Around Stone Soup: Food, Drinks and Good Times

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Hey Stonesoupers! We know you love our office spaces and coworking areas, but The neighborhood has so much to offer besides convenient commuting. Being in the heart of the city, we are around so many places where you can eat, drink and have fun. So here are some of our tried and true options for good food and good times around Stone Soup!

Breakfast food for every mood

A good breakfast can surely boost your productivity! Black Salami Sandwich, the meta-bakery of our neighborhood, has the best warm sandwiches and focaccia. Fancy a traditional greek pie? Spinach, cheese, mushroom or zucchini, you name it! Bakeries like Artiston or Starata will offer plenty of options.Alternatively, you can boost your day with a freshly squeezed juice or healthy smoothie at Up Kittariki Threpsi.

Black Salami’s iconic sandwiches

Let’s grab a coffee!

Need a pick-me-up? For some fine blends, we recommend Banca cafe just across the street. Bayard Cafe has a wide range of drinks, snacks and the famous Area 51 Coffee, which makes it the right place for a break. Behold theman is a small boutique coffee shop which serves specialty 5th wave coffee and cold-pressed juices. Just around the corner from Stone Soup, you’ll find a small espresso bar called Foyer, that makes simple, high quality coffee and amazing cold brew. Samba has rightfully earned its cult status among coffee lovers, plus, you can buy some of their specialty beans for home, or maybe to share with your coworkers.

Samba’s signature coffee blends

Hungry for more?

So you’ve worked all morning, and you’re starving! We get the feeling… We have some great options for every craving you may have, and more! If you love pasta, then Alex Pasta Bar is the right destination for hearty, delicious dishes. Wanna try a traditional greek “Souvlaki” instead? How about some ewe meat wrapped in a warm pita? Then, Prigkripas is the place for you. Fancy a huge steak? Then head to Prodorpion. Maybe you’ve been craving some noodles, and Microulee will satisfy that need with its value for money options.

Fresh and delicious pasta from Alex!

Have you ever tried French Tacos? Well, there’s a first time for everything, and Le Panam is the place! If you’re up for some Greek comfort foods you can try Tivoli, a family run restaurant with many traditional options, Mageireuto Sti Gastra, or, if you’d like a buffet option, Kimatothraustes. Don’t forget to pay a visit at Fata Morgana! This cozy little place, just steps away from Stone Soup, takes you on a delicious culinary journey that brings together the comfort of homemade food with contemporary twists. Crete also has its own cuisine, and the best places to sample it are the Cretan taverns Nikiforos and I Kriti.

Fata Morgana transports you back to comforting tastes and flavours!

Craving a burger? Talking Breads has some of the juiciest burgers in town, and a lamb sandwich that reminds us of Greek easter! Falafellas is so good it often has a queue, but it’s definitely worth the wait. Were you looking for some Italian pizza or amazing lasagna? Visit Granello, we’re sure you won’t regret it. Finally for traditional greek “meze”with a modern twist, and some beautiful garden seating, head to Ama Lachei.

Meze in the garden, at Ama Lachei

Vegan? We got you covered

We know Greece may not seem like the easiest place to enjoy food as a vegan, but don’t be fooled. Many traditional greek foods just happen to be vegan, and the traditional restaurants mentioned above will have some options for you! But we do also have some special places in mind: Magic Kitchen has some amazing handmade vegan food (we recommend the veggie meatballs). To revithaki has some middle eastern options, and people can’t stop hyping their homemade hummus.

Cookoomela’s famous vegan gyros

Of course, you can’t leave Athens without trying some gyros and souvlaki! So,head to  Cookoomela Grill and try the vegan version of these iconic greek dishes. Have you ever tried savory doughnuts? If you are looking for some fast food, or some excellent vegan ice cream, then Keenkies is the answer.  Ap’allou serves some high quality vegan and vegetarian food (make sure you try their falafel).Finally Bamboo Vegan has some great snacks, the best matcha latte we’ve ever tried, and even a small deli section.

For your sweet tooth

Are your energy levels starting to drop? Maybe a sugary treat will do the trick! If you love cookies, cakes and brownies you must try I Cake You.  Au Grand Zinc  is probably the most authentic creperie around Stone Soup. You should taste the delicious “built-to-order” crepes while listening to some jazz and enjoying the ambience.

