Just a short walk from the Kallithea train station, Zatopek occupies an ideal spot right in front of the Ilissos Park pedestrian street. Dimitris Ananiadis and his wife, Evi Gerokosta, founded Zatopek in autumn 2021. With three decades in book publishing and extensive marketing experience, respectively, the couple decided to bring their beautiful book café to the residential Kallithea neighbourhood. “People visit from all the nearby neighbourhoods. It was clearly something the area was missing, and we’re grateful to have been met with such fondness,” says Dimitris.

Loving Zatopek comes easy. Outside, plentiful tables sit beneath cottonwood and benjamin fig trees, perfect for all-day people-watching. Inside, the eclectic decor features stone walls, metal and wooden shelves, warm lighting, and cosy chairs that are often the favourite spot of Emilia, the resident cat. Even the café’s name adds a layer of charm: it’s a nod to legendary Czech long-distance runner Emil Zatopek, known for his intense, almost pained running style, as if “fighting an invisible enemy.” Yet, his resilience was unmatched. “I’m not sure if the connection quite lands, but that’s why we named it after him. Opening a book café during the pandemic, especially outside downtown Athens, required a similar kind of endurance,” Dimitris explains.

Zatopek offers a varied selection of books, mostly fiction, with a growing English-language section. “We see a mix of non-Greek visitors and younger readers drawn to foreign literature in its original language,” Dimitris adds. The menu is extensive, offering everything from coffee and tea to wines, cocktails, soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and desserts—perfect for book lovers looking to savour a good read and a treat at any time of day.

Surrounded by decades-old family tavernas and bars, this small, unpretentious book café landed at Mercouri Square in May 2021, yet it feels like it’s been there forever. The setup is simple: a few indoor and outdoor tables, shelves stocked with books, zines, and art objects, and a small bar at the back. “We opened during the pandemic, so you can imagine the slow process. This place used to be a funeral home… or was it a go-go bar? Can’t really remember!” laughs owner Alix Janta-Polczynski. Adad Books, named after the ancient Mesopotamian god of thunder, actually began as a small publishing house in London in 2013 before Alix moved to Athens in 2017 and had been eyeing this empty store for years, until a twist of fate finally made it hers.

The sign by the door reads “BOOKS - COFFEE - PIES”—a warm invitation to passersby seeking calm among these simple pleasures. Adad’s catalogue spans titles from small presses and self-published zines with a focus on visual arts, poetry, architecture, and design. There’s also a small selection of second-hand books, some from Alix’s personal collection and others gifted by friends of Adad, for visitors to browse or draw inspiration from. Giannis, the café’s friendly server and one of the many Athenian creatives drawn to the spot, will serve you an expertly crafted cup of specialty Area 51 coffee alongside homemade kombucha or a slice of the day’s pie or cake, which are often vegetarian/vegan. Adad attracts a wonderfully heterogeneous crowd, from hip zoomers to local pensioners, its atmosphere steadily cross-pollinated with ideas and collaborations from Alix’s other creative endeavour, the Alkinois Project Space. By evening, Adad transforms, offering natural wines to its free-spirited, art-loving clientele.