Kafantari

"In Kafantari's cafe, ten soldiers without uniforms
they went and sat down to party, to drink tsipouro, to drink raki ”.

Η Thessaloniki, Greece, one of the most sung cities in our country, it obviously had cafes historians which in turn have inspired songs in turn. Of course, the main theme of the lyrics is the poverty and the great tradition of the city that with its hospitable embrace welcomed over the centuries to all the persecuted of every era. From the Jewish Sephardim who arrived here in the 15th century, to the Pontic and Asia Minor refugees, but also the internal economic migrants during the years of "astyphilia" who found refuge here and resumed their lives.

Unfortunately, the cafes that are left in Thessaloniki are counted on the fingers. At 1 Arkadioupoleos Street and Agiou Dimitriou, is the cafe "Kafantari". From its external appearance one understands its popular character. A huge old window in a rather abandoned building.

A lot is said about the prehistory of the store.

According to Christos Zafeiris in his book "Eros Covers the City", there was at the beginning of Agios Dimitrios at the beginning of the 20th century, the cafe of Kafantari that was, "Infamous bravo, smuggler and lover of the underworld during the years of exile". In fact, the modern owners of the store also display the hiding place of Kafantari, which was hidden when the police visited his cafe. Later the shop passed into the hands of Christos Vlavenidis and in 1965 it was taken over by Kariofilis Diamantakidis and from him it passed to his son Dimitris and then to his daughter, Aphrodite. From 1965 until today a family affair!

According to the stories, Markos Vamvakaris also played here after the war, because the cafe for some days hosted an orchestra and singers of the time, such as Markos Tsitsanis and Batis.

Experiential memories exist from the sixties, when the cafe was a hangout for pick-up trucks and taxi drivers.

Today it is frequented by a few elderly people, many of them Muslims and several new friends of the owners. The main feature of some patrons in Kafandari was the smuggling of one euro cigarettes supplied by street vendors.

The atmosphere inside the store is very popular as well as the prices of drinks that do not exceed 1,5 euros. Of course, there are also those who come for ouzo and bring their own meze. However, in support of the above chant, - as veteran patrons tell us - many visitors to the cafe, are old soldiers who come to reminisce about the beautiful moments spent in this area, while of course the store has its glories, when it has in his TV match PAOK. You can not find a place to sit.