Are you travelling to Athens with children, or looking for a unique place to have a coffee and a cake? Little Kook themed cafe will bring back childhood memories and transfer you to dreamland.
Christmas at Little Kook themed cafe in Athens
Tucked away on a side street in the Psiri neighborhood, you will find the Little Kook café. It opened in 2015 close to a cluster of restaurants and bars, and it is one of the most photographed cafés in Athens.
Due to its often changing seasonal themes, it has become a popular Athens attraction. With Christmas around the corner, locals and tourists pass by to take photos of the colorful Christmas decorations!
Other recurrent themes include Valentine’s Day, spring, summer and Halloween.
The colorful decorations have drawn inspiration from stories like Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Cinderella and Peter Pan. There’s always something new to look out for.
Dragons and fairies
No matter what the season, the huge black dragon on the roof of Little Kook shop is always there.
While it’s more relevant during Halloween, they have somehow managed to combine it with creatures from the fantasy world, like Cinderella and Alice. And, during Christmas, it’s surrounded by Christmas trees.
The friendly staff of the Little Kook in Athens are dressed accordingly, with colorful, themed outfits. They look like they’ve jumped out of a fairy tale book – and perhaps they have!
Bright lights and colorful umbrellas
Even if you aren’t planning to sit at Little Kook in Athens, it’s worth passing by to check the decoration on Karaiskaki and Pittaki streets.
There is always something different going on, normally involving flower, umbrella or light installations.
In fact, Pittaki street was already quite colorful before the Little Kook opened, due to a local initiative supported by the Municipality of Athens.
The colorful streets in Psiri
In November 2012, a group of lights, offered by local shops and residents, was installed on Pittaki street with the aid of private funding.
The alley was unofficially renamed “the street of lights”, as it was a brightly lit alleyway in the middle of an otherwise dark area.
The street became famous among Athenians, not least because it symbolized a light during the dark times of the Greek crisis.
This video shows part of the process, and what the street used to look like long before Little Kook Athens opened.
Unfortunately, the lights were uninstalled in 2018 for safety reasons, due to lack of further funding. The Little Kook took over with their decorations, and the street is still merry and bright.
…and Psiri remains one of the most quirky neighborhoods in Athens!
Inside the Little Kook cafe
As you would imagine, the smoke free interior of the iconic cafe is as magical as its exterior.
There are several themed rooms, each with its own different theme from a well known story. For example, you can choose the Wonderland Room, or the Cinderella Room.
You will see objects like dolls, puppets, jack in the box, flowers, rainbows, unicorns, fairy tale heroes, and all sorts of trinkets and ornaments.
The elaborate decoration will astonish kids, and not only. I’d say that people of any age range will be amazed – I know I was!
Little Kook Athens menu
The Little Kook has a pretty long menu. In terms of beverages, they serve coffee, several types of tea, warm chocolate, refreshments, wine, beers and other drinks.
However, the highlights are the enormous cakes, cupcakes, pancakes, crepes, ice cream and other desserts. Expect names like “Dragon’s breath” or similar.
Well, I may have just made that up… seriously, who would like to have a taste of Dragon’s breath?
If you are visiting with children, you have a great excuse to sit here and enjoy a glass of wine or slice of cake.
If you don’t have children, you can always make up an excuse. You can say you are “doing research for your friends who have kids, and they are travelling to Greece soon”. These “friends” can be imaginary though 🙂
My honest opinion of Athens Little Kook themed cafe
My last visit to Little Kook was a while ago. I have to say that I wasn’t too impressed with the actual desserts when I visited.
I found the desserts too sweet for my taste – yes, there is such a thing as too sweet desserts! It wouldn’t be a place that I’d go often for a dessert.
That said, I walk by several times a year to see the ever-changing, fairy tale décor.
For delicious cakes and other Greek desserts in Psyrri area, I warmly recommend Serbetospito tis Nancys nearby. Their desserts are also very sweet, but somehow don’t taste as they’ve got so much sugar.
There’s no fancy decoration here. Instead, you can meet the passionate Nancy, who’s been in the dessert-making business forever.
FAQ about the Little Kook shop
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:
Where is Little Kook in Athens?
Little Kook café is located on Karaiskaki 17 in Psiri neighborhood. It is very close to Monastiraki and Thission metro stations.
What is the menu like in Little Kook?
Little Kook offers a range of beverages like tea, coffee, chocolate and wine, and several signature (and very sugary) desserts.
Is it worth visiting Little Kook cafe?
It is definitely worth it to see the decoration, especially if you have kids! You might find that their desserts are on the sugary side.
What else is there to do close to Little Kook?
You can stroll around Psiri area. If you want to get closer to Greek culture, visit the amazing Varvakios food market, which is open on weekday mornings.
Do locals visit Little Kook?
Yes, I’ve seen locals sit around now and then. However, the fairy tale cafe is very popular with tourists – never underestimate the power of social media!
Visit their Facebook page for any updates and new posts, including photos and videos of their current main theme.
More Greece guides
Here are a few more guides to Athens and Greece:
- Shopping in Athens
- Changing of the Guards in Athens
- The National Garden in Athens
- Best time to visit Athens
- 30 best things to do in Athens
- What to do on a Sunday in Athens
- How to plan a trip to Greece
- How to take the Athens metro
Hi! I’m Vanessa, a travel blogger from Athens. I love exploring my city, and the quirky Little Kook themed café is an interesting place to stop by for a few photos. If you’ve tried their desserts, I’d love to read your opinion below!
