Here’s what you’re about to discover: Culinary rock stars, humble yet historic kitchens, modern restaurants that will startle your senses – in the good way, places that are nothing short of iconic. The dishes served in the Northern capital aren’t just food; they speak of memories, of fresh ideas and of an appetite for fine food – and living – of Thessaloniki’s people. At once classic and daring, the city’s gastronomic scene offers authentic dishes, creative twists and many reasons to raise a glass to this fantastic city’s good taste.

38

Lapped by the waters of the Thermaic Gulf and shadowed by Mount Olympus, Thessaloniki is a city steeped in history. Founded in 315 BC by Cassander, Alexander the Great’s general, it has endured destruction and rebirth seven times. Today, it captivates both Greek and international visitors with its archaeological wonders, vibrant cultural life, and architectural beauty. The fame of this city’s cuisine precedes it beyond Greece and here you can discover the best of the best in a city packed with flavour.

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Olympus Naoussa

Legendary, dazzling, with stunning views of the Thermaic Gulf, it lives up to every word written about it. In this historic Thessaloniki restaurant, which reopened about a year ago, chef Dimitris Tasioulas honours its colourful tradition while surprising us.

Here you’ll find a Greek salad like never before, a nettle and Lemnos basket cheese pie, the city’s famous cedar-smoked mackerel, seafood giouvetsi with a hint of tangerine, hunkar begendi for an eastern flavour, Mount Athos-style cod and dozens of other delicious dishes from a truly great culinary repertoire.

Address: 5 Nikis Ave, Phone: +30 2310 275715, Website

Ambrosia

This is a top-class culinary destination that manages to combine modern aesthetics with a luxurious ambience and delicious cuisine. Located within the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki and under the direction of Executive Chef Apostolos Altanis, the kitchen focuses on locally sourced products while embracing Mediterranean tradition and gastronomy, with ingredients known for their high quality. The wine list is well curated, with selections from local and international vineyards. The service is first class and contributes to an unforgettable experience. Ambrosia is the place to be for those seeking a quality gastronomic escape, combining fine dining with excellent service in a magnificent setting.

Address: 13th km Thessaloniki – Peraia, Thessaloniki, Phone: +30  2310401418, Website

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Iliopetra

Tucked away in a small alleyway next to the city’s Turkish consulate, this place is hopefully here to stay. Headed up by Giorgos Zannakis, a creative and tight-knit team serves up dishes that are unique – truly unlike anything else – and simply bursting with flavour. Think dumplings in goat’s broth, prawns and cuttlefish in coconut milk, or wrasse fricassee and roasted cauliflower with poached egg cream. It’s a delight for professional gourmets and traditionalists alike. Reservations are essential as the place is tiny.

Address: 5 Aeschylus, Phone: +30 2314055553, Website 

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Onora

The return of chef Giannis Kioroglou to Thessaloniki, and more specifically to Panorama, resulted in this place. The famous chef, who travels around the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, shuttling between Cannes, Saint Barth, Athens, Thessaloniki, Paros and other destinations, has created his own space at Panorama, with a cuisine that is firmly rooted in the aromatic power of the sea, inspired by techniques from all over the Mediterranean and using the finest Greek products. With the seafood giouvetsi and the sea bass tartar, raise your glass to the fishermen of the Michaniona fish market. The veal with parsnips, chimichurri and hazelnut butter shows why Kioroglou is so popular in French kitchens. And the bougatsa ice cream will make you feel lucky to have wandered into this city of remarkable cuisine.

Address: 17 Papadopoulou, Panorama, Phone: +30 2310 341800, Website 

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Salonika

Here’s a culinary signature from almost seven years ago that has made us proud and surpassed all expectations, turning the Makedonia Pallas restaurant into a haven for serious gourmets. Sotiris Evangelou is the maestro of Salonika cuisine who serves the very best of Greek cooking. He brings perek to our tables and reminds us of the greatness of this dish. Expect light moussaka, unforgettable courgette avgolemono, fresh pasta with slow-cooked beef and desserts that will linger in your memory for days.

Address: 2 Megalou Alexandrou Ave, Phone: +30 2310897197, Website

Kronos by the Sea

With more than six decades of history, this culinary haven in eastern Thessaloniki is a destination for local foodies and many others who travel far and wide to savour its authentic cuisine. At Kronos you’ll be treated to amazing soutzoukakia, the famous egg and lemon cabbage rolls, fluffy meatballs and juicy grilled steak. And don’t forget the homemade dishes – they’re the real deal.

Address: 77 Themistokli Sofouli, Phone: 2310 414871, Website 

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Mavri Thalassa

A passionate cafe owner from the Black Sea, who arrived in Thessaloniki as a refugee in 1926, set the gastronomic history of this restaurant in motion. Serving generations of locals, first in Kato Toumba and since 2013 in Kalamaria. At Mavri Thalassa, expect perfectly cooked fresh fish, exceptional shellfish, a light taramosalata, frothy bonito and fresh, aromatic salads. This is seafood as it should be.

