The overlap between history & present in Athens, Greece 🇬🇷

Having studied humanities in college, several years ago I visited Athens with a long list of places to visit in the seat of Western philosophy; having often read that philosophy into the small hours of the morning, a coffee shop of course was on the list. The Underdog’s attention to detail, curated atmosphere, and top coffee was an ideal start to day discovering the city of Plato.

The Underdog is run by Tasos Delichristos, who has lived in Athens since childhood and founded The Underdog in 2015.

*Tasos Delichristos founded The Underdog in Athens, Greece in 2015. Photos courtesy of Tasos Delichristos*

Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Athens?

There are so many things to do in this city. First of all, I like to walk in the narrow streets around Thisio, one of the most picturesque neighborhoods of Athens, as well as the densely populated Pangrati where you can feel the rhythm of this city and try local food and amazing coffees!

Also, one of the things I love is the route on one of the city's biggest bike paths that starts from Petralona and ends at the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center. During this route you meet from big roads to quiet parks. For this route you need about an hour before sunset to make this exciting experience even more intense.

Tasos Delichristos has lived in Athens since childhood and founded The Underdog in 2015.

This city has so many things to fall in love with from the graffiti on the streets of Exarchia to the walk on the Athenian Riviera and endless kilometers in the National Garden where it has an area of 285 acres. Also, a walk from the National Museum of Contemporary Art will create different feelings for this city.

Filter: Do you have any favorite spots on the Athenian Riviera?

Balux Cafe and Astir Beach.

Filter: If a friend from overseas came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?

Perfect will describe the most perfect day in Athens from morning to night, this will be exciting!

So what’s better than a breakfast for the perfect day? A place that is really worth visiting is the KORA bakery in Kolonaki. It has amazing pies made daily and sourdough bread sandwiches with options for all tastes! Then we would go to The Underdog to sit in the garden to enjoy our morning coffee and to visit the Acropolis Museum which is just a few meters away.

After our visit to the Acropolis, what better way to have a meal than in the picturesque alleys of Psiri, where you will listen to traditional Greek music and enjoy the sun combined with Greek cuisine, something that every visitor to Athens really must experience. After the meal an ice cream made from fresh ingredients at Django Gelato in Koukaki and what a better start for alcohol than an aperitif in the same neighborhood at Drupes, my favorite place for an aperol spritz or a Mandarino combined with a charcuterie and cheese platter—will make the experience unbeatable! Finally, I would choose to visit Baba au Rum to drink award-winning cocktails in the relaxed atmosphere you feel in this particular shop. This would cap off a truly awesome day in the city of Athens!

Filter: What well-known things in Athens are actually worth the hype?

The works of art alternate with each other at a dizzying pace. Panathenaic Stadium, Ancient Agora, the Temple of Hephaestus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and some museums such as the National Archaeological Museum are definitely worth a visit to become one with the history of this city.

One of the things I love about Athens is the overlap between history and the present. All over the city you will see people happy and smiling as well as enough people to take their walk and enjoy the rhythms of the city.

Filter: Where do you enjoy quiet moments in Athens?

One of my favorite walks is in the Neapolis Exarchion area. You can walk and get lost in the narrow alleys of this area and end up in the labyrinth where the entire view of the city is worth every step you take. Also a place worth visiting in the area is Ama Lachei which is ideal for eating and relaxing in a beautiful garden full of trees and flowers. Finally, Marina Zeas near the port of Piraeus is ideal for walking, as on your route you enjoy the view of the sea, the sky, and the koteras.

Filter: What's one other coffee shop there that you really admire?

There is a place in Athens that I can really enjoy the quality of espresso located in the area of Peristeri and it's called Omsôm. The consumer can choose between different origins and varieties of coffee that are really worth trying.

Filter: What do you like to do to get out of town?

One of the real advantages of Athens and Greece in general is that you can be transported outside the city in a very short time. I will take you to a place just 1 hour from the city of Athens, Nafplio, an ideal place to see the fortress of Palamidi. And take a walk in this picturesque city with a long history. If you visit Athens in the summer, in just 1 hour you can be on the Argo-Saronic Islands to enjoy the pebble and sand beaches.

Filter: How did you start The Underdog?

I have lived in Athens since forever, so I have experienced many different emotions in this city, and the way of life of this city is really part of its beauty and culture.

When I started The Underdog, the beginning was quite difficult. The transition to the world of specialty coffee and our philosophy gradually started to arouse more and more interest in the world who wanted to be informed about coffee varieties and processing.

So, gradually we started to deal with the coffee competitions, which was difficult but at the same time so attractive for all of us—resulting in 2 world championships and many more top 6 placements. The most any company has ever succeeded in Greece so far!

Filter: Is there a place in Athens that holds a special memory for you?

I have lived in Athens since I was a small child and always Thisio and Acropolis were my escapes of calm mode. When the museum was built I found my quiet and safe place. That memory of first visiting is a strong one and emotional.

Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move?

New York. People who have visited can only understand the vibe of the city. An opening of The Underdog would be the reason for sure!! Who knows…

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From the Acropolis to Mars Hill to the temples that ring them, each stone in Athens is steeped in history. It was beyond this humanities student, and I missed much of the ‘overlap between history and the present’ Tasos described. On my next visit to Athens, I’ll be sure to spend time in Thisio and visit Balux Cafe on the coast.

The Underdog is located steps from the Agora in central Athens.

Food & Beverage

Outdoors

Bike path from Petralona to Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center