In Thessaloniki, food is the clearest expression of the city’s history. From refugee-rooted soutzoukakia and late-night patsas to bougatsa, trigona and old-school seafood, these are the essentials that define how the city eats.

A staple of Thessaloniki meze culture, bouyiourdi is a quick baked dish of feta, tomatoes and peppers, served hot and shared with bread at tavernas and home tables alike.

One of the most popular kinds of restaurants in Greece is the mezedopoleio, which, as the name indicates, specializes in traditional local meze dishes (washed down with generous amounts of ouzo or other alcoholic drinks). Back in the day, mezedopoleia were the neighborhood’s meeting points. Men gathered there most of the day to drink, have a bite, talk politics and play backgammon, chess or cards. Today, the mezedopoleio remains a simple and very affordable place to eat, sometimes operating as a kafenio (cafeteria), and often offering traditional live music to add to the experience. Among Greek cities Thessaloniki is particularly famous for its numerous and excellent mezedopoleia, which makes it very difficult to choose just a few.