (the one in the main photo of the article), always served with a cookie, while at noon and in the evening, Prigipos is a great choice for a cold beer in the center of Thessaloniki.
Location: 22 Apostolou Pavlou, Thessaloniki 546 34 Greece
Web: Prigipos
Enohes
Located in an impressive neoclassical building of 1930 in Navarino Square, Enoches is an ideal choice for relaxed cozy moments. Fine aromatic coffee and unique drinks are its strong point, while if someone wants, he can find Greek beers from small breweries of the country as well as Greek wines. The unique feature of the shop is its layout as it is divided into rooms, decorated with vintage elements from another era.
Location: Navarinou Square 15, Thessaloniki 546 22, Greece
Web: Enohes
Casablanca Social Club
A mansion built in 1888 is home to café Casablanca in the eastern part of Thessaloniki, just a few meters from the city’s seafront. The courtyard of the mansion is an ideal choice to enjoy a frappe on sunny days or any other beverage in its modernly decorated interior.
Location: Leof. Vasilissis Olgas 18, Thessaloniki 546 40 Greece
Web: Casablanca Social Club
Skyline Cafe-Bar (OTE Tower)
The Skyline café is widely known to locals as the café in the tower of OTE (the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation). The café is 76 meters high, with a moving floor! With a 360-degree view of the entire Thessaloniki, a coffee here is an experience in itself. Warning: the prices are quite stingy so be determined that the view… is paid for!
Location: Egnatia 154, Thessaloniki 546 21 Greece
Web: Skyline Bar
Castra Terrace Bar
If there is one place in Thessaloniki that I would have to choose for its view, it is definitely the Castra terrace bar. Located in the Old City of Thessaloniki (Ano Poli), it is one of the oldest terraces of the city, which is a unique choice to enjoy your coffee, tea, or wine, both in summer and winter. As for the view, a search on the café’s social media will convince you!
Location: Eptapyrgiou 122, Thessaloniki 546 34 Greece
Web: Castra Terrace Bar
Tabya
Tabya is housed in a beautifully preserved building in the center of Thessaloniki. It’s not just an ordinary café but a magical multi-purpose space that functions as a vinyl store, library, as well as an exhibition and bazaar space. A cozy place next to the universities of Thessaloniki, ideal to enjoy your coffee while enjoying the relaxing music. For the summer months, the cafe’s courtyard is ideal for a cool cocktail!
Location: Konstantinou Melenikou 14C, Thessaloniki 546 35 Greece
Web: Tabya
Little Big House
A magical little courtyard and a lovely roof are the first things that come to mind when you hear about Little Big House. A colorful place, with cheerful people and sophisticated flavors. As they state on their website “The café menu wishes to communicate a wide selection of traditional drinks and local delicacies to world travelers, such as koulouri, tsoureki, yogurt, frappe, mountain tea, sour cherry drink, rakomelo, tsipouro, ouzo, and local craft beers, but also to offer popular comforting flavors to locals”.
Location: 24 Andokidou st, Thessaloniki 546 34 Greece
Web: Little Big House
Thermaikos Bar
Thermaikos is one of the oldest and most historic cafés in Thessaloniki. In front of the sea, it first opened in 1992 and since then, despite the countless café-bars that have opened on the city’s coastal road, it is a landmark and a hangout for older and new generations. Drinks, coffees, aromas are magically married in an environment that reminds us of a house with old mansion sofas and vintage objects.
Location: 21 Leoforos Nikis, Thessaloniki 546 23 Greece
Web: Thermaikos Bar
These were ten of the, truly, countless cafés in Thessaloniki. The truth is that I had so many more to suggest that, perhaps, a second part Best cafes to drink coffee in Thessaloniki in the future is necessary! If you’re ever in town, be sure to visit a few of them and… you’ll remember me. Also, if you’ve been to any of them, leave a comment below the article and let me know if you liked it!
