Varsos Cafe & Bakery, Athens

This fine old Athenian establishment dates back to 1892, when Kifissia was a summer resort first opening up to the city's inhabitants through the new electric railway.  It retains much of its pre-war atmosphere: the staff in white overalls, the ornate stucco of the ceilings, the handwritten chits for the cashier, all take you back to a vanished age. You can sit and have coffee and cakes (very politely served) in the garden or at tables on the pavement, but the real treat is buying inside, from the glazed cabinets filled with baklava, galaktoboureko (custard tart), tsoureki (brioche), koulourakia (cookies) and other delights. The prices are reasonable and the quality - thanks to a company policy of using only pure, traditional ingredients - unrivalled. - Alex Martin

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