I Cake You’s iconic cookies

Portatif is an elegant cafe with delicious pastries near Stone Soup. We do love profiteroles in this office, and we are in disagreement about the best in town: Some say it’s Choureal, while others prefer Sorolop, so you may have to try both and help us decide.

Have a drink (…or two)

After a long day of work, a drink may be necessary. If you don’t feel like walking for more than 2 minutes, Red Lotus has good vibes, affordable drinks and uplifting music. You’ll rarely see this place empty, even after hours. The Black Cat is preferred by locals for its chill atmosphere and cool, jazzy music, while Barley Cargo has a huge selection of beers, with many local labels to choose from, and new additions almost every week. The Clumsies is the place to go for cocktails in a multi-room bar with a warm,cozy atmosphere.

Red Lotus is just around the corner!

Is wine your drink of choice? Head to Cinque Wine & Deli Bar for amazing greek wines and charcuterie boards full of local products. Lulu is a stylish little bar with great food options, while Kobra is an amazing option for any time of the day. Is it too late? Think all the bars are closed?  Walk towards the commercial triangle to find the Dude bar and get a real taste of the Athenian nightlife. Closer to Syntagma, 7 Jokers is a quirky little bar with great cocktails, and it’s going to be open until the early hours of the morning.

Head to “The Blind Beggar” for our monthly meet-up!

Last but not least, don’t forget about our monthly meet & drink events. This is the perfect opportunity for you to socialise with fellow coworkers and like-minded individuals. It’s a chance to unwind, network, and engage in thought-provoking conversations while enjoying some well-deserved relaxation and fun!

While you’re at Stone Soup, look around you! There’s so many great options, and we couldn’t possibly include them all, but that’s what our community is all about: Ask your coworkers for tips, try new spots together, and don’t hesitate to ask us for suggestions or information. What makes Stone Soup thrive, after all, is the things we do together! So, whether you’re exploring the culinary delights of the area or joining us for our lively meet & drink, there’s always something exciting happening around Stone Soup.

Food Sustainability: What’s all the hype about?

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Lately there is a buzz around food sustainability. But what exactly does the term mean? Simply put, food sustainability is all about producing food in a way that protects the environment, makes efficient use of natural resources, ensures that farmers can support themselves, and enhances the quality of life in communities that produce food. 

Joe’s contribution to a greener economy

Joe, one of our newest Stone Soupers, explains how sustainability can help us build a greener future. During our conversation, we found out what fascinates him about Athens, and, in return,we got some advice on how we can minimize food waste at home or in the office. 

coworkers in christmas; different members of our community

Joe was studying in the University of Cambridge, when a Greek friend shared some intriguing stories about life in Athens. Years later, he jumped on the opportunity to take a long break from life in London, and explore the city he’d heard so much about. Joe’s pursuit for new, sunnier experiences, brought him to Athens, and Stone Soup.

Warmer weather… Warmer people?

Even in winter, Joe still seems excited about the climate of our city. One of the things he’s been enjoying in Athens is that although it’s a vibrant and busy metropolis, people are much more relaxed and easy-going compared to Londoners. He also seems a bit intrigued by the many cafés in Athens that offer sidewalk seating, which, to him, makes the urban landscape seem more welcoming and warm.

food sustainability; sharing is caring

Sustainability: The only way forward

Joe follows the entire food production process, from the first stages of farming until it finally reaches our table. He actually is the one who makes sure that the right choices are made so that a greener approach is guaranteed. 

Since the field is relatively new and frequently confusing, Joe was happy to clarify some terms: He explained that his duties are mostly pertinent to data gathering and analysis. That way, he can ensure that all kinds of waste (energy, resource or produce), are minimized.

Sharing really is caring!

An interesting link between food sustainability and the mentality of co-working spaces emerged while talking to Joe. At first they may not seem that relevant but a closer look highlights a common goal: They both focus on ways to reduce waste. 

Co-working spaces offer shared spaces, energy and resources: They clearly value the importance of waste reduction! So, since we also care about the issue at hand, we asked the expert: Joe shared some hacks and tips on how we can decrease food waste in our own kitchen. We already tried some of them, and if you do too, you can share your experience with us, and make Joe proud with your sustainable cooking skills!

