This is one of the most beautiful and unforgettable cafes I have ever seen throughout the whole Mediterranean region, but I still do not know its name. Of course this wonderful cafe has a name, but it is written in Greek alphabets only, without Latin transliteration. I stumbled upon this place one evening as I was strolling in the narrow streets of the old quarters of Mytilini, trying to refresh my memories of this amazing port town, which I first visited in the summer of 2007 and immediately fell in love with, and to relive the moments as much as I could. Its elegant columns, large, airy windows, and French doors attracted my attention. As I stood next to the windows admiring the enlarged black-and-white images of old Mytilini, taken during the late 19th and early parts of the 20th century, a friendly waiter saw me. With a smile, he opened the door and invited me inside to take a better look at the old pictures.
Having just arrived from the Turkish town of Ayvalik by ferry two hours ago, and stopping only one night in Mytilini en route to Molivos the next day, I was more than happy to be able to find such a congenial place for some coffee and snacks. The place is genuinely delightful, with retro-style interiors and period furnitures which help to give the surroundings a relaxed and comfortable touch. Everything inside the cafe, from the old-fashioned chandeliers, square-shaped marble-and-wood tables and chairs, brown calfskin sofas, and scenes of life from the old days when the island was still under Ottoman rule, all compliment one another to successfully convey that feeling of nostalgia about the bygone era on one of the most beautiful Aegean islands.
This could very well be one of those great art-house literary cafes in Vienna, Venice, or Paris.... who would have thought that this is in Greece? Among the clients are both locals and tourists with luggages, waiting for the ferry to another island or to Piraeus, as the cafe is conveniently located on Mytilini's busy waterfront, directly on the opposite side of the ferry terminal. It takes about 20 minutes on foot from this cafe to the entrance of the ferry terminal.
The price of snacks, coffee and cakes are reasonable, in line with most cafes in the less touristic parts of Greece. As it was summer and I desperately needed a cold drink high in caffeine contents to keep me awake, I ordered a frappe, a kind of ice coffee made with instant coffee, sugar, evaporated milk, and shaken with ice cubes. This frappe thing is a Greek invention, having been the brainchild of a Greek coffee salesman working for Nestle Greece back in the 1950s. The story goes that this Greek guy, who was working for Nestle Greece during the 1957 International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki, decided to mix instant Nescafe with cold water in a shaker, because he could not find hot water on the spot to dissolve his instant coffee powder. Thus was born one of the greatest inventions in contemporary coffee culture and one of Grecce's best contributions to human civilisation. Since that fateful day in 1957, frappe has been crowned the 'national coffee' of Greece, due to the beverage's overwhelming popularity inside the country of its birth, and has since then gone on to attain international fame after its initial success in Grecce. Nowadays frappe is arguably one of the most beloved summer coffee drinks worldwide. Trust me, nothing beats the soaring heat of the Mediterranean summer better than an authentic Greek frappe with ice tubes and topped with milk foam. The first time I tried that was at a cafe on the Greek island of Kos, and it instantly won me over.
Those who like to enjoy their coffee with their favourite literature can sit inside the beautiful hall, while those who prefer to observe the busy traffics along the scenic harbour and engage in people-watching can head to the outdoor seatings on the pavements in front of the cafe. The views of the harbour of Mytilini in the night is one of those things that makes me fall in love with this wonderful Greek island. I could spend hours sitting there and never get tired of the views.
Next time when I visit this place, I will try to find out the Latin name of this cafe though. For the time being, just bear in mind that this place is located a few steps away from the Goody's fastfood outlet along the harbourfront promenade. Enjoy your frappe in Mytilini and hope you find this cafe!!
Copyrights@2012. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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