Thessaloniki is renowned for its Politiki kouzina (Constantinople-style cooking) and there are many restaurants specializing it. "To Peran" (Politiki kouzina) 22 Iktinou tel: 2310-252977 opening hours: 13:00-01:00 (Mon-Sat) price: 10-15euro excl. wine According to the magazine article, they serve 30 different souzoukakia (Smyrna sausage. similar to meatballs) and 25 pilafs. Other dishes include: - gavro politiko (fresh anchovy Contantinople-style) - pita kesarias (spiced&dried beef with cheese and tomato in phyllo) - dolmadakia yalanji me lahano (meatless stuffed cabbage) - sikotakia Peran pano se pita (liver served on pitta) - sardela dolma me amberophylla (sardines wrapped in vine leaves) - keftedes me prigouri ke karidi (meatballs with bulgur & walnuts) - kavourma politiko (kind of beef confit?) - Simit kebab (with pistachio) - Beyti kebab (in phyllo? & grilled) For dessert, there are syrupy cakes & pastries as well as homemade grika koutariou (fruits preserved in syrup). House wine (organic Mesimbrias) is good, and there are about 70 Greek wines. You can also try Turkish raki. "Sotiris Adalakis" (Ouzeri) 1 Hapsa & Karatasou tel: 2310-544844 opening hours: 13:00-20.00??? (Mon-Sat) price: 24-35euro incl. wine This place seems to serve some interesting dishes as well as good basic stuff: - fried zucchini served with tzatziki - grilled eggplant - kolokithokeftedes (zucchini patties) - patzarosalata (beetroot salad) - soupies gemistes me spanaki (cuttlefish stuffed with spinach) - psari me lemonata prasa (fish with lemony leek) - kalamari gemisto me tyri (squid stuffed with cheese) - midia me kritharaki (mussels with orzo) - khtapodi se kokhli me kokkinisto kritharaki (octopus in shell? with orzo in tomato sauce) - peskandritsa yakhni (fish stew) - grilled fish with onions & olive oil Try tsipouro (it's like grappa) or choose from large selection of Greek wines. For dessert, there's syrupy pastry with kaimaki ice cream. BTW "kaimaki" in Greece is not a kind of cream; it's mastic flavored ice cream which often has stretchy texture similar to Turkish ice cream. In northern Greece, it's called dondourma. I read that kaimaki and dondourma are different, but found they are the same, at least the ones I've tried. ******************************************************************* I wonder if above mentioned "Sotiris" is the "Sotiri's Place" Paula Wolfert wrote about in her wonderful book "The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean"? Ms.Wolfert wrote recipe for eggplants slowly grilled over hot coals. During my first visit to Thessaloniki, I had to have one sweet bougatsa a day. Bougatsa is a pie with custard, cheese, or meat filling. I like it better than garaktoboureko (syrupy milk pie) because it's made without syrup, and they are always served warm. When you buy, they cut it into bite-sized pieces & sprinkle cinnamon on top.