The times may have changed … people no longer make appointments in pastry shops and downtown Athens, but there is a shop that has been stubbornly refusing to change for the past 48 years, managing to survive and become a favorite hangout for dozens of Athenians and visitors to the city.

Xara Pastry Shop has been almost the same since April 11, 1969, when it opened its doors to consumers.

According to legend, the owners’ grandmother, Aristea, came from Smyrna to Athens after the persecution of 1922 and carried the recipes for mackerel and ice cream inside her shoes. Its name is said to have come from the block of flats located next door and is called “Joy”.

So, when opened, “Xara” was brought down to Patission Avenue and many people flocked from around the area to taste its Constantinople ice cream.
Soon it became the favorite hangout of hundreds of people, having gained a fan base even today.

The name of “Xara” was heard in the case of the arrest of members on November 17, as it became known to members of the terrorist organization that they often visited the legendary pastry shop.

But what is the recipe for the success of the pastry shop?

The magic of “Xara” is that it manages and maintains unchanged over time most of the elements in both its flavors and space. Modern touches are minimal.

The only successful recipe of “Xara” is its civic ice creams, the wide variety of flavors, with sepia glass walls, the tables on the sidewalk, its special lighting, the salmon walls, and the “Xara” mirrors are a special feature with the coconut palms.

Two of Hara’s famous specialties are : ekmek with ice cream and Chicago ice cream.

For ice cream you will find six recipes, including guzel ekmek (bread pudding base and buffalo cream) and a vanilla ice cream, but the most popular version is the civic ice cream maker, made from Buffalo milk. The base is almost crunchy with sweet syrup and fits perfectly with the creamy texture of the ice cream.

Chicago again is for those who love chocolate. It is a generous serving of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and chopped almonds on top.

Recently two more flavors have been added to the pastry menu: Rice Pudding Ice Cream and Choco King, White Chocolate Ice Cream and Crisp Rice Flakes.