The culture around chocolateries anywhere in the world is driven by a sweet, feel-good ritual; one that involves taking a seat at a cosy cafe from where you can observe the world as you sip, gently and intermittently, from a mug of indulgent, steaming hot chocolate.
Meeting someone (or making special time for yourself) over a delicious hot chocolate is a major treat, offering a soul-embracing break from mundanity, particularly on a moody, chilly day. In Athens you can find several spots serving excellent hot chocolate and artfully made desserts, where you can while away the hours in chocolatey bliss. Here we present our five most highly recommended chocolateries.
Petit Fleur
No listing of Athens’ finest cafes serving excellent hot chocolate could be complete without Petit Fleur. This enchanting little nook in the heart of Athens is a French-style cafe-bistro that serves the best hot chocolate in the city – so hot and luxuriously thick that it can be savoured with a dessert spoon instead of sipping.
Petit Fleur first opened its doors on Omirou Street, in Kolonaki in 2002. Inside is a piano, a turntable with jazz vinyl records, a small bar, soft lighting, and distinctive lights, shaped like flowers, peeking through porcelain vases. Apart from hot chocolate try the homemade chocolate or lemon tarts, which are yet another reason to stop here. The same holds true for their delectably tasty sandwiches, the cakes, and the adorable vintage tea sets.
If you find yourself pondering the secret behind their divine chocolate, the answer resides in a single word: Valrhona. A sublime chocolate, crafted in the French town of Tain L’Hermitage since 1922, it is made with high-quality cocoa beans, cultivated in select plantations in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, which have unique microclimates, resulting in a chocolate so sumptuously rich and delicious that it’s simply irresistible.
The popularity of Petit Fleur meant that people waited patiently in queues for hours to savour Athens’ most photogenic – even in the pre-Instagram era – drinks and desserts. One store was not enough, so there are now five Petit Fleur addresses around the capital, and two more in Volos and Corfu, each echoing the style and essence of the original place in Kolonaki.
Address: Omirou 44, Kolonaki
L’ arret du Temps
“L’ arret du temps” translates as “the stopping of time” in English. What more could one want from an an urban haunt than to be able to rest and decompress from the city’s erratic rhythms? Romantic and refined, this place on Vas. Alexandras Avenue, near Michalakopoulou and the National Gallery, is among the most Parisian-style spots you will encounter in Athens. It is an authentic French chocolaterie serving hot chocolate so delightful that it will entice you to return again and again and again.
Inside is an elegant setting, perfectly tailored for the crisp days and frosty evenings of winter. The true “star” of the menu is the hot chocolate spiked with cayenne pepper, a concoction that’s simultaneously sweet and spicy. As a more classic choice, the hot chocolate infused with cinnamon is heartwarming and also ideal for autumn and winter.
Address: 5-7 Vasilissis Irakliou Avenue, Pangrati
Sokolata 56
Close to Syntagma, this atmospheric and welcoming chocolaterie has for many years been a classic and favoured haunt for a “quick” snack, a fine cappuccino, a quality tea, but above all, a splendid hot chocolate that is undoubtedly its speciality.
At Chocolate 56, you’ll primarily enjoy the astonishing Valrhona chocolate, available in whatever flavour your heart desires. But you’ll also be drawn in by the artsy ambience that makes it an excellent pitstop. The countless posters on the windows travel you back to the ‘90s and early noughties, when our rapport with the internet was so different to how it is today, and we often lingered by cafe windows chatting four hours on end without even thinking of social media. This vibe is still alive and present at Chocolate 56.
Address: Voulis 6, Syntagma
Clemente VIII in Athens
A cafe emblematic not only of lively, contemporary buzz of central Athens but also of a distinguished and timeless elegance, the café is positioned at the entrance of Spyros Milios Arcade near Syntagma.
Here, the décor and ambience denote a distinctly Italian character, evoking images of the most charming and historic cafes of Venice, Florence, and Rome. The delicious and authentic espressos, along with delectably rich hot chocolate, stand out.
Just a few steps from the Pallas Theatre, Mikro Pallas Theatre, Aliki Theatre, and Horn Theatre, this café has for years been a steady hangout for artists who frequent it daily before or after their rehearsals, for a coffee or a glass of wine. The hot chocolate you’ll indulge in here is outstanding, as is the single-origin espresso that leaves a distinctive, unforgettable aftertaste lingering on your palate. The croissants, irresistibly delicious, and exquisite sweets, only reaffirm that Clemente VIII faithfully emulates the model of famed European bistros, endowing it with timeless value through the ages.
Try the hot chocolate made with white chocolate here too, especially the caramel and biscuit flavoured one, while the milk chocolate hot chocolate is likely to transport you back to childhood with its pure, comforting flavour, reminiscent of savouring a luscious bar of chocolate.
Address: Spyros Milios Arcade, City Link, Syntagma
The Dark Side of Chocolate
Imagine an atmospheric little chocolate haven, comfortably situated on Solonos street close to bustling Exarchia, within a minimalistic chocolate shop that could easily belong in London or Berlin. What’s truly captivating about this place is not just its inviting window that teasingly reveals a few cafe tables, with loyal patrons engaged in soft conversation, but rather the arresting aroma of melted chocolate that assails your senses and pulls you in as you unassumingly stroll down Solonos.
In this charmingly compact establishment, with its distinctive signage adorned in vivid red lettering, Aristotelis Panagiotaros, a chocolatier with a deft understanding of his craft, makes irresistible hot and cold beverages using Valrhona chocolate and organic milk, available in white, bitter, or milk chocolate variations. Options featuring caramel or fruit are available, as are drinks surprisingly seasoned with salt and pepper.
It is almost imperative that you don’t leave here before buying a box of chocolates, flavoured with unique ingredients such as basil, star anise, honey-cardamom, rosemary, chilli, and rum with orange zest, or simply with milk chocolate. A perfect gift for yourself and any chocolate devotee in your life, they are like mini artworks, featuring spectacular designs and colourful patterns hand painted on every delicate piece.
Address: Solonos 49, Exarchia