Address: 3 Nik. Plastira, Kalamaria, Phone: +30 2310 932542, Website

Poster

Everything they touch turns to gold – creative, stunning, functional gold. Beetroot, the famous creative agency, has now set foot in the culinary world. Their venture? A smashing success. At the helm of the kitchen is chef Vasilis Hamam, creating magic in a neighbourhood that echoes the commercial spirit of old Thessaloniki. The Greek-Palestinian chef has blended his memories of Eastern flavours with Mediterranean influences to create a range of original, mouth-watering dishes. Think quail with garlic and wild chervil, handmade bread with honey and butter, kid goat with grape must and herb oil. A new place in town indeed.

Address: Paikou & Syngrou, Phone: +30 2310 547384, Instagram 

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Nama

Close to the stunning Byzantine Church of the Twelve Apostles, a place that captures the hearts of locals and visitors alike, Nama is quietly writing a remarkable gastronomic history. Courgette flowers with aromatic yoghurt, hummus with chickpeas, sweet Bukovo pepper flower salad, pork belly with artichoke cream, rooster pastitsada, prawns with trahana cream are just some of the delicious creations of a wonderful team.

Address: 1 Olympou, Phone: +30 2313088241, Website

Mourga

Daily, this place os creating its own school and producing armies of chefs, each following their own path and making history. Mourga in Thessaloniki, led by Yiannis Loukakis, takes raw ingredients and glorifies them in a unique way, with simplicity, rigour and authenticity. From his kitchen, based on the day’s catch and market finds, we tried cabbage rolls with crayfish and sweet trahana, cassoulet with black beans and smoked swordfish. Both were dreamy. Also amazing are the photographs by Nikos Vavdinoudis that adorn the walls, creating the perfect ambience.

Address: 12 Christopoulou, Thessaloniki, Phone: +30 2310 268826

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Haroupi

It burst onto the scene on the outskirts of the run-down Ladadika neighbourhood, gradually creating a new culinary hotspot alongside +trophē and Trizoni. Archaeologist-turned-chef Michalis Papoutsakis has brought an air of Crete’s authenticity, deliciousness and grandeur to the city with a fresh and daring perspective. Fragrant kalitsounia, delicate dolmadakia with rice, stuffed flowers, snails with rosemary, gamopilafo, slow-cooked rabbit, herby snails – these dishes transport us to the great island and keep us coming back to Haroupi.

Address: 4 Doxis, Phone: +30 6988 526262, Website

+trofi

On the same road as Charoupi, Yiannis Loukakis from Mourga created +trophē (read ‘SinTrofi, which means ‘plus food’ as well as ‘companions’) a few years ago. Around a large French Molteni oven, small and large culinary wonders were conjured up. From tuna tartare with sprouts and Russian salad to grilled leek with caramelised hazelnuts, from black pork with cauliflower cream to salty caramel tart. Iasonas Liga’s signature on the wine selection completes the concept, making +trofi a key gastronomic spot in the city.

Address: 7 Doxis, Phone: +30 2310 540260, Website 

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Trizoni

This place originated in Halkidiki in the backyard of a house, with the catch of a skilled fisherman, Giorgos Sousouras. A few years later the first leg in Halkidiki, the second generation of owners, Asterios Sousouras, catapulted himself to a neoclassical building in Ladadika and brought fresh, creative seafood cuisine to this corner of the city. Stonefish kakavia (fish soup), white taramosalata with yuzu, steamed mussels and warm kneaded bread complete the neighbourhood’s culinary scene.

Address: 2 Lykourgou, Ladadika, Phone: +30 2310 268880, Website 

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Maitre & Margarita

Bulgakov’s incredible novel could only become a restaurant name in Thessaloniki, and only by people like Sokratis and Roie. In the midst of the 2015 crisis, they fired up their ovens and blew us away. Guzlemedes with seasonal greens and dry anthotyro, striftaria with mandarin and seafood, cabbage rolls with beef kavourma, grilled green beans with wheat, cherry tomatoes and almond skordalia. Creative, imaginative dishes with exceptional ingredients and profound deliciousness.

Address: 3 Fragkon, Phone: +30 2310 4007586, Website 

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Duck Private Cheffing

A gastronomic gamble by Ioanna Theodorakaki, this place already won years ago in exotic Pylaia. In the now renovated premises, its eminent chef prepares dishes with an international flair and memorable tastes. Valerian salad with figs and foie gras, scallops with celery root cream, lobster pastitada, beef ravioli. Clean flavours in a superb setting.

Address: 3 Halkis, Patriarchika Pylaia, Phone: +30 2315 519333, Website

Dacristo

It began as an important delicatessen in east Thessaloniki, in Thermi. Then it conquered the city centre and became a classic place for Thessaloniki’s gourmets. At the few tables of the shop, you can enjoy the selected products of the super delicatessen, along with several singular, mouthwatering dishes. Juicy burgers made with Black Angus beef, pizzas with an Italian flavour and authentic taste, ravioli with mozzarella and sage, excellent sandwiches, and the list goes on.

Address: 13-15 P.P. Germanou, Phone: +30 2310 235900, Website

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Cevicheria

A passionate and daring fishmonger, Ilias Konstantinidis, set up a cevicheria in the city centre, a ‘bite and forgive’ spot. Ceviche of ultra-fresh fish, octopus skewers, vegetables and fish grilled on a Japanese grill, sushi rolls and excellent cocktails to accompany a rare taste experience.

Address: 28 Katouni, Phone: +30 2310 539292, Website