Thessaloniki food
What do you think of when you think of Greek food? Greek salad with feta cheese for sure. Or maybe Souvlaki and chips. Or Moussaka? A glass of Ouzo perhaps? All very tasty. However there is so much more to Greek cuisine than that, as I found out on a recent gastronomic trip to Thessaloniki, courtesy of Marketing Greece. Thessaloniki is Greece’s second city and the country’s cultural capital. It is North of Athens and a Greek port city on the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea.
History of Thessaloniki
The city has a history of welcoming other cultures and has a number of historic sites which evidence Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history. The Ottomans conquer the city in 1430 and it remains an important seaport and multi-ethnic metropolis during the nearly five centuries of Turkish rule. From the 16th to the 20th century Thessaloniki was the only Jewish-majority city in Europe. The Great Fire of 1917 destroys most of the city and the 20th-century city is a more modern European layout.
Thessaloniki food Today
Thessaloniki is the regional capital of Macedonia and renowned for its festivals and events. These include the Thessaloniki Food Festival and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival to name but two. It is also a designated part of the UNESCO Creative Cities network.
The Costakis collection
Our first introduction To Thessaloniki is a visit to the MOMus Museum of Modern Art which houses a unique collection of Russian avant-garde art collected by George Costakis. He was not a man from the upper echelons of society, but he amassed one of the largest private collections of this type of art in the world. He was half Greek and this explains why half of that collection is now in this Greek museum, the other half being left behind in Moscow.
There are more than a thousand pieces in this collection, mainly paintings. They document the rise of the Russian avant-garde style of art from 1900-1930. Some of these artworks are quite extraordinary, including many by women artists. Lyubov Popova has some of the largest and most valuable canvasses here. I especially enjoy their bold abstract style and use of colour.
The tomb of Philip II
The next day we drive to Vergina the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia. Here is found the burial chamber of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. The journey takes us through fertile countryside rich with cotton fields, peach and pear trees. We see kiwis growing as well as quinces and pomegranates and we buy some delicious figs from a road side seller.
We descend into the mound which marks the site of the tombs. The riches found in the tombs are on display, as well as the actual underground entrances to the tombs themselves. The artefacts are exceptional, especially the gold and silver items. I was entranced by the astonishing crown wreaths of gold leaves, displaying both great craftsmanship and startling beauty. I have seen a similar golden crown which had been excavated from the tomb of a Thracian king in what is now Bulgaria, but here there are many more of these precious things.
Thessaloniki – a gastronomic hotspot
The local gastronomy has evolved over the centuries since the area has always been a crossroad of different cultures. The authentic flavours resonate thanks to the fresh ingredients from the fertile land and rich sea. Everything is locally sourced and eaten largely in season,
Apparently, Thessaloniki hosts more than 5,000 businesses offering food services with an annual turnover of USD 430 million and the sector employs over 50,000 people.
Gastronomy plays a crucial role in celebrating and expressing the culture of a destination and Thessaloniki is well aware of this fact. The annual Thessaloniki Food Festival is one of the events that mark this. It is the longest running food festival in Greece, attracting interest from the international gastronomic community.
There are open air markets at the heart of the city selling fresh fish, meat, vegetables, clothes, household items and everything in between. There is also a new market called the Modiano market set in a beautifully restored building housing delicious premium products like wine, beer, olives and cheese. The micro brewery market is booming here and I enjoy tasting lovely brewed pale ale named after the brewery cat. We are privileged to sample some of Thessaloniki’s best restaurants while we are there and the variety and level of sophisticated dining is a delightful surprise
The best bougatsa
Bougatsa is a Greek pastry treat made from a very thin layered filo pastry and can have a savoury or sweet filling. Our guide Esmerelda Makri from Eat and Walk Greece took us on an exciting sampling tour of this vibrant city. I loved this! We start in search of the best bougatsa shop. We arrived at Bantis, an old school bougatsa shop. Philippos Bantis has been running this traditional bougatsa shop since 1969.He was taught the art of bougatsa making by his Turkish grandfather. We watch how Philippos and his assistant Marcos make all of the pastry by hand. They swing the raw pastry over their heads to stretch it, before folding it again and again to make all the delicious layers. We tried cheese and then spinach bougatsa as well as a sweet version filled with a type of custard. Yum!
