Coffee
Yes, we are the city of coffee. Not only because there are the most cafes per inhabitant, not because the cafes on certain days and hours of the week are suffocatingly full, but because in most of them you will taste excellent coffee from excellent varieties and from trained baristas in highly aesthetic stores. Patras is the birthplace of Coffee Island and Coffee Brands. You enjoy coffee to stimulate your body but also to cover the social extension as a date, conversation, analysis, social commentary and in case of a cafe on a sidewalk, the parade. Try one and two and three coffees in your daily schedule either in a cup on a coffee-table or in a paper cup in hand, in cafes, in coffee to go shops but also in patisseries and bakeries. There are also many cafes that combine reading rooms, board games or coffee with a view, or in a beautiful and picturesque courtyard and some of these serve breakfast and brunch. You can choose coffee to go that combines a nice walk and change of scenery, but also numerous cafes easily throughout the city. In the central squares of the city, Sq. Vas.Georgiou, Sq. Psila Alonia and pl. Olgas, on the pedestrian streets of Riga Fereou, Pantanassis, Agiou Nikolaou, Trion Navarchon, in Markato, Marina, Faro, VESO Mare and many other scattered places.
Eating in Patras
In the city center you can find what your appetite craves. Only during lunch time you can try restaurants with ready-cooked homemade food and enjoy it in the store or in a take away. There are several options with quality, tasty options for those days when you want mommy’s food. At the same time you will find, as always, the fast food shops with all the well-known options on souvlaki, burgers, crepes, pizza, sandwiches, etc. You will also find scattered ouzo / tsipouro restaurants that will please you with the appropriate appetizers while selected restaurants are open during noon mainly in Riga Fereou and Trion Navarchon. As for the afternoon / evening the options are multiplied. Even more restaurants and taverns are open to serve you. When the weather conditions are good, you will be served outdoors, in sidewalks and squares until late at night. In winter and on rainy days, you can be served in the halls while depending on your wish you can choose depending on your mood in taverns, koutouki, music taverns, restaurants with a romantic or professional atmosphere, bistro, pizzerias etc. The biggest advantage of the city center is that you will find all the above options gathered in a very short distance, moving on foot. Combining it with a walk in the shops, theater, drink or a simple walk in urban and seaside environment, you can complete your day in the very best way.
Eating out of town
Taverns
When the weather conditions are nice you will be able to enjoy the picturesque courtyards or the view. These are family taverns with Greek traditional cuisine and quality food with cooked and grilled dishes of the hour. Areas such as Eglykada, Zastova, Elekistra, Glafkos and Perivola, on Sundays at noon when weather conditions are nice have their honorary! It is a good idea to confirm availability over the phone before visiting. Sella is a mountain destination with also very good food about 30 minutes from the city. Warm atmosphere with fireplace in winter, courtyards with coolness and shade in summer.
Next to the sea
The fish industry and the local fishermen supply the taverns with the finest seafood. Try and enjoy with good weather conditions and accompany your food with the aroma of the sea under the sun. Ouzo and tsipouro will perfectly accompany your appetizers by the sea.
At Monodendri beach, Vrachneika you will find many options for all tastes right in front of the sea. The shops are open in winter as well. Psathopyrgos is also a picturesque seaside village with fish taverns, taverns and grills of the hour. The restaurants are open mainly during the summer months with a feel like on an island vacation. In Rio and Aktaio, either near the sea or near the train station, you will find several dining options in high-end businesses. On the seafront, overlooking the Rio Antirio bridge, try the all day bar-cafe-restaurant on the west side of the pier and the fish taverns on the east side. At the train station you will find choices for lunch, dinner, drinks, coffee and the summer cinema KASTRO.
Day and night life in Patras
Patras is a live city mainly thanks to the students. There are many timeless, old bars and many that follow the trends of the time. At once you will understand that wherever you drink your coffee you can also enjoy your drink a little later. Depending on your taste in music and mood for fun you will easily find the one that suits your desires. Down town you get many options from ouzo / tsipouro restaurants, cafes / bars, breweries, bistros, wine cases, bars, small music stages, small clubs and just outside the city center bouzouki and large clubs. In the habits of the city are also the “early noon parties”. Mainly on Saturday early noon, on public holidays, one day before holidays but also on Sundays with good weather, the ouzo / tsipouro restaurants of the city are full. Right after you will often hear loud music in selected bars / cafes where the entertainment lasts until late in the afternoon and often until late at night.
During summer the scenery changes. In the same hangouts you will find outdoor seating and in courtyards while additional areas are added such as the around the Castle, the square in Markato (high in Ermou) and Hephaestus st. for ouzo / tsipouro restaurants and drinks. Rio and Vrachneika offer pleces to eat, cafe / bars and clubs as an option out of town right next to the sea. Also the marina comes to life and goes out to sea, while a little further, in the parking lot of Terpsithea you will enjoy cool cocktails by the sea, a choice for afternoon and evening. A special choice is the terrace of VESO Mare with a wonderful balcony overlooking the sea.