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Traditional Thracian and Macedonian cooks adapt to the seasons: in winter, rich game such as boar and venison is served; in summer, there are mussels and other seafood from the Aegean, as well as fruits and vegetables from the fertile plains. The relatively cooler climate here is reflected in rich chicken soups, roast chicken, s
Traditional Thracian and Macedonian cooks adapt to the seasons: in winter, rich game such as boar and venison is served; in summer, there are mussels and other seafood from the Aegean, as well as fruits and vegetables from the fertile plains. The relatively cooler clima
Traditional Thracian and Macedonian cooks adapt to the seasons: in winter, rich game such as boar and venison is served;
Traditional Thracian and Macedonian cooks adapt to the seasons: in winter, rich game such as boar and venison is served; in summer, there are mussels and other seafood from the Aegean, as well as fruits and vegetables from the fertile plains. The relatively cooler climate here is reflected in rich chicken soups, roast chicken, stuffed vegetables, and stewed lamb and pork.
Small plates (mezedes) are a fundamental part of the Thessaloniki dining experience. Specialties include medhia (mussels), which come from farms outside the bay and are served in styles that include saganaki (sauted in a pan with tomatoes, peppers, and feta) and achnista (steamed in broth with herbs). Also look for soutzoukakia (Anatolian-style meatballs in tomato sauce, seasoned with cumin). Peinerli (an open-faced boat of bread filled with cheese and ham) is a Black Sea specialty brought here by the Pontii, Greeks who emigrated from that area.
Meals are complemented by generous amounts of wine, ouzo, and tsipouro, the local version of grappa. Try the excellent barrel or bottled local wines, especially reds under labels such as Naoussa or Porto Carras or a little bottle of Malamatina retsina, considered the best bottled version in Greece. Throughout the city, little shops and cellars specialize in a Macedonian treat called a submarine (or ipovrihio), a spoonful of sweets such as visino (black) cherries in syrup, dipped in a glass of ice water. As for dinnertime, you can arrive around 8, earlier than most Greeks like to eat dinner (many places do not open before then)—but it's much more fun to come at 9 or 10 and mix with the locals.
One of the better and most creative seafood restaurants in Thessaloniki offers a menu that maintains the delicate flavors of its ingredients but also manages to add a modern twist. For instance, the marinated sea bass tartare, seasoned with fleur de sel, lemon, and olive oil, is then covered with a sprinkling of roe, bringing to mind a wave gently breaking against your tongue. The only thing better than the delightfully light scallops in saffron sauce with caviar and mushrooms may be the restaurant's signature dish, mithopilafo (mussels with rice), an old favorite. As for the desserts, try its take on halva, with loukoumi (Turkish delight) ice cream, toasted pine nuts, and marinated raisins or the sumptious toasted almond millefeuille. It's a perfect way to end one of the memorable meals here. The attractive dining room is breezily decorated in light blue and gray hues, with exposed chrome accents and cream-color wood tables and chairs.
Kalapothaki 8–10, Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, 54624, Greece
Self-taught and ever evolving chef Andreas Gavris creates seasonal delights fit for the gods in his justifiably popular restaurant. Standouts include the melon soup with prawns and mint; bourani, a rich rice dish with nettles, wild mushrooms, and a Gruyère-like cheese from Crete; and black pig of Olympus stew and mountain lamb, cooked with mushroom and wheat puree. People travel from far and wide to enjoy Andreas' creations, which help make the superb location become even more enticing. The wine list has more than 500 labels on offer.
Agios Nikolaou 36, Litochoro, Central Macedonia, 60200, Greece
Want sublime seafood pasta or risotto? Head to a place like this one, where the owner is a local fisherman and everything served is the catch of the day. Here the family cooks traditional village recipes and Macedonian specialties, such as melitzana horiatiki (an eggplant, tomato, feta, garlic, and olive oil salad). The kolokithokeftedes (zucchini-and-potato croquettes) are enormous. The owner's efforts have received gourmet awards for dishes like his lively tuna carppaccio, yet the place remains unpretentious and reasonably well priced for a seafood restaurant. They even produce their own wine and tsipouro. Don't confuse this modern, cream-hued restaurant with the snack bar with the same name up the road.
Main road, away from the tower, Ouranoupolis, Central Macedonia, 63075, Greece
An alternative to the classic Greek taverna can be found at this boutique-style restaurant. Owner and chef Dimitri Doxakis harnesses his experience working in kitchens in England, France, and Switzerland to create a fusion of French, Italian, and Greek cuisine, with dishes like chicken leg crusted in Parmesan, beetroot risotto, and a signature salad with green apples, avocado, and a lemon-honey vinaigrette. For dessert, few can resist the chocolate croquettes and mandarin slices in a vanilla cream sauce. The seating area is a modern cubist design highlighted with purple and green wall lights.
El. Venizelou 29, Kavala, East Macedonia and Thrace, 65302, Greece
Being one of the older restaurants in Kavala means that this establishment nets the freshest fish in town, so it comes as no suprise that most diners come for the ultra fresh seafood. Apart from the catch of the day why not try the seafood dishes like shrimp saganaki, lakerda (pickled fish), and sun-dried octopus grilled on charcoal. The seats out front are by far the most popular, with views of the water just across the street. Nevertheless, the authentic experience sometimes means achingly slow service, which frustrates many foreign tourists.
Dimitriou 20, Kavala, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece
The food may be costly, because as the name (which means "the islands") hints, fish is king here. However, when you discover the quality, Ta Nissia doesn't seem overpriced thanks to the freshness of ingredients and artful preparations by owner-chef Yiannis Alexiou. You're in the city here, but the lightness and decor of this place may make you feel as if you've been transported to some Cycladic island. Dishes can be exquisite: taste sensations include squid stuffed with cheese and herbs, veal with smoked eggplant puree, and artichokes in saffron sauce. On the extensive wine list, check out the very pleasing house rosé
Proxenou Koromila 13, Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, 54622, Greece
2310-224477
Known For
Offering three decades of fine dining
Fish and meat with Mediterranean flavors
Good wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. Closed Jul. and Aug., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
Crowded and lots of fun, this café in a converted 1920s-era Viennese-style coffeehouse has a good buzz and it offers a great view of the White Tower if you choose to sit on the terrace out front. Decent Greek and international bar dishes range from mushroom orzo with Cretan gruyere and truffle oil to homemade beef, pork, and red pepper sausages. There is also a selection of quality Greek micro-brewery beers. Another branch in Ladadika follows the same concept and is a fun place to hang out in the former warehouse district.
Tsiroyiannis Sq. 7, Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, 54621, Greece
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