Greek hospitality in a traditional kafenion

DW (English)

Nearly every European country has its variant of gastronomy. Germany, for example, has the beer garden and England the pub. Greece has its kafenion.

Transcript

00:00Would you dare to walk in here, or is it just a place for old men?

00:06Are tourists welcome in a Greek Café Néon, and why should you never stir your coffee?

00:11We'll show you the customs that make traditional Greek coffee houses so unique.

00:17People who choose to go to a traditional café are looking for exactly that, the real deal,

00:23the authentic experience.

00:26Even if you're traveling alone, you quickly make connections.

00:30That's something that we Greeks share, that ease in making friends.

00:38With nice people, a Café Néon is perfect, especially if you're looking for something affordable.

00:43This is your host, Jogos Castellorisios.

00:46His father ran the Castello Café Néon in Athens before him.

00:52Every word counts here.

00:53When someone says good morning, they really mean it.

00:55In other cafes, people sit there and sometimes don't even say hello.

00:59Here in the Café Néon, you feel it.

01:01Whether you know each other or not, you're friends, part of a community.

01:07Café Néon means coffee house.

01:09This one opens at 8 a.m.

01:11First up, coffee, Greek style.

01:15Brushing it with boiling water is the biggest mistake.

01:19You don't need a big espresso machine to make Greek coffee.

01:22Ground coffee, together with water and a little sugar, are simply brought to the boil on the stove in a small pot called a briki.

01:31Do you know this style of coffee?

01:37Tourists often drink it the wrong way.

01:41They think it's an espresso.

01:44Greek coffee needs to have foam.

01:47We drink it very slowly, maybe with a little sweet treat on the side, but very slowly.

01:52It's not an espresso.

01:55Heads up, there's coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup.

01:58Never stir a Greek coffee.

02:03If you visit a Café Néon in the late morning, you'll be joining the mostly older men who gather there.

02:08Many of them are retired and can take their time.

02:13We meet up here without planning when.

02:15Those of us who are still around know that whenever we show up, one of us will be here.

02:22We solve every political problem in the Café Néon.

02:25We basically elect the prime minister here.

02:28The Café Néon has its roots in the coffee house culture during the Ottoman rule in Greece.

02:36Fun fact, in the past, the Café Néon often had the only telephone in town, or the only TV.

02:43Everyone gathered here.

02:44That gammon, called Tavli in Greek, is still regularly played here to this day.

02:49Back then, the Café Néon was almost like a consulate.

02:56The whole village gathered here.

03:01The postman brought pensions and letters, and everyone came here.

03:07But women were sometimes not allowed in.

03:11It was strictly a male domain.

03:16Don't worry, nowadays everyone is welcome.

03:19Aside from coffee, you can order other drinks and small snacks throughout the day.

03:24Usually, you can get meze here.

03:26Small, freshly prepared, traditional Greek dishes.

03:30In the evening, more younger guests show up.

03:32Often, it's open until 1 a.m. or even later.

03:35We also drink some higher percentage liquor, like Rocky and Sapporo, and when it's hot, also beer.

03:41At lunchtime, usually an Ouzo or a Tsiporo with meze.

03:47In the evening, we'll have wine or a beer together, but there's usually meze on the table all day.

03:53I think, in recent years, young people have really started flooding to these cafes.

04:05Back in the day, they used to party differently, but I think that's changing now.

04:10Younger people are beginning to really appreciate this connection to tradition.

04:17And if you're wondering whether tourists are welcome in a Café Nyon, and what you might get wrong there…

04:23It's a mistake not to drink with us, to say no.

04:27The biggest mistake is if I offer you a Rocky or two, and you say no.

04:33How about you?

04:34Have you ever been to a Café Nyon?

04:36And is there anything like it where you're from?

04:47You, the biggest mistake is making this meeting.

04:57It's a big mistake.

04:59I think it's a big mistake.

05:00And I'm ready for a while.

05:03In the evening, I'll see you next week.

05:07And I'll see you next week.

05:09My first time, I'll see you next week.

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