Okupa, the New Urban Hub, Hotel, Restaurant and More in Psiri

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Led by an impressive pair of longtime hospitality experts, and charming hosts, George Batrouni and Hrag Darakjian, Okupa was conceived as an urban hub was sought to address the occasional tension between hospitality spaces and the local environments that they inhabit and benefit from. As George says “behind even the smallest of our decisions lies our mission to connect communities across borders and build a bridge between locals and travellers.” The environment stimulates all of Aristotle’s original five senses and probably many of the other thirty three that it’s now generally agreed we have, although if you’re testing out your sense of balance there you may have swum too deeply in the cocktail list.

Sticking with Aristotle, a sense of Okupa.

Sight

The Okupa experience starts before entering. If you pause on the threshold and look down through the thick glass floor panels you can get a glimpse of the tomb of Lady Melenissis and an antique water channel that looks in better condition than many made 2,500 years later. It was discovered as part of the renovation process and has been immaculately preserved in association with the Athens Ephorate of Antiquities. Stepping over this glass (I’ve never been entirely comfortable with the contemporary trick of walking on glass), the social area is a love song to mid century furniture and Greek industrial proportions with the high ceiling galleried on one side with a mezzanine from which the backs of books from the library and reading space beckon you. Designed by interior designer Nohad Bouez and architects from REMY Agency, there are vintage pieces from van de Rohe, Marcel Breuer and more. A playful orange sofa by UMA draws the eye to the end of the space, apparently the only contemporary piece in the space. This blend of vintage and contemporary, antique and modern, gives Okupa a timeless yet of-its-time feel and makes it the perfect location for a high-end game of musical chairs. Local artists and designers adorn the walls and gift shop, rooting the room in Athens, Greece and further making good on the claim to unify and inhabit rather than squat and take.

Sound

I realise that this makes me sound older than Lady Melenissis but one of the things I find increasingly difficult about modernity is the seeming need to have every aspect of the day and night soundtracked by noises better suited to enhanced interview techniques than relaxation or pleasure. The team at Okupa have set out their stall on this front with a well appointed listening corner and record shop with vintage LPS facing out so you can see at a glance the kind of music you will be listening to while you eat, drink, read or “co-work”. With the large orange sofa from UMA, this struck me as the kind of space that I imagine Studio 54 after parties would take place in and there’s few better compliments than that. Several days of the week “musical selectors” will be playing vinyl. Being sensitive to words, this was another positive for me. DJs twiddle nobs, do the heart-shaped fingers to the audience and generally belong in clubs where they can be easily avoided. Musical Selectors would rather not be looked at but will return a respectful nod when someone glances their way to appreciate a particularly good Afrobeat banger. The last point on sound is the possibility of its delicious opposite, silence, as Okupa has a couple of sound proved booths in which to conduct important conversations or just sit in blissful quiet.

Smell

Being intensely sensitive to scent, this is often an issue for me. The dangling forests of taxi air fresheners mean I frequently get out and walk. I cross the road to avoid certain types of highstreet bath-bomb, shops and dash through duty free with a scarf around my face, which rarely does down well. Given that context I was pleasantly surprised to realise that while it has a distinctive and pleasing olfactory aura about it, the scent profile of Okupa is subtle and background. They worked with a local scent producer to create a bespoke smell for the space which is grown-up and welcoming and matches the vintage leather seats. George said that his five year old son can tell when they are near because it “smells like Okupa”. Get that boy a job as a sommelier. On that note my preferred scent is the bouquet of a wine glass and Okupa caters for this well. The carefully curated wine list, compiled by Hrag, focuses on accessible natural Greek wine with some complimentary rest-of-the-world touches. A highlight was the Loibner by F.X Pichler, a Gruner Vietliner from one of my favourite producers. It pairs brilliantly with the generously spiced dishes on the menu and looks elegant on the table. 

Taste

The menu has been designed by Hrag and the Greek chef Alexandros. Hrag, who has worked in London, Paris and Athens, brings his wide ranging experience of cuisines to bear with a playful and tempting menu marrying twists on Greek mainstays in some more unusual dishes. Anchovies, tarama and shrimp skewers sit comfortably next to beef cheek croquettes, mushroom gyoza and even, be still my beating heart, a soft shell crab burger. Brunch, served from 11-5, is similarly designed with everything you’d expect to prep you for a day’s exploration or calm the nerves after a night’s partying. The dishes are well executed, well presented and delicious. A special mention also to the excellent cocktail list, curated by Panagiotis who has joined from Athens’ legend Birdman. The list, which gives a further hint at the musical tastes of the space, comprises a series of intriguing reinventions of the classics with the falernum spiked Tubular Spritz joining the usual Aperol. The Ra-Fashioned adds black walnut and mountain tea syrup to the fig infused bourbon, highlighting the candied and dried fruit notes of the classic old-fashioned and finally the Discoffee is delicious to say and would surely please the vodka espresso inventor, Dick Bradsell. 

Touch

Whether it’s the heavenly pairing of sun and water on the pool deck, the feeling of quality linen on the beds, or the charmingly worn leather on the vintage chairs, Okupa is a sensory treat. Even the air in the basement feels imbued with the magical presence of archaeological objects, bringing old Athens into this new space. 

The food demands to be picked up with the hands and savoured and there is even a local cat who has made its home in the outdoor garden, although I’m yet to work out if he’ll deign to be stroked. Leaning slightly on the metaphorical richness of English, Okupa is not only touchable but also shows the nuanced and thoughtful touch of the founders and team.

A valuable addition to the Athenian hospitality scene, it will be interesting to see how Okupa evolves over the years and leans into its identity as a hub for both travellers and locals. I for one will be checking in regularly for a Discoffee and a boogie.