Athens Bars Trend: Conceptual Menus Captivate Patrons

Theme lists are the strongest trend in the dynamic Greek bartending scene, as Greek bartenders are searching, traveling, reading, experimenting and making the most of their experiences in inspired lists with particular concepts. In the “Meerkat,” the new talk of the town (7, Christou Vyzantiou, Koukaki), the first list is dedicated to the African meerkats, and the second, the winter one, takes these animals to four ski slopes. In the first, the easiest one, cocktails such as the African Fortune, where saffron-flavored gin is enriched with fresh kumquats, bergamot, and lime, are simpler and lighter; as the level rises, the degree of difficulty grows and the cocktails, such as the Viking’s Hunt with aquavit, crème de cassis, Cinzano Rosso, Bénédictine and a few drops of Angostura Bitters, are more complex. In the “CV Distiller” (7, Hatzigianni Mexi Str., Hilton), the new list is dedicated to ancient tragedy and inspired by its Aristotelian definition. A typical example is a cocktail named Surréalisme des Elephants that emerged from a dispute between the two bartenders. It contains mango, horseradish syrup, Pisco, and anise, and is a reference to the painting by Dali, where two elephants walk on stilts. The bartenders of the new “Beauty Killed the Beast” (14, Paramythias Str., Kerameikos) play with feelings, presenting a list starring our moods. Thodoris Pyrillos in “A for Athens” (2-4, Miaouli Str., Monastiraki) draws inspiration from the “Odyssey”. In the “Peek a Bloom” (14, Lekka Str., Syntagma) we “chat” with the accursed poets; in the “Finca Vigia” (304, Olympionikon Str., Neo Psychiko) we meet Ernest Hemingway; in the “Old Dog” (6, Sardeon Str., Nea Filadelfia) we hang out with hounds; and in “Odori” (2, Skouleniou Str., Center) the vermouth takes us on a travel in time.