The Quiet Lounge
Adults only travel | Childefree tourism
Food in Thessaloniki
if you like Mediterranean food, this is the place for you!
The last time I was in Thessaloniki, I aimed to examine the place more deeply, learn the flavors and their origin, and how to prepare this wonderful food. You are invited to join the journey that makes me hungry just thinking about what we experienced there. Not for those on an empty stomach...
In this review, I will tell about a Greek cooking workshop, a visit to the old and new market and I will also tell about restaurants worth visiting.
Greek salad - the perfect way it suppose to be...
Greek food workshop with Maria!
I met Maria from Ammilos Cooking Experience at a conference in November 2023 and fell in love immediately! She has a lovely welcoming energy even in a small booth.
After much planning, we arrived at her amazing studio, a short drive from the city center.
When we arrived, everything was prepared for us - next to each stand was an apron and a recipe booklet of what we would prepare.
We received explanations of why and how each of the ingredients was used.
We prepared three dishes:
Tzatziki - a must of course!
Vine leaves stuffed with rice called Dolmadakia - vegan
Dakos salad originated from Crete Island - I didn't know dry bread could be so delicious
We had a funny, pleasant, and tasty evening, what we made, you can make it at home and there are vegan, vegetarian, and meat options.
Groups of up to 20 people.
Market tour in Thessaloniki
The market in Thessaloniki is one of the things to do in Thessaloniki There is an old part next to the new, modern, and beautiful indoor market. It is so new that all the stores are still staffed. I recommend starting at the old market, buying spices, olives, soaps, and more. The prices are very cheap.
On the way from the old market to the new one, we stopped at a special wine shop with a lot of local produce that keeps the wines in wine barrels, the seller quickly understood what to offer and it was a great experience. We continued to the new market (the prices there are higher), which has various shops and options to buy and sit down to eat on the spot and of course also to take a package home.
Restaurants in Thessaloniki
It is difficult to choose between all the available restaurants. I am more connected to the traditionalism of serving the same menu for years with the charm of seniority and service that was only once upon a time. This time, I went to restaurants based on the recommendations of locals, of course, I explained what I was looking for and they knew exactly where to direct me.
The first - ROUJA - a very old restaurant in a side alley with plenty of tables inside and outside. They have a large menu and everything we ordered was very tasty, with large and satisfying portions. It's hard to explain the richness that exists in a certain cuisine, but I can say that it was felt in every bite!
The second restaurant Pinocchio, yes, is like the character from the fairy tales. A more modern authentic Greek restaurant, both personally and in the dishes. Since it was my first day back in Greece I had to order tzatziki and fried zucchini which were perfect! The meat dish was also delicious and it was difficult to eat everything that was served. Another thing that greatly contributes to the experience is the lovely service that is everywhere with a real concern that it will be pleasant as well as tasty.
And for dessert, something sweet is a must!
It turns out that Profiteroles are very popular in Greece, there are even branches of only Profiteroles throughout the city and they also appear on quite a few menus. We went to a place that is just the thing and it was wonderful! They fry them on the spot, you can choose different sizes and on top of them, you choose different chocolate spreads, nuts, almonds, and more. For me, it is mandatory. In conclusion - you won't have a diet in Thessaloniki, but thanks to the Mediterranean food, most of which is healthy and vegetable-based, you can enjoy yourself without doing too much math.
Yasas!
