Recommended Restaurants in Thessaloniki

I flew with my husband Roman to Thessaloniki at the end of February 2026 for our first couple’s trip since our daughters were born, Maya (6) and Sophie (3). We had to take advantage of the opportunity that my mom could come stay with them, especially since I’m six months pregnant, which means we probably won’t have another chance for a couple’s trip in the coming years. We flew for 3 nights, and honestly we managed to do quite a lot because luckily it barely rained and we were able to walk around outside most of the time.

I wrote a detailed post about things to do in Thessaloniki, and in this post I’m focusing only on the good restaurants we ate at.

We stayed at the excellent boutique Vanoro Hotel, which is very centrally located. You can reach most of the restaurants mentioned here on foot. Only the restaurant in the Old Town requires a challenging uphill walk if you choose to go by foot, but you can also take a bus or taxi.

Table of content hide

1 Local Restaurant in the Old Town

2 Greek Chef Restaurant

3 Local Restaurant in the City Center

4 Dumpling Restaurant

5 Workers’ Restaurant

6 Street Food

Local Restaurant in the Old Town

We went to the Old Town following a recommendation from our food tour guide, who said it was an area we absolutely had to visit, and I’m really glad we listened to him. It’s one of the most charming places we visited in Thessaloniki. I recommend going in the afternoon like we did, especially if the weather is nice.

An excellent local restaurant we ate at and truly enjoyed is αλάϊ καφέ μεζέ. If the weather is good, I definitely recommend sitting outside, especially at sunset. The view and the light there really elevate the whole experience.

The menu includes Greek starters, seafood, and meats. We chose to order mostly starters because we wanted something lighter, and it was a great choice. We ordered potato salad, baked feta with tomatoes and spicy peppers, eggplant with feta and olives, and smoked mackerel. Everything was so delicious that we just kept eating without noticing. We also ordered fresh orange juice and Coke Zero. For dessert, we received a very tasty chocolate cake on the house and ordered tea. The waitress was very kind and attentive, and the overall atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed.

Greek Chef Restaurant

We went to Charoupi following a recommendation from a friend who used to live in Thessaloniki. He told us the dishes there were special, and he was absolutely right. The atmosphere is elegant and intimate, with a limited number of tables, so it’s very important to make a reservation in advance. The service was refined and high-level, and the menu is small and precise, just the way we like it.

Because of the pregnancy, there were a few dishes I couldn’t order, so I definitely need to return. Everything we did order was tasty and unique. The green salad with halloumi was excellent, the pasteurized egg dish with truffle was flavorful and special, the filo cheese pastry with honey was filling and delicious, and the most surprising dish for me was the carob ravioli stuffed with lamb, with an unusual but very successful combination of flavors. For dessert, we ordered a meringue and pastry cream dessert with citrus sauce, which was also wonderful. In short, I highly recommend it.

Local Restaurant in the City Center

We ended up at Sebriko by chance because it’s very close to our hotel and we saw good reviews on Google. Honestly, we were very pleasantly surprised. We were lucky to get a table without a reservation because the restaurant was full and there was only one table available, so I recommend booking in advance.

The atmosphere is warm and homey, and the service is friendly. As usual, we ordered several starters and shared everything. My favorite dish was grilled kale with chili and cheese. The special salad with spinach and orange was also excellent, and Roman really loved the stuffed cabbage with meat and the mussels. We also ordered a platter of local cheeses, which was wonderful.

Dumpling Restaurant

We went to Ikigai – The Dumpling Experience right after arriving in Thessaloniki and dropping off our luggage at the hotel. We were starving because it was already 3pm and we had barely eaten that day, so we ordered quite a lot of food.

To start, we ordered beef and shrimp dumplings, which were very tasty. Roman ordered ramen with dumplings and said it was nice but nothing more than that. I ordered pad thai, which I actually really liked. In the end, we also ordered the dumpling mix platter, which comes with 8 dumplings in different flavors. I was already full, but they were too good to skip. Our favorite flavors were beef with shrimp, classic beef, and mushrooms. In my opinion, it’s definitely worth going there for the dumplings themselves.

Workers’ Restaurant

We went to Bombídia – Bombs during our food tour and really liked the place. It’s a simple and authentic local restaurant that has existed for several generations, and apparently quite a few celebrities have also visited.

The dish our guide recommended is “Bombidia” (beef soutzoukakia) and in Greek σουτζουκάκια, μοσχάρι. The dish includes 5 meat patties with bread and tomatoes, and the guide also ordered us the feta paprika spread, which is highly recommended alongside the dish.

If you’re looking for an authentic, simple, and quick local meal, this is the place, and that’s the dish you should try.

Street Food

On the third day of our trip, we felt like getting street food takeaway to our hotel instead of sitting in a restaurant. Since our hotel was in a central location, there were two places we had our eye on and decided to try both.

I ordered beef skewers in pita, which they call Gyros, at a place called Thess Grill, which had opened only a month before we arrived. It’s a great option for a light meal or a late-night snack after going out.

The second place is right next to it. Roman called it a hole in the wall. It doesn’t even appear on Google Maps. Go to this location, and just before it, you’ll see a small red souvlaki shop. We were happy with both places.

In conclusion, Thessaloniki truly delivered an excellent culinary experience, from refined chef restaurants to simple and delicious street food. There’s something very accessible about this city, everything is close, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the food feels local and authentic without trying too hard. For a short couple’s getaway of a few nights, especially if you love good food, this is definitely a city worth visiting.

Hope this post helped you! If so, I’d love for you to leave a comment – and if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or message me on the blog’s social media: Facebook or Instagram.