There is something special about sitting by the sea and listening to the sound of the waves while a cup of coffee or a glass of white wine is on the table. At such moments, the food itself fades into the background - the main thing becomes the feeling that the world has become a little quiet.

The first cafe I remember is on a tiny Greek street in Santorini. From the outside, it looked unremarkable: white walls, blue chairs, like hundreds of others. But it was there that I first tried frappe with cold foam and a fresh croissant with honey. I still remember how the sea breeze tangled in my hair, and the sun reflected in the white houses.

The second place is a small coffee shop in Italy, in Cinque Terre. Imagine a terrace where the tables are so close to the edge of the cliff that it seems: one more step - and you will find yourself in the sea. There I ate tiramisu with a view of the turquoise waves. Sometimes it seems to me that the taste itself was saturated with the smell of salty air.

I found the third cafe by chance in Portugal, in Porto. It was hidden in a narrow street, but on the roof there was a view of the Douro River, which goes straight to the ocean. I was served the most delicious sandwich with sardines and lemon. And this was the case when simplicity becomes perfection.

The fourth one was in Barcelona. There were huge windows from floor to ceiling, and the sea was felt even when you were sitting inside. I ordered tapas and white wine, and it was the perfect combination: the noise of people, the smell of the sea and the feeling that the day can be stretched out endlessly.

And the last one was a small coffee shop on the shore of Odessa. There was nothing special on the menu: a regular cappuccino, a simple cheesecake. But it was the view of the sea, when the sun was setting and painting the water in pink and orange shades, that made it special. Sometimes a place is valuable not for its cuisine, but for the memories it leaves behind.

The sea and coffee are probably the best recipe for slowing down in our hectic lives.