Category Archives: All day

Chilai

chAugust in the city, is only good if you have already taken at least a short break to the beach. It is also good if you discover places that make you forget you are in the city.

I think Chilai does this, despite being just steps away from the Tsimiski buzz. It opened last May and was a sure hit. It literally transformed the quiet till then street of Agiou Mina, into an island alley.

It is a nice place for a cool coffee during the day but also great choice for long cocktail nights ! It also has a very elegant interior so I am sure it will be a winter hit as well !

Where : Agiou Mina 4

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ΙΓΓΛΙΣ ( english )

Yigges, that is correct the greek name of this place means english. This is one of (if not THE) most historical taverns of the city. It first opened in 1914 and moved to its current location in Ano Poli in the 60’s. It has a very long history as you can imagine, as it changed owners and chefs.

It is also a nice place to celebrate spring, since the yard and flowers make this a hidden city gem.

It is popular for the food, wine and fairytale atmosphere. The food is a successful mix of old and new recipes and flavours. The location is simply amazing. If you want to escape the city buzz, you can loose yourself here in a different era. It might be a bit hard to find, so follow your map.  It is also very hard to park, so I suggest you go by foot.

Where : Irodotou 32, Ano Poli

 

The Dubliner

dubl

This place describes itself as the only 100% Genuine Irish Bar and Restaurant in Thessaloniki and it is actually true !

It is owned by Irish people, and the style and feeling is totally Irish. Ok, I’ve never been to Ireland but it reminds me a lot of a classic English pub so I am sure it is pretty close to the real thing. I also have the impression, correct me if I am wrong, that Irish people have a similar mentality to greek people so this is a combination destined to succeed.

I know that many international groups such as meetup and Internations select it for their events as it is quite spacious and also in a very central location in Ladadika.

It is also conveniently located very close to my office, so it is ideal for a midday sun break or an after work beer for me!

It will be nice to visit for St. Patrick’s this month !

Where : Katouni 16-18, Ladadika

Pax Burgers

New Burger places appear in the city all the time. To get you into our city food history, Thessaloniki is the birthplace of the iconic burger chain Goody’s back in the late 70’s. The famous burger and fast food chain has gone through various stages and there was a time period where many of the restaurants in the city closed.  This is when the new burger places started to emerge.

I like the fact that we have a lot of new places with different style and taste. Although I do not eat beaf burgers anymore, I like to join my friends and select the veggie or chicken version in the menu.

Pax burgers just launched an iconic chicken burger and went straight to my top chicken burger list: The chicken marsala.  I am sure if you are a beaf lover you will find many more to love.

Tip: They have 1+1 Tuesdays and Student discount Monday’s so you can plan your first visit on one of these days and I am sure you will be back !

pax

Where: Kalapothaki & Venizelou (close to the port )

Yasemi

γ“YASEMI” means Jasmine and this is a place made in heaven.  So small and so cute, it feels like home.

Everything is handmade including some of the homemade liqueurs. The food menu is limited but everything is cooked with love and care.

It is literally hidden in a small street very close to the White Tower and few steps away from buzzing Tsimiski street, so if you are in the area I suggest you take a relaxing break there.

Where : Tsopela 4

Toms

tomsYour probably already know Toms shoes, but maybe you do not know that Thessaloniki has one of the first Toms coffee spots that opened last April. The location is fantastic very central and yet a bit off the crowds and also close enough for me to enjoy a quick coffee break.

You can easily walk right in front of it and miss it as you need to walk through an old door in Tsimiski to get inside this cool indoor yard type of place. The style is urban Berlin style, very relaxed and offers great coffee. Shopping shoes and bags is optional !

Where : Tsimiski 22

Oval

ovOctober offers us the last days of summer living, sitting outside and enjoying sunshine. As you probably know if you have spent more than a week in Thessaloniki, the waterfront or Paralia offers a lot of options for coffee & drinks.

However what happens if you get there around noon or later on a weekend ? Or if you are a group of 4+ ? You will have a hard time to find a place to sit because everyone has the same idea as you. Coffee places in the waterfront are easier to enjoy on a weekday. But there is a nice alternative in front of the White Tower and it is called Oval.

It is not a place for the young and trendy, but it is a place where you can relax during all seasons and times. It offers great view of the White Tower and the little park just in front of you and has excellent quality drinks & food. It also holds great live music nights on the winer weekends so it is a great idea for winter also !

Where : Filikis Etaireias 1

Aigli Geni Hamam

aig.jpgThis is the #1 destination for anyone who is stuck in the city or just returned from vacations and want to feel like they did not. If you are in town for a few days only this is a must visit as it combines the historical visit with a relaxed drink or dinner.

This is a 16th century building that was originally build as a Hamam during the Otoman era. It later became an open air cinema, then a place for cultural events and after that remained closed for several years.

It is now more beautiful than ever, functioning as a relaxed coffee bar restaurant.  It is located just behind the church of Saint Demetrios so you can go for a coffee right after your visit to the church. As dusk falls, the place completely transforms to an exotic back yard with the big screen showing chill out videos transferring your mind to far away places !

Where :  Ag. Nikolaou & Kassandrou

Paradosiako

παραδοThis is a place for great local street food and more, in various locations.  It started in the village of Panorama over 20 years ago as a relaxed coffee place. It quickly became a hit destination for all ages mainly because it offered the chance to have good quality coffee and eat something for breakfast or dessert. A few years later it opened a few more shops with the one in Aristotelous square being the most central and famous one.

If you need a nice breakfast to start the day or if you are wandering in the city and want to eat sth fast this is one of the best options. Everything is top quality and you can have big variety from super healthy salads to pizza made on the spot and delicious desserts.

There is minimal place to sit and mainly outside so this is suggested mainly as a to go option. There is another one in Kouskoura Street with a bigger sitting area if you prefer.

Where : Aristotelous & Tsimiski, + more

 

Friderikos

φρειδερικοWhat can I say for this place… It is the ultimate urban retro mix coffee drinks place.  Although, in the city centre, this is a relatively quiet location with trees around setting up a beautiful atmosphere.

It is located just off the Ancient Roman Forum so it is a great stop for a coffee or drink. Pay attention to every detail inside and you will fall in love with this place.

Tip: It is named after the owners’ dog that you might spot there sitting next to you. Take a good look at the photo because the name in the sign is written in greek.

Where: Olympou 87