Kafenio

Kafenio (Greek Καφενεíο or high linguistically Καφενεῖον kafenion; majority Kafenia ), is the name for the traditional Greek coffee house. Usually it is at the Kafenia family businesses.

Location and design

The spots are usually at the main square and the main street of a town. The decor is very minimalist, it is limited to the furniture, especially the Greek bastbezogenen wooden chairs and the famous round metal tables, sometimes rectangular wooden tables; the walls are often whitewashed. Isolated on the walls hang pictures, memorabilia of local sports clubs, a calendar and a clock. Decorated and overloaded decorated places are rare.

The names of the Local locals are usually not familiar with, they call the Local to the inn. Usually neutral terms are used such as on the position " O Platanos " ( The Sycamore ) " I kabana " ( The bell include a bell tower ). The name " Kafenio I Orea Ellas " ( roughly: Cafe " The beautiful Greece " ) equivalent to the German term Stammtisch chatter.

Offer

Usually offered drinks are Greek coffee (Greek Ελληνικός καφές Ellinikos kafes ), the now cult became frappé, beer, retsina, ouzo or raki. As food only simple meze offered without special preparation of the shop, so how they are commercially available. For this purpose a Kafenio may offer fried and cooked sausage, cheese and squid to the statutory provisions also. With an extended kitchen is no longer a Kafenio but a Ouzeri.

In the country Kafenio sometimes used for local suppliers and provides a supply of foods such as bread, flour, milk; or regional specialties for travelers like cheese, legumes, meats, honey, olive oil and wine. It replaces the non-existent Periptero.

Importance

Kafenia serve (similar to a pub in central Europe) in villages and districts as social centers, the people meet after work on a call, a card or a Tavlispiel ( backgammon ). Their central role is seen therefrom that they were still in the last decades of the 20th century usually the only location of a phone in the village or district, were often proclaimed from which the called party via megaphone.

Originally Kafenio was reserved for men, women preferred analogy, the visit of Patisseries or afternoon coffee break with friends. Even today holds in Kafenio daytime mostly just the older male population of a place on. Younger groups of friends shun Kafenio favor of the cafeteria, which correspond to a Cafe- Bar, this one also speaks of Kafenia the "new generation ". Gender segregation is here no longer exists in the traditional Kafenio women are now to be found. However, this rule has always been passed over for travelers.

A modern development is picking up on the traditional designation " Kafenio " as a retro concept, but generally for coffee farms, which may be high-priced, barähnliche dining establishments sometimes.

The Kafenio in the big city

In large cities, and especially in the inner cities, the social function of Kafenio is only partly present. Here, the term is simply analogous to the coffee house. In Athens, the " Flokas " was the artists' café, the " Zonar's " the literary café and the " Neon" more of a café of the establishment.