Athens is its streets, neighbourhoods and buildings, but above all, it is the people who shape it through art, music, architecture and culture. This is precisely the idea behind The Clumsies’ new cocktail menu, “Polykatoikia (Spirits of the City)”, a collection of ten cocktails inspired by ten individuals who have each left their own mark on Athens’ contemporary creative scene.
The Clumsies team spent more than a year developing the new menu, holding personal conversations with each featured creator. Through these interviews, they explored their guests’ taste preferences, memories, habits and personalities, translating them into ten distinctive cocktail creations that serve as “liquid narratives” of contemporary Athens.
The Ten Cocktails of “Polykatoikia”
- City Skin – Ozone (Street Artist)
The intensity and immediacy of graffiti are captured in a tropical cocktail featuring aged rum, strawberry and mango kombucha, and spices. It is served in a glass inspired by a painted urban wall, reflecting the dynamic nature of street art. - Spirit of the City – Aristomenis Proveleggios (Architect & Urban Planner)
A cocktail made with London Dry Gin, beurre noisette, coriander distillate and apricot, inspired by Proveleggios’ human-centred approach to architecture and the relationship between the city, memory and landscape. - The Pause Between – Giorgos Ikaros Babasakis (Writer & Translator)
Built around vodka, with flavours reminiscent of traditional Greek walnut cake and yoghurt, this cocktail expresses the moment of pause and contemplation that characterises Babasakis’ writing. - YesterNow – Spyros Derveniotis (Comic Book Artist)
A cocktail that plays with nostalgia, inspired by the aesthetics of comic books and 1980s fantasy cinema. Combining tequila, mezcal, mocha and coconut, it offers an unexpected take on the Espresso Martini—without coffee. - Kykeon – Panagiota Vlanti (Actress)
Guests are invited to choose between a sweeter or a more bitter version of the cocktail, referencing the unpredictable nature of the theatrical stage. The recipe is based on Metaxa 12 Stars, with notes of peach, amaretto and pennyroyal. - Rec & Play – B.D. Foxmoor (Poet, MC & Producer)
Featuring whiskey, pineapple bitters, vermouth and chorizo oil, this creation reflects the rhythm, intensity and creative flow that define B.D. Foxmoor’s music and poetic expression. - Changing Seasons – Sophia Vethani (Visual Artist)
A refreshing highball made with single-estate rum, cherry, falernum and basil that evolves according to the seasonality of its ingredients, reflecting the constant transformation that characterises the artist’s work. - Perfect Imperfection – Kosmas Koumianos (Photographer)
The clean aesthetic and precision of Koumianos’ photographic eye are translated into a cocktail made with London Dry Gin, mastiha, herbs, upcycled cheese remnants, tonic and orange bitters, where balance is found in the smallest details. - Proika – Argyris Rallias (Sculptor)
Inspired by craftsmanship and gastronomy, Proika combines vodka, blue cheese, fig, sun-dried tomato, honey and Amontillado sherry, creating a cocktail with pronounced umami character and remarkable depth. - Curated Chaos – Daphne Zouboulakis (Gallerist)
Premium gin, vermouth and umeshu blueberry brine come together in a cocktail that balances intensity and harmony, completed with an unexpected blue cheese garnish. A creation that reflects the way a gallery brings together different artistic voices into a unified whole.
The menu’s design follows the same narrative concept. The creative studio el. et al. was responsible for the concept, art direction and editorial content, while the portraits of the ten featured creators were produced with the contribution of the team’s children. On the final pages, patterns inspired by traditional Greek terrazzo floors pay tribute to the historic building that houses The Clumsies, where Polykatoikia takes on its own flavourful identity.
With its new “Polykatoikia” menu, The Clumsies once again demonstrates that contemporary mixology can be much more than the technical craft of creating cocktails; it can become a medium for storytelling, cultural expression and a meaningful connection with the city itself.