Fish Restaurant in the market
There are many excellent fish restuarants in Thessaloniki. Esmerelda took us to a top fish restaurant right in the middle of the market. We sampled some of the freshest and most delicate fish I have ever tasted. Fresh grilled squid and octopus were a first for me. We tasted yet another delicious version of the Greek salad and crispy grilled little red snappers. We also drink Greek grappa, Tsipouro. Tsipouro is made from the distilled grape mast. It is one of the few spirits I can enjoy on its own or with a lot of ice.
The spoon sweet shop
For the sugar addicts among you (of which I am one) the spoon sweet shop is like heaven on earth. 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 can stay good for a long time.
Spoon sweets are so called because the usual serving size is a well-filled teaspoon. In this shop there were numerous blue enamel vats full of delicious varieties of spoon sweets. There was pumpkin, black cherry, sour cherry, strawberry, orange, quince, fig (my favourite) and many others. They are also available to buy in jars with reduced sugar options too. As a lifelong jam aficionado this stop was right up my street.
Beetroot is cool
We visit a cutting edge design studio situated in a historic building in the centre of Thessaloniki. The agency is called Beetroot and has strong links with the people and culture of Thessaloniki. They are a fun, colourful outfit and aim to inspire. They have created many memorable designs and one is the packaging of food products featuring the character Yia Yia, the traditional all seeing, all knowing, grandmother of the Greek family. Their philosophy extends to the food they offer their staff and the public who can frequent the Beetroot cafe and restaurant.
The chef is half Palestinian half Greek. The Beetroot eaterie is was among my favourite of the restaurants we visit while in Thessaloniki. Their fresh bread soaked in honey with chillies was totally divine – I could eat this every day.
Fresh salads with surprising ingredients, crispy spicy chicken and the most divine apple dessert with cardamom cream. This delightful fusion feast is complemented by some delicious natural wine. Natural wine is wine that is farmed organically without pesticides and made without adding or removing anything in the cellar. The meal was a mix of exceptional flavours and textures.
There are many excellent fish restuarants in Thessaloniki. Esmerelda took us to a top fish restaurant right in the middle of the market. We sampled some of the freshest and most delicate fish I have ever tasted. Fresh grilled squid and octopus were a first for me. We tasted yet another delicious version of the Greek salad and crispy grilled little red snappers. We also drink Greek grappa, Tsipouro. Tsipouro is made from the distilled grape mast. It is one of the few spirits I can enjoy on its own or with a lot of ice.
Thessaloniki wine
I think we drank a different Greek wine at every meal. White was our preference and there were numerous varieties. Assyrtiko is a popular choice. This is Greek grape variety specific to Greece that produces fresh, crisp and dry white wines. It’s a citrus-forward, high-acid, mineral wine. It is quite sharp on its own, but achieves a more rounded flavour when other grape varieties are added to the blend.
Thessaloniki Promenade
Thessaloniki has a long promenade down at the sea front. At one end you will find a well known sculpture, The Umbrellas – by Zongopoulos and the land mark White Tower. Youngsters cycle in and out of the fountains springing up from the ground.
People congregate here, especially in the evening to view the stunning sunset. You might even want to take a sunset cruise on the pirate ship or perhaps the Tiki bar ship! Huge cargo ships look like toys boats far out into the calm watered bay. Their hulking shapes perch on top of the horizon.
Other restaurants of note are the sophisticated Olympos Naoussa situated on the sea front.with its high end dining and elegant presentation. Another must try is the Orizontes Roof Garden Restaurant which is to be found on the top of the Electra Palace, one of the most upscale hotels in Thessaloniki. On our last night we drink fine cocktails on the rooftop terrace while looking out over the Greek sunset and the main Aristotelous square. We dined once more on some delicious fresh fish followed by a selection of mouth watering desserts. It was a great way to end a very memorable trip indeed.
Thessaloniki Food – fit for the Gods!
I had no preconceptions about this lively University City and Thessaloniki does have more of a laid back vibe than its big brother Athens. This is a town of mixed cultures, many students and many fine places to eat the best fresh cuisine. I’ve never tasted so many excellent versions of a Greek salad and there are some really adventurous offerings to be tried here.
You can reach Thessaloniki via Athens from where you need to take a short flight into the second city. Or you can drive from Athens for about three and a half hours if you have your own transport. It may be the second city in terms of population but it is most certainly top of the tree in the wonderful world of wining and dining!
We stayed at thegorgoeus contemporary new Monasty Hotel very close to the city centre. Follow the link to book now!
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1 thought on “Thessaloniki food for thought”
The information are not accurate. the fish restaurant is very expensive..
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