The new wave of Athenian micro-bakeries

• By Chrysa Kakiori

Athens is experiencing the “second spring” of bakery-cafés. In various neighborhoods of the city from Pagrati and Chalandri to Peristeri and Piraeus, a new generation of bakeries is emerging that work with know-how, natural sourdoughs, selected flours and patient ripening processes. They choose small spaces and from the morning they bake quality bread, sandwiches and sweets while in the evening they serve wine or an aperitivo, “blurring” the boundaries between the concepts of bakery, cafe or all-day snack spot.

Batard

A new age bakery from two chefs (Dimos Balopoulos and Giorgos Kirikos) who transferred the know-how of the kitchen to the bakery. With natural sourdoughs, selected flours and 48-hour ripening times, they persistently hunt for good raw materials and this is written in the taste: breads with depth, delicious ciabatta (like the Drama salami melt ciabatta with spicy Drama salami, gorgonzola and caramelized onion). For dessert, they recommend babka, cinnamon rolls and banana cake with whipped cream and salted caramel. A new arrival that bakes ideas with an identity, in the space that previously operated the microbakery "Feelings" by Alex Koniaris.

Address: Pyrronos 23, Pagrati

OK Fyne Microbakery

Small-scale bakery-all day hangout with a courtyard and after-office vibe. The day starts with freshly baked sourdough breads, croissants and cookies, continues with sandwiches in the oven, and after 6:00 p.m. it goes into “aperitivo mode”. The emphasis is on quality bread, natural sourdoughs and patient maturing that give body and aroma. A new age approach that pleasantly acrobats between bakery, cafe and neighborhood bar.

Address: Platonos 14, Chalandri

Alouatou

Its name means “fermentation” in Vlach and the word also refers to the spirit of this micro-bakery that honors the Epirus pie and sourdough bread made from Greek flours (Louli & Limnou Mills). In the morning, the focus falls on technique and tradition with mince pies, spinach and cheese pies, pasta pies with their own phyllo, in the evening, it transforms into a small bistro with local/biodynamic wines and small plates (tartare, brisket, fish of the day). Here, the insistence on raw materials and slow maturation processes translate into clean flavors that highlight a new age bakery with character.

Address: Asklipiou 87, Exarchia/Neapoli

Farin Moua

Elegant small-scale bakery with a workshop in plain sight and vintage touches. Daily, it produces sourdough breads (multigrain, olive bread with garlic & oregano, “chocolate-carob”), focaccia-“pizza” with tomato-onion-olive, and pies with their own phyllo. In the sweets, the Basque cheesecake and the cinnamon rolls stand out. The philosophy: know-how, selected flours, seasonality and creative use of materials, produces a specific number of products and emphasizes very good raw materials, seasonality and recycling of materials.

Address: Erythraias 2, Peristeri

In Vitro
An Italian-Carpathian bakery that combines natural sourdough with comfort flavors. Breads and handmade focaccias with cheeses/cold cuts next to Carpathian "cakes" (cheese pies with tsoureki dough), southern Italian taralli, cinnamon rolls and brownies. A sweet signature is the cannoli, often with PDO Aegina pistachio. Small space, great care in the raw material and in the correct baking: a new age bakery that bakes stories and deliciousness.

Address: Hatzikyriakou Ave., Piraeus