Mavri Thalassa is a classic greek seafood restaurant in Thessaloniki.
Founded in 1926, Mavri Thalassa in Kalamaria is Thessaloniki's most storied seafood institution. The wine cellar holds over 300 labels. For a casual visit, the mezedakia lunch format at the bar keeps the bill manageable without losing the kitchen's quality.
Address: Nikolaou Plastira 3, Kalamaria, Thessaloniki 551 32
Tucked into a covered atrium off Aristotelous Square between Irakliou and Tsimiski, Ouzeri Aristotelous serves the full Thessaloniki meze repertoire: stuffed cuttlefish with Mykonos cheese, fried whitebait, taramosalata, saganaki, and fresh grilled fish. Marble tables, wooden chairs, vintage decor. Open Mon to Sat 12:00 to 00:00, Sun 12:00 to 19:00.
Chef Manolis Papoutsakis opened Charoupi in 2017 to bring Cretan ingredients and technique to Thessaloniki. Snails, rabbit, Cretan pies, and wild herbs form the backbone of a menu that reaches further than most in the city. The first raki is complimentary.
A Thessaloniki institution for grilled meats, Xanthopoulos on Ippokratous has been turning out pork chops, kokoretsi, and lamb skewers since the 1960s. The grill runs from noon through to midnight with no pretension and honest prices.
Nea Diagonios operates across the road from the original Diagonios, with a slightly larger room and the same Egnatia Street late-night format. Pork and chicken kalamaki, solid pita-wrapped gyros, and cold beer until early morning on weekends.
Mezen's never-ending relay of small seafood plates arriving until you stop them has made it one of the most imitated formats in Thessaloniki. The kokoretsi of snapper and the calamari carbonara are the dishes food writers cite.
Chef Manolis Papoutsakis's no-reservation meze room in Ladadika brings Cretan ingredients to a walk-in format. Ten tables, daily specials, and a loyal local following make it an essential stop on Stratigou Kallari Street.
