The best restaurants Thessaloniki

With its anonymous front, about ten tables (and a few pedestal tables on the sidewalk), Mourga does not look like much by far. And yet, it is one of the best psarotaverna ("fish tavern") in the country. Crispy red mullets presented directly in the frying pan, neat plate of soft cuttlefish in the fava, homemade pasta langoustines, extra fresh fish of the day cooked to perfection, etc. All this is complemented by small herbs and seaweed with unexpected flavours and a Cretan raki ideally served, glazed like a vodka

In this passage where there are a few restaurants packed to the brim, you can find this restaurant, which is almost exclusively frequented by Greeks. The atmosphere, which many people find wonderful, is mainly due to the offbeat decor (characters arranged on the restaurant building) and the friendly waiters. You can taste beef balls in tomato sauce and yogurt, but also a dish called "Les breins de Marie", chicken cooked with wine! A very good child atmosphere reigns in this rustic and warm restaurant.

Next to the White Tower, you will find in this Zythos number 2, the same dishes and the same choice of beers as in that of Ladadika. Only the atmosphere is other, perhaps calmer, near the sea.

Housed in a neoclassical house that has been refurbished in a designer style, this Greek chain is like a luxury bakery that is worth a visit! In addition to the excellent pastries, rolls and pastries to enjoy on the go, you can compose a plate yourself for lunch, with different dishes, ready-made meals and salads that you can then enjoy on the tables set up outside, in a pleasant pedestrian street. Ideal for lunch or to take away if you are renting or staying in an apartment-hotel.

This Ladadika ouzerie has a huge menu, with a thousand choices of mezzes, ouzo or tsipouro (traditional strong alcohol made from grapes). Fried squid, grilled sardines, pastourma (a type of pastrami from the Thrace region), eggplant caviar... The atmosphere is friendly, the waiters are particularly efficient and friendly, and the decor, imitating old Greek grocery stores, is very charming. Every evening, the large terrace is packed to the rafters, and that's only to be expected: it's good, cheap and the art of sharing is very convivial.

For the past 25 years, Thessaloniki's youth has been gathering at Elia Lemoni, Olive et Citron, especially in the evenings. People come here to share a cheap dinner in a festive, 100% local atmosphere: a DJ regularly enlivens the evening in this tastefully refurbished two-storey neoclassical building. Here, you can enjoy classic Mediterranean cuisine, without fuss and at low prices. However, if you can't stand the noise, it's best not to go, or at least prefer the quieter terrace.

Inside the Teloglion Museum of Contemporary Art, this is a great place to go out if you are looking for a tropical atmosphere. In summer, you can drink your coffee or sip your cocktail in the colorful garden with a Guadeloupean feel, arranged as an urban beach bar. Meaning Spoiled Child, the restaurant proposes in summer and winter a Greek cuisine revisited in the French style. The beef cheeks will leave you speechless and the selection of Greek wines is excellent. Regular musical animations give life to the place.

Its name means "magic cuisine". And it's true: Olympus truffle gnocchi, melting pieces of beef, fresh and crunchy salads... If the spirit of the Greek table, generous and gourmet, is still there, it simply levitates a notch above. This is reflected in the delicacy of the desserts, which can only be found among the rare starred people of Athens. The addition, on the other hand, can remain sweet by opting for basics and mezzés, without depriving itself, since the selected wines, including some organic reds from Mount Athos, are affordable. Reservation required

An old recipe inherited from the Byzantines, bougatsa was brought back by refugees from Asia Minor in 1923 to become the specialty of Thessaloniki. Among the bakers who make it, Philippos Bantis is the most famous in the city. His family has been making it for generations and in his tiny store opened in 1969, he still makes the phyllo dough himself. Rolled and baked, it is filled with a choice of semolina and vanilla cream, mizithra (a goat cheese similar to ricotta) or minced meat with herbs.

Inside the Byzantine museum is this superb café-bar-restaurant. Held with an iron hand by Chryssoula, the service is of impeccable quality. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just coffee or a glass of wine, inside or outside, it's sophisticated here. The food is worthy of a gourmet, always well decorated on the plate. The menu is made according to the season and the arrival of local producers. Greek cuisine revisited in a fusion style. Nice selection of the best Greek and local wines.

Without being strictly speaking by the sea, Kati Ap' Ola (literally "a little bit of everything") is an interesting stop just a street behind the Paralia. You have to see the crowd rushing there on Sunday afternoons to understand that it is a meeting place for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, to meet each other or for special occasions. As for the menu, a little bit of everything, indeed, but above all copious and cheap daily specials (soutsoukakia, gemitsa, chickpea soup, chicken and baked potatoes) with a warm team.

If you're looking to immerse yourself in the local Thessalonian culture, this is the place to be! This small bakery on the corner is full of local specialties, including an impressive range of bougatsa and kritsini. Established in 2005, everything here is homemade with love by Themis and her family. You can enjoy your freddo coffee on the terrace, eat small salty sandwiches or taste the various sweet treats... with a view on the White Tower! Or take it away for a tasty stroll.