“De Facto” café-bar on 19 Pavlou Mela street, has been operating in the exact same spot for over 40 years and its name is intertwined with countless days and nights of delicious coffees and favorite drinks, discussions about culture, politics and art, student expenses and visits from other regions of the country and abroad.

“De Facto” was the first all day bar in the center of Thessaloniki. It was opened in November 1983, in the same place where since 1963 a store of illuminated signs had been operating. From the beginning it was a hangout for the intellectuals of the city, bringing a rapid change to the area.

Patrons even flooded the sidewalk to get into “De Facto.” After all, its first period of operation coincided with a time when various artistic and theatrical events and hangouts began to appear and be created, spaces of expression necessary for a Thessaloniki thirsty for everything creative at the time and so… the world loved it.

Home to the world of the city’s culture

All these years, the education in all day entertainment offered by “De Facto” has remained constant and has “initiated” entire generations of people, locals and non-residents who, either as passers-by or regular patrons, continue to choose it for coffee or their drink, creating groups, acquaintances and fermentations of all kinds between them.

Intellectuals, visual artists, writers, poets, professors, journalists, doctors, lawyers, actors and directors have passed and continue to pass through its premises (such as Aliki Vougiouklaki, Konstantinos Kazakos, Yiannis Dalianidis, Dimitris Maronitis or the stage designer Dionisis Fotopoulos). Also, many actors of the State Theatre, composers and singers and in short the whole world of the culture of the city, who gave and gives appointments in the space and who, in turn, have shaped it, in terms of its physiognomy. From the first years of operation of “De Facto”, people from trade, services, but also young professionals, such as graphic designers and decorators, connected with the then emerging middle class of Thessaloniki.

The wine cellar and the menu

The company was one of the first to bring to Thessaloniki more “European coffees”, such as cappuccino, in addition to the traditional Greek and “instant” coffees, but also a variety of drinks and, above all, the ability to order, at any time , a glass of wine in hand and not necessarily a whole bottle – something that is now established in the bar market.

The cellar and the menu at “De Facto” evolve and are enriched according to the current of the time, new products and the needs of the world. Today you will find all kinds of coffee, several drinks, malt whiskeys and accompanying snacks, from finger food to various types of sandwiches and brioche platters, suitable for any time of the day and for any taste.

This year you will also try a new coffee blend, certified with the “Quality Italian Espresso” quality product label issued by Gruppo Italiano Torrefattori Caffé (GITC), the “Monforte” espresso, which will surely surprise you!

The standout, of course, is the Greek, aromatic coffee, which is roasted over embers, on sand, with an unsurpassed taste.

In the barrels of “De Facto” you will find cold Stella and Franziskaner beers, while you will love its cocktails – classic or signature…

The drinks in the catalog are constantly being enriched. You will find fasting and vegan options, such as almond drinks, but also hot drinks with alcohol, ideal for the days and nights of autumn and winter, such as Irish coffee or espresso martini with vodka, Kahlua and espresso, ideal for the afternoon hours. You’ll also find non-alcoholic beer and gin.

As for the chocolates, to the classic recipe, more than 40 years old, with an authentic couverture, characteristic of “De Facto”, the alternative proposal of milk chocolate, with a little integrated sugar, is added for those who want less bitter intensity.

Generations of patrons…

The patrons of “De Facto” today include people of all professions, old patrons who have gone abroad and stop by every time they return to the city, people from every corner of Greece, who find here an ideal place to enjoy a coffee and a drink, exchanging, at the same time, ideas about art and more.

After so many years of stable operation, in fact, the children and grandchildren of the original patrons now frequent here.

Both at the tables and at its marble bar, you will relax and feel comfortable – sometimes enjoying the visual exhibitions hosted in the space or one of the book presentations, which take place regularly.

The outdoor tables allow you to watch the people and the traffic of the bustling Pavlou Mela street, getting a taste of the heart of the center.

“De Facto” is the classic, timeless and at the same time modern choice, to “catch” the pulse of the city, under the sounds of beautiful musical selections and you will easily understand why it could become your hangout!