Ingredients for a tasty coworking experience

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Coworking spaces have established themselves as the “new normal” and their fundamental characteristic is a sense of “community” and “collaboration”. Coworking communities are a transformed version of the traditional workplaces which are slowly decreasing in size as an aftermath of the pandemic crisis.

The coworking space is a new type of workplace: heterogeneous professionals, in terms of employment, their field of work, organizational status, and relationships, work all together in the same space.

This broad definition is due to the fact that there is no common interpretation of coworking in the academic literature. It is not a coherent phenomenon but a “new normal” based on the values of collaboration, openness, community, accessibility and sustainability, which each organization interprets ad hoc.

Uda’s (2013) definition of coworking spaces is a widely accepted one and goes as follows: “it is a way of working in which individuals gather in a space to create value while sharing information and knowledge through communication and collaborating under conditions of their choosing”.

We all agree that the practice of coworking in a space is a hybrid of remote working and working from a flexible office that does not commit you to anything!

Coworkers enjoying their hotdesk memberships

The importance of co-creative work

Co-creative work is linked to the concept of “hubs”. Their structure and content can take various forms, such as coworking spaces, studios, clusters, incubators, accelerators etc. Often the boundaries between these are blurred and there are no clear definitions.

Co-creative work is a manifestation of affective creative labor and its essential ingredients are proximity and co-location. These two characteristics, together with inclusivity, are usually necessary to bring out a complete profile of a coworking space. 

The importance of informality as a component of openness is also in the core of coworking. Informal relationships are truly motivating. When it comes to joining coworking spaces such as Stone Soup, we are proud of our coziness! 

coworking life

The life of a copywriter from the UK

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Elliott is a freelance copywriter from the UK and one of Stone Soup’s newest members. He will add his copywriting skills as an ingredient to our soup. Originally from London, he studied politics at University of Bristol and has been a freelance copywriter for about a year, mainly working for tech companies and startups. Before that, he was working a full time job for a PR Agency, therefore digital nomadism is quite new to him. Elliott is currently splitting his time between his home base of London and destinations abroad.

After spending a year in California as an exchange student at University of Berkeley, Elliott travelled a lot, including parts of Asia.

Elliott has travelled to Southern Europe and has worked remotely from Porto, where he enjoyed the relaxed lifestyle and slow living. Being already familiar with the Mediterranean climate, Elliott chose Athens as his base for the next few months. It’s his third time in Athens and, as he really liked the vibe of the city, he returned in order to work remotely from our coworking space. He is planning to stay in Athens until Christmas and he isn’t sure about his next destination: ‘I may stay in Athens, might go back to Portugal. I also consider going to Malaysia!’

Combining freelancing and travelling 

Staying for a longer period in places he works gives him the opportunity to have time for everything, without rushing. That’s how he found our coworking space. ‘By spending a few months somewhere, you get to know the people and the place without being chaotic’. 

‘Even though freelancing gives me the flexibility to build things around my schedule and I really like the autonomy, it can sometimes get lonely. Coworking is a good way to meet people and Stone Soup is a supportive place to work.’ On top of that, Elliott mentioned that it’s really motivating to see things getting done around him.

Specifically, he really enjoys working for tech startups and innovative companies, for example, for Beyond Identity, which created a software that allows companies to eliminate passwords and has grown into a really successful company within 2 years.

digital nomads; working on the beach; camping and working; flexible

What makes a successful copywriter? 

‘Obviously, you need to be good with words and able to express your ideas very clearly in written language’ says Elliott. Moreover, it’s equally important to have a good understanding of marketing, as well as knowing how to get into the minds of the customers. Balancing the above mentioned with good writing makes a copywriter stand out.

Elliott has met clients through a variety of channels, like a Facebook group for content writers, but LinkedIn is the main professional network. Networking can, of course, happen in a coworking space: as he said, he has met clients through coworking spaces.

As a freelance copywriter, the creative process isn’t always the same: ‘I have to talk with my clients about their marketing goals and what they want to communicate. It’s more like a collaborative process: we discuss ideas and find what fits in with how clients want to build their brand.’

In conclusion, a freelance copywriter needs to be autonomous: ‘It’s not like working in an office where you can consult your colleagues. You have to work things out on your own’.

coworker from the UK ; freelance copywriter; member of the community
Elliott is a freelance copywriter