Words by Elaine Wilson
Thessaloniki, Greece’s vibrant second city, is renowned not only for its rich history and cultural heritage, but also for its unique gastronomy. The city’s culinary landscape is a tantalising mosaic that reflects its diverse historical influences, blending traditional Greek flavours with those of its many conquerors and immigrants from the Byzantines to the Ottomans.
Take a trip through the markets and restaurants of this unique bohemian sea side city and discover the range of creative cuisine to be found from eclectic cafes and tavernas to fine dining elegance.
One of the most distinctive features of Thessaloniki’s gastronomic scene is its bustling markets. The Modiano and Kapani markets are the heart of the city’s culinary culture. Modiano market, housed in a beautiful old arcade, is a feast for the senses. Market stalls are laden with olives, cheeses and a variety of cured meats reflecting the city’s love for mezze – small dishes to be shared among family and friends. You will also find an assortment of spices and herbs integral to Greek cooking.
There are a number of fine wines to be tasted here and the micro brewery market is also thriving. Kapani market, Thessaloniki’s oldest market, offers a similarly rich sensory experience. Its narrow alleys are packed with vendors selling everything from local honey and nuts to freshly baked bread and sweets. It also features a fresh fish and meat section. Both markets are social hubs where locals and visitors alike can enjoy the authentic atmosphere and sample the freshest locally sourced produce.
Thessaloniki’s street food scene is equally impressive. One of the must try items is bougatsa, a very thin layered filo pastry filled with custard, cheese, spinach or minced meat often enjoyed with a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon when sweet.
An Eat and Walk tour with local guide Esmerelda Makri takes you to the best old school bougatsa shop, Bantis. Philippos Bantis has been running this traditional bougatsa shop since 1969. Philippos was taught the art of bougatsa making by his Turkish grandfather. Philippos and his assistant Marcos display their skill of swinging the raw pastry over their heads to stretch it before folding it again and again to make multiple thin layers. The cheese and spinach bougatsa are top favourites with customers. Served with a strong Greek coffee this is a perfect mid day pick me up!
Kapani market is the best place to eat the freshest of seafood. Succulent grilled squid and tender octopus delight the palate. Crispy grilled red snapper is another speciality served with a variation on the classic Greek salad. This is accompanied by a chilled glass of Greek grappa known as Tsipouro made from distilled grape mast.
Desserts don’t come much sweeter than those found in the delicious spoon sweet shop. This is a venue which delights both smell and taste for the sugar addicts among us. These sticky sweets are so called because the usual serving size is a well filled teaspoon. Spoon sweets are fruits or vegetables cooked in sugar with spices and herbs and preserved in heavy syrup. Sugar is a natural preservative so they have a long shelf life. Spoon sweets are made from a wide variety of ingredients which include pumpkin, black cherry, strawberry, orange, quince and figs to name but a few.
The city’s multicultural influences are reflected in the wide variety of places to eat available. You can find everything from traditional tavernas serving classic dishes like moussaka, pastitsio and dolmades to elegant eateries offering more high end experimental cuisine.
One of the best is of these is the Beetroot cafe and restaurant, linked to a cutting edge design agency housed in a historic city centre building The chef here is half Palestinian, and half Greek. The menu is innovative and delicious combining traditional Greek flavours with a spicy twist of the Middle East.
The fresh bread soaked in honey and chillies is a highlight, as is the crispy spicy chicken and apple dessert served with cardamom cream. Every fusion feast is complemented with a choice of imaginative salads and natural wines. Natural wine is wine that is farmed organically without pesticides and made without adding or removing anything in the cellar.
Other restaurants of note are the sophisticated Olympos Naoussa situated on the seafront with its high end dining and elegant presentation.
Another must visit is the Orizontes Roof Garden Restaurant found on the top of the Electra Palace, one of the most upscale hotels in Thessaloniki. The view from the top out over Aristotelous square and Thessaloniki bay at sunset is worth the trip alone.
Greek wine has improved immeasurably over the past decades. It now provides as much variety and complexity as you can find anywhere. A grape variety unique to Greece is the Assyrtiko. It produces fresh crisp dry white wines and is a citrus-forward, high acid mineral vintage. It achieves a more rounded flavour when blended.
In essence, Thessaloniki’s gastronomy is a reflection of its rich history and cultural tapestry. Deeply rooted in its heritage, it is always evolving and it is definitely an exciting destination for those interested in sampling the very best Greek cuisine.
Thessaloniki is also a Greek cultural centre and you may also want to pay a visit to the exceptional MOMus – Museum of Modern Art here which houses works from Greek and international artists representing the modernism movement. Of particular note is an extraordinary collection of Russian avant-garde art (1900 -1930) donated by George Costakis who was a famous half Greek, half Russian, art collector.
Factbox
For more information, visit the Discover Greece website.
You can reach Thessaloniki via a short flight from Athens or you can drive from Athens in about three and half hours if you have your own transport.
Fly to Greece on Aegean airlines and stay in Thessaloniki at the Monasty Hotel and Restaurant a chic five star property nestled in the heart of the city.
Elaine Wilson has been a leading freelance travel writer for the past five years and a travel blogger for more than a decade with her award winning blog Eccentric England.
