Brettos

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With its walls of colorful glass bottles, this charming little bar can be elusive—nestled deep in downtown Athens, in the warren of streets that make up the Plaka. Day or night, Brettos pronounced Vrettos in Greek is frequented by locals and tourists alike—the oldest distillery in Athens. Who knows where that first sip might lead? Ouzo was something I wanted to try, as it is for many first-time visitors to Greece , but stumbling upon Brettos was definitely a surprise treat. This is the oldest distillery in Athens, where both locals and travelers stop in to drink homemade ouzo, brandy, and liqueurs. We sat at the bar and drank ouzo, then moved on to sampling liqueurs in a variety of flavors. I will always remember the banana liqueur as being my favorite that day.

Brettos

In my wanderings around Athens, I came across a cool little bar called Brettos. From the street my eyes were immediately drawn inside by the colourful wall of brightly lit bottles. Once inside Brettos, I perched myself on one of the old timber bar stools and marvelled at wall to wall displays. The bar itself is very old world, with a rustic fit out and interesting objects scattered about the place. The bar has been in this spot since , making it just over a century old and apparently not much has changed inside this building since then. At this point the barman comes over to say hello and hands me the extensive drinks menu. Narrowing the choice down is not going to be an easy feat! Quietly observing Brettos you will see in front of you, literally hundreds and then hundreds more of different types of drinks on offer, and a must try is the traditional Greek spirits distilled on the premises. After perusing the drinks menu, I decided to enlist the advice from the expert. If you have tried Ouzo before but not in Greece, then be prepared for a top shelf experience at Brettos, you should not leave this bar without trying the quadrupled distilled Ouzo, a Mastika or even a Rakemelos. I quite enjoyed the Ouzo and decided to take home with me a bottle, which I have since shared with family back home. Brettos Bar is quite small and gets very busy late at night.

Cozy atmosphere. Many coctail alternatives with authentic ambiance in heart of Plaka, brettos.

Michail Brettos started the business in the early 20th century; he produced ouzo , as well as brandy and a selection of liqueurs, by using old recipes from the ancient Greek city of Smyrna, in modern-day Turkey. Brettos operated the distillery for 60 years in two locations in Athens before selling it; today, the current owner is Ioannis Papadonikolakis, who decided to maintain the authentic charm of the place. And he has clearly succeeded. As soon as you step inside Brettos , you will be amazed by the wall adorned with colorful glass liqueur bottles and impressive original wooden barrels Michail Brettos used for ouzo keep your eyes open to spot the original cauldron used for the distillation. But besides the picture-perfect interior, Brettos is also where you can enjoy some authentic ouzo or over 50 different types of liqueur. The most popular flavors chosen by locals and visitors alike include mastiha definitely not surprising , limoncello, watermelon, peppermint, orange, mango, coffee, and coconut. Those into harder drinks can opt for the original brandy produced by Brettos or one of the original cocktails made from the liqueurs available in the store, as well as over labels of Greek wines.

Michail Brettos started the business in the early 20th century; he produced ouzo , as well as brandy and a selection of liqueurs, by using old recipes from the ancient Greek city of Smyrna, in modern-day Turkey. Brettos operated the distillery for 60 years in two locations in Athens before selling it; today, the current owner is Ioannis Papadonikolakis, who decided to maintain the authentic charm of the place. And he has clearly succeeded. As soon as you step inside Brettos , you will be amazed by the wall adorned with colorful glass liqueur bottles and impressive original wooden barrels Michail Brettos used for ouzo keep your eyes open to spot the original cauldron used for the distillation. But besides the picture-perfect interior, Brettos is also where you can enjoy some authentic ouzo or over 50 different types of liqueur. The most popular flavors chosen by locals and visitors alike include mastiha definitely not surprising , limoncello, watermelon, peppermint, orange, mango, coffee, and coconut. Those into harder drinks can opt for the original brandy produced by Brettos or one of the original cocktails made from the liqueurs available in the store, as well as over labels of Greek wines. Since all the liqueur and brandy recipes are original and date back to the 19th century, you are drinking history at Brettos, though on a sadder note, given the current low demand, production has been relocated elsewhere. However, if you enjoy the various liqueurs, you will be happy to know that you can buy different bottles and take them home with you as a lasting souvenir of this hidden Athenian treasure—a definite plus if you ask us.

Brettos

Our world famous ouzo in 5 different labels. It started operating for the first time back in at the ground level of an Athenian old mansion in the heart of Plaka. At those premises, his founder Mr Michael Brettos, started producing ouzo, brandy and few liqueur flavors, from the old time classics like cherry and pepermint to the most distinct ones like citrus and masticha, using old family recipes from Smyrni Izmir, Turkey. When demand started rising more that expected he had to relocate the distillery to Kallithea and operate the small shop on Kydathineon street only as a liquor shop and at the same time as a bar where tourists as well as local could taste and buy any liqueur they wished for. It is still serving visitors ouzo, 3,5 and 7 star brandy, more than 35 different flavors of liqueur, none of them available in any other of the liquor or grocery store, traditional Greek spirits, wines and beers. Visited by many locals, it is also very inviting for the tourists. Anyone who is passing by can either sit down and try any liqueur he wishes for, or buy the whole bottle if in need of something to go or take home. The inside of the small shop is still as it used to be. On another wall are the old barrels full of spirits that are still used.

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Constantin W March 25, Great ouzo and atmosphere! Brettos Bar is quite small and gets very busy late at night. Vincent Ghyssens November 21, Mango Liqueur. Culture Trip launched in with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. Kimberly Bradley. The best place to taste homemade liqueurs. Lovely decor! Places people like to go after Brettos. If you find yourself wandering around the Plaka area, then make sure you pop into Brettos for a unique Greek drinking experience. Something unique at the heart of plaka! Lisa Trottier. Great drinks, music and atmosphere.

Its founder, Michail Brettos, produced ouzo -- Greece's most popular drink -- in the distillery, as well as brandy, sherry, peppermint, mastic and citron liqueur, faithfully following ancestral recipes from the ancient Greek city of Smyrna.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. Christos was very friendly! Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together. Chloe Arrojado. Do not think twice: go for the 5 best local wine degustation. Blackberry Liqueur. A wide variety of coctails based on its own liquors. Huge variety of cocktails! If you have tried Ouzo before but not in Greece, then be prepared for a top shelf experience at Brettos, you should not leave this bar without trying the quadrupled distilled Ouzo, a Mastika or even a Rakemelos. Red or white - extremely worth it. Very trendy bar decorated with colorful bottles.