Koukla Espresso Bar opened in October and has created a bit of a stir. This great little spot has no shortage of charm and includes a few welcome European touches that put the Koukla Espresso Bar over the top.

Owner Vasiliki Lampropoulou saw an opportunity to serve what she thought was a bit of a coffee desert when she opened Koukla Espresso Bar on 35^th Avenue. “There’s not so many espresso bars here,” Lampropoulou said. “I’ve had this idea for a long time.”

Image Courtesy: Koukla Espresso Bar

And don’t call it a coffee shop; Koukla doesn’t simply sell coffee. Lampropoulou explained, “It’s an espresso bar.”

The interior feels polished and airy. A long counter faces the street with seating both inside and out. Lampropoulou explained, “I brought the windows from Greece. I did a line walls technique with terra cotta color. And the Venetian plaster is from Italy, so it all looks very European.” Lampropoulou laughed, “This place used to be an auto parts store.”

Koukla Espresso Bar encourages you to relax in your seat. “It’s like an all-day concept,” Lampropoulou explained. “You can come in and have your coffee and a breakfast item, like the Mediterranean. It’s [a brioche bun with] haloumi cheese, sauteed onions, fried egg, tomato, and fig balsamic glaze. Then I have a loukoumades, lots of little items. Then lunch. You can stay all day.”

Image Courtesy: Koukla Espresso Bar

Indeed, you can. Koukla Espresso Bar has another typically European feature: that “bar” in the name? It’s not lip service. “We have a [liquor] license,” Lampropoulou said. “You can have spritz, limoncello spritz, espresso martini, negroni. You can order panni and a glass of wine.”

Other hot items to try? “One thing everybody’s crazy about is the banana oat latte. I also have my own coffee that I roast in Bushwick. Try the pistachio latte with pistachio milk. Of course, I have Greek coffee for cappuccino and espresso. And the matcha is from Japan and sells a lot, like strawberry matcha, and rose matcha, and even a rose matcha latte.”

Image Courtesy Koukla Espresso Bar

Lampropoulou has paid her dues on the way to becoming an owner. “I’ve worked for the best places in the city as a server and then a manager. I started from the bottom.” Along with several partners, Lampropoulou also currently runs the restaurant Water and Wheat, with locations on Manhattan’s Upper East and Upper West Side.

When she set her sights on owning her own business, Lampropoulou said she naturally decided on Astoria. “I’ve been living here 13 years now, and I like Astoria.”

As a far as what makes the customer experience special, Lampropoulou said that in her mind, it’s actually very simple: “For me the most important is always to have a smile. Give people something quality at good prices, and they’re going to come back.”

30-09 35^th Ave. / phone: 718.440.7448 / kouklaespressobar.com / Yelp: 4.5