The Makers, Athens: Brunch Menu, Breakfast and Review

The Makers is an all-day brunch café and concept store on Praxitelous Street in the heart of Athens, a short walk from Syntagma Square. It serves specialty coffee and healthy breakfast and brunch dishes, many of them vegan, in a space that also sells the brand’s own linen and cotton pieces. Despite launching during the pandemic, The Makers quickly built a loyal audience and helped bring new life to Praxitelous Street.

The project brings together three partners: a designer with a haute couture atelier in Kolonaki, a partner from the clothing wholesale business, and a chef, Ilias Stavropoulos, who runs the open kitchen at the centre of the store. The building also houses a tailor shop and wholesale offices upstairs, which gives the place a genuinely creative, working feel.

The Makers Athens menu: breakfast and brunch

Upon entering the elegantly designed interior, you are welcomed by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The menu is built around nutritious, mostly light dishes, with a few indulgent ones for balance. Highlights include:

• Spinach crepe with a fried egg and avocado on the side.
• Waffle toast with an organic egg, cheddar and prosciutto cotto.
• Fluffy waffles made with kefir dough and buttermilk.
• Coconut yogurt bowls with oats, berries and cinnamon, and acai bowls.
• Pancakes with ricotta.
• Apple tart on a bed of fluffy crème pâtissière, a treat for those with a sweet tooth.

For a light lunch there are rice bowls, organic egg omelettes and salads, such as the Green Salad with bok choy, mizuna, kale, Manchego, miso dressing, panko and green olives. The focus on wholesome and vegan dishes makes it an easy choice if you eat plant-based.

A concept store as well as a café

While you eat, you can browse the shelves and hangers filled with the brand’s linen and cotton aprons, place mats and towels. The brand is known for making work uniforms for restaurants, cafés and hotels, so the products are designed to be used, not just admired. It is a nice place to pick up a practical, locally made souvenir.

Is The Makers worth it?

With its emphasis on nutritious food, stylish artisan products and a calm, creative atmosphere, The Makers is a lovely stop in central Athens. Whether you want a relaxing brunch, a coffee before a day of sightseeing or a look at locally made goods, it is worth the detour. My rating is four stars across service, food, location, price and portions.

Where is The Makers? Address and getting there

The Makers Address: Praxitelous 37, Athina 105 60, Greece

The Makers Website: http://www.themakersathens.gr/

The Makers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themakers_athens/

Praxitelous Street is in central Athens, in the grid of streets between Syntagma Square, Monastiraki and the old commercial area around Athinas Street. It is an easy walk from many of the city’s main sights.

• Metro: Syntagma (lines 2 and 3) and Monastiraki (lines 1 and 3) are both within walking distance.
• On foot: Plaka and the foot of the Acropolis are a short walk south.
• Taxi: Easy to reach, although some streets in the centre are narrow and one-way.

Brunch culture in Athens

Athens has embraced all-day brunch over the last decade. Alongside traditional Greek breakfasts, you will now find cafés serving specialty coffee, bowls, pancakes and egg dishes made with local ingredients. Some Greek breakfast items to look out for:

• Koulouri, a sesame bread ring sold by street vendors.
• Bougatsa, a filo pastry filled with custard or cheese.
• Greek yogurt with thyme honey and walnuts.
• Strapatsada, scrambled eggs with tomato and feta.
• Freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino, the iced coffees Greeks drink almost all year.

What to see nearby

Because it sits right in the centre, The Makers is a good base for a walking day:

• Syntagma Square and the Parliament, with the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
• Monastiraki Square and flea market, full of shops and street life.
• Ermou Street, the city’s main shopping street, with the small Byzantine church of Panagia Kapnikarea.
• Plaka and Anafiotika, the old neighbourhoods under the Acropolis.
• The Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, best visited early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

For a full plan, see my top 10 things to do in Athens and my guide to the top attractions in Athens.

Tips for your visit

• Go early on weekends. All-day brunch spots in central Athens are popular on Saturday and Sunday late mornings.
• Ask about vegan options. Many dishes can be adapted.
• Take time to browse the concept-store side.
• Check current hours. Small independent cafés can change their schedules, so confirm before you go.

FAQ

What are The Makers Athens reviews like? My review gives it four stars across the board, for service, food, location, price and portions.

What is on The Makers Athens menu? All-day brunch and breakfast: kefir waffles, waffle toast, spinach crepes, yogurt and acai bowls, ricotta pancakes, rice bowls, omelettes and salads, plus specialty coffee.

Is The Makers good for breakfast? Yes. Breakfast and brunch are the core of the menu, served all day. Check current opening hours before you go.

Is The Makers good for vegans? Yes. The menu has a focus on healthy and vegan dishes, such as coconut yogurt bowls and acai bowls.

Where is The Makers in Athens? At Praxitelous 37, a short walk from Syntagma and Monastiraki metro stations.

Can I buy products there? Yes. The space doubles as a concept store selling the brand’s aprons, place mats and towels.