Design Details: The Performance of Pastry and Coffee at Moden Café in Athens

Daily Coffee News Staff | November 3, 2026

Welcome to Design Details, an ongoing editorial feature in Daily Coffee News focused on individual examples of coffee shop architecture, interior design, packaging design or branding. If you are a coffee shop owner, designer or architect and would like to submit your project for consideration, reach our editors here.

Design Details: Moden Café

Project: Moden Café
Location: Athens, Greece
Area: 40 square meters (431 square feet)
Completed: 2025
Client: Moden Athens
Architecture, interior design and construction: Georgios Apostolopoulos Architects
Lead architect: Georgios Apostolopoulos
Photography: Lorenzo Zandri
Artwork: Alexia Psaradeli and Kyriakos Patsalis

An open kitchen and bar turn pastry service and coffee preparation into a performance at Moden Café, a 431-square-foot cafe occupying the ground floor of a 1970s building in Athens, Greece.

The cafe is located in the central Pagrati neighborhood. Its name comes from the original Moden pastry workshop, located a few doors away.

“The café pays homage to its roots while embracing a contemporary design ethos,” according to a project description shared with DCN.

Georgios Apostolopoulos Architects designed and constructed the cafe with the aim of creating a warm, calm interior that connects naturally to the surrounding neighborhood. Bespoke architectural and furniture elements were made specifically for the compact space.

“The space has been created to celebrate the artistry of pastries and the ritual of coffee making,” the firm told DCN.

Clean lines and neutral tones establish a largely monochromatic interior. Textured floors and walls evoke dough and flour, bringing warmth and familiarity to the restrained palette.

Custom stainless-steel and oak benches and seating were designed to showcase the cafe’s products while maintaining the simplicity of the room.

“At the centre of the space, the kitchen and bar form a central focal point, designed as an open stage where pastry serving and coffee making become a performance — celebrating craftsmanship through transparency,” the project description states.

Seating follows the perimeter of the rectangular floor plan, with benches lining three sides. The arrangement is intended to direct attention toward the kitchen and bar while encouraging interaction across the room.

A custom facade opens the cafe to natural light and creates a direct connection to the street.

“The design, natural light, and materials come together to create a peaceful atmosphere,” the firm said. “Every detail is crafted to foster simplicity, offering a serene setting for both the mind and the senses.”