A 137-Year Journey in the Hearts of Athens’ Bon Vivants
Lykovrisi has long been a landmark in Athenian life, cherished for decades by figures from Greece’s artistic and political elite. Dionysis Savvopoulos, the renowned composer and singer, vividly recalls moments that defined this classic haunt:
“For years, Giorgos Koundouros would sit at Lykovrisi with his back to the wall, watching over the square. Every afternoon at three, he’d twirl his mustache and eat plain spaghetti, no sauce. Apostolis, the waiter, knew his order by heart. One day, Koundouros surprised him, asking for a burger instead. Just then, Yiannis Tsarouchis walked by and, distracted, didn’t greet him. Koundouros called out, ‘What’s wrong, Yiannis, no hello today?’ Tsarouchis quipped, ‘Sorry, I didn’t recognize you with the burger!’”
From the 1960s onward, Lykovrisi became a favorite meeting place for Greece’s cultural and political elite, solidifying its role as a beloved institution.
“For years, Giorgos Koundouros would sit at Lykovrisi with his back to the wall, watching over the square. Every afternoon at three, he’d twirl his mustache and eat plain spaghetti, no sauce. Apostolis, the waiter, knew his order by heart. One day, Koundouros surprised him, asking for a burger instead. Just then, Yiannis Tsarouchis walked by and, distracted, didn’t greet him. Koundouros called out, ‘What’s wrong, Yiannis, no hello today?’ Tsarouchis quipped, ‘Sorry, I didn’t recognize you with the burger!’”
From the 1960s onward, Lykovrisi became a favorite meeting place for Greece’s cultural and political elite, solidifying its role as a beloved institution.
The Name and Its Journey Through Time
Lykovrisi’s story begins long before its 1960s debut in Kolonaki. In 1887, a group of affluent Athenians established a pioneering dairy called "Glykovrysi," named after a local freshwater spring. Built on land owned by Dimitrios Soutsos, a visionary businessman and grandson of Moldavian ruler Michael Soutsos, the dairy served as a distribution hub for Athens. Over time, the name evolved into "Lykovrisi," and the business flourished, becoming a model of its era.
Generations of Athenians grew up visiting Lykovrisi, which transformed into a café-patisserie in the 1930s, housed in a stunning pavilion designed by architect Ioannis Axelos. Alongside Oasi and Aigli, it formed a vibrant triangle of Athenian social life, even earning the nickname “the city’s distinguished matchmaking hubs” from playwright Dimitris Psathas. Though the original establishment closed in 1965, its legacy endured.
Generations of Athenians grew up visiting Lykovrisi, which transformed into a café-patisserie in the 1930s, housed in a stunning pavilion designed by architect Ioannis Axelos. Alongside Oasi and Aigli, it formed a vibrant triangle of Athenian social life, even earning the nickname “the city’s distinguished matchmaking hubs” from playwright Dimitris Psathas. Though the original establishment closed in 1965, its legacy endured.
