Frappe or Freddo: The Battle of the Famous Greek Iced Coffees

Frappe and Freddo are more than just iced coffee drinks in Greece. They are a way of life! Drinking iced coffee all year round is something that Greeks savor immensely.

The habit of drinking iced coffee throughout the year is something that Greeks are actually quite proud of.

Whether we’re talking about the all-time classic frappé or the freddo, which has risen in popularity in the past decade, the choices you have regarding your iced coffee in Greece are numerous.

But when it comes to choice, things may become tough deciding between the freddo or the frappé. And if you do choose freddo, would you prefer Freddo Cappuccino or Freddo Espresso?

Thankfully, there are no right or wrong answers to these dilemmas. Everything is a matter of personal taste and opinion, but those unprimed to the Greek style of preparing these drinks may want to know what they’re in for.

How the Frappe and the Freddo became popular in Greece

So let’s take a closer look at these two famous Greek iced coffees.

A Frappé is a foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee, water, ice cubes and sugar (or sometimes even ice cream). Accidentally invented in 1957 by Dimitris Vakondios during the International Trade Fair of Thessaloniki, the Frappé is still very popular in Greece and Cyprus and is available at virtually every single Greek café. Made either with a shaker or a special mixer, Frappé is one of the easiest coffee drinks to make.

Freddo, on the other hand, comes in two different variations, namely either Freddo Espresso or Freddo Cappuccino.

Freddo Cappuccino is the iced version of the regular cappuccino coffee, and it usually has a small amount of cold-frothed milk (afrogala in Greek) on the top. Apart from Greece, this drink is widely popular in Cyprus and parts of Italy, as well.

Freddo Espresso is the cold version of espresso coffee, made with a double shot of espresso coffee mixed in a mixer with ice cubes. Particularly popular among those who prefer a cold, strong coffee, the Freddo Cappuccino has become the most widely-consumed coffee in Greece over the past ten or so years.

According to many people, if you put some vanilla ice or liquor in one of these coffees, the drink will be taken to a whole new level of tastiness.

So why not give it a try? If you prefer your coffee hot, however, you can always order a traditional Greek coffee!