Visiting a pastry shop is a special experience in itself,and 4 of the best modern pastry shops in Athens can make it unforgettable.
There is nothing more enjoyable than a nice sweet (or dessert). A sweet can accompany a meal, be offered at a social event, be given as a gift, or mark a special occasion. In a previous article, we referred extensively to the pastry shops in Athens that are characterised as classic. But in this article, we will deal with four of the most unique and modern pastry shops in Athens. And by the term “modern,” we mean those pastry shops that approach the production of sweets with a new, fresher philosophy and are constantly looking for new recipes and new techniques. In many cases, they re-approach classic sweets in an innovative way, while at other times, they innovate by creating original taste results.
Pate et Creme (Kypseli)
Athens’s lively and unexpected district of Kypseli asserts a unique position in the city’s life. Pâte et Crème, the pastry shop and workshop of the pastry chef Konstantinos Kapsalis, is one of the surprises it hides. An inviting and lovely store that captures your heart right away. Here, natural raw materials, French butters, premium chocolates, and fresh fruit are the only ingredients used. The majority of preparation techniques employed in Pâte et Crème’s contemporary workshop are French. Techniques that are mixed with a tonne of love and hunger to get the ideal visual and flavour outcome.
The perfect blend of ingredients is achieved in Pâte et Crème sweets. You are left with a pleasant, well-balanced aftertaste and a hint of distinct scents, which is the ultimate flavour result. The lemon tart is a sweet that has the ideal balance. Before the buttery dough finishes off the delicious delight, sweet and sour are blended in a unique way. Made to order, the mille-feuille has layers of inverted puff pastry, French butter, and a silky crème diplomate that will have you forgetting any other mille-feuilles you’ve ever had. Not to mention, the chocolate delights, pistachio dessert, passion fruit-mango cake, and everything else are just too good to forget.
Pâte et Crème: Karterias 16, 113 64 Kypseli
Feelings (Pagrati)
The small and bright orange pastry workshop of Alexandros Koniaris in Pagrati came to create unforgettable sweet experiences for the Athenians. The variety of sweets is not very large. The production is based on the seasonality of the ingredients and the inspiration of the owner. Koniaris, with its previous services in well-known restaurants in Athens and abroad, brings a fresh air to the appearance and texture of sweets. The rum baba in the shape of a margarita with sheep’s yoghurt cream is a characteristic example of its philosophy. Also, the tiramisu, in the shape of a coffee bean, has an ideal texture and is full of flavour.
In addition, the workshop benches are visible while you are in the store, and you can watch as the sweets are made. But that is not all. There is a cart next to the window where you can pick up puff pastry and other baked goodies. Among them, you can taste financiers and madeleines, or biscuits and rolls topped with maple syrup and bacon. Feelings (written as “Φίλινγκς” on its sign in Greek letters) is a fantastic new pastry shop in Athens that is well worth checking out.
[Also photo at the top]
Feelings: Pirronos 23, 116 36 Pagrati
La Maison (Kallithea)
If you pass by Dimosthenous Street in Kallithea and do not know La Maison, you will think that it is a rustic neighbourhood pastry shop. However, if you go through the door, you will find yourself in front of one of the most impressive pastry shop windows in Athens. If you search a bit on the internet and read its story, your admiration will be even greater. The pastry chef, Thanasis Tsagliotis, studied in Greece and abroad. He also worked in famous restaurants (among them Spondi) and, after nine years, opened his own pastry shop here. In a place that used to be a pastry shop where his mother worked.
But let’s talk about the sweets, which are excellent in appearance, quality, and taste. La Maison is a pastry shop that produces almost the entire range of sweets, always in its own special way. Of course, here we have to single out the unique cakes and creams. A characteristic example is the Baileys cream with mascarpone and coffee-flavoured mousse served in a tin. While the alternative version of the traditional nougatine is among the customers favourites. Finally, we cannot forget to mention the unique American apple pie, which alone could be a reason to visit Kallithea. Undoubtedly, La Maison puts Kallithea on the city’s haute gastronomy map.
La Maison Fine Pastry: Dimosthenous 149, 176 73 Kallithea
Pavlov’s Lab (Nea Erythraia)
This pastry shop in a small alley in Nea Erythraia has already gone through a journey of 10 years. And if it became the talk of the town in the Northern Suburbs, today its fame has conquered all of Athens. The owner and chef, Alex Pavlov, stated in an interview with Gastronomos magazine that he is not a fan of sophisticated ingredients but is interested in the enjoyment of the average consumer. And this philosophy is evident in his sweets, which, with their excellent ingredients, fill you with flavour. Each sweet is, at the same time, familiar in taste but original in texture and details.
The Paris-Brest hazelnut praline and the éclair chocolate are two sweets that, although popular and well-known, here acquire a distinct flavour intensity and texture. A special mention must also be made of the excellent cakes, such as the pistachio and raspberry cake financier, which is a complete and tasty feast. Finally, to a large extent, the production of their sweets is based on seasonality; therefore, depending on the season, you will see other sweets adorning their windows. A quest through the streets of New Erythraia to uncover this workshop is sure to reward you with some great, sweet moments.
Pavlov’s Lab: Patriarchou Grigoriou E 15, 146 71 Nea Erythraia
The quest never stops
And surely these four modern pastry shops in Athens are not the only ones worth visiting. There are certainly others that we haven’t discovered yet. Undoubtedly, however, it is a good start, and trust us, you should try all of them.
