Trend: a walk around the wine bars of the historic center

They shyly made their appearance in 2010, but in recent years wine bars have been constantly spreading, in the center of Athens and beyond. In their usually small but charming spaces, we hang out with friends, we relax with a glass of wine, we get to know the labels of both foreign and Greek wine producers and we taste simple side dishes but also wine-and-food-pairing suggestions. In downtown Athens, the first ones to open were the industrial-style “Fabrica de Vino” (3, Emm. Benaki Str) in Exarchia district and the more mainstream “Wine Point” (at the corner of 2, Porinou & Ath. Diakou Str.) in Makriyianni area. Now, they are joined by “Heteroclito”, a place with a French aura in Plaka (at the corner of 2, Fokionos & Petrakis Str.); “By the Glass” (Rallis Arcade) with many labels served also by the glass, in an atmospheric Arcade near Syntagma Square; “Kiki de Grece” (at the corner of Ipitou & 38, Voulis Str.), at the hot-spot of Ipitou Street; and “Vintage” (66-68, Mitropoleos Str.) on the main Mitropoleos Street, which features “Coravin”, an advanced wine gadget that allows wine to be pumped without removing the cork from the bottle, thus offering many options of wine by the glass.