Home › Food tours › Thessaloniki
Food tours in Thessaloniki: what to eat and which tour to book
Thessaloniki eats differently from Athens. Its cooking carries the mark of the Ottoman, Sephardic Jewish and Asia Minor refugee communities that shaped the city, so breakfast is bougatsa and a sesame koulouri, lunch is meze with tsipouro or ouzo, and dessert is syrup-soaked pastry such as trigona Panoramatos. Mussels from the Thermaic Gulf, spiced Smyrna-style meatballs and slow-cooked dishes from the old market tavernas are everyday food here, and prices are generally lower than in Athens or on the islands.
Use this page to decide what to order and where. The dishes and areas below point you to the Kapani and Modiano markets, Athonos Square, Louloudadika and Ladadika, with rough opening times. The tours are real listings on GetYourGuide with approximate prices; prices, group sizes and start times change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Thessaloniki
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bougatsa μπουγάτσα (bougatsa) | Layers of thin, buttery filo baked with a filling: semolina custard (the classic sweet version, dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon), or savoury cheese, minced meat or spinach. Eaten hot for breakfast, often with a coffee. | Specialist bougatsa shops (bougatsadika) all over the centre, many open from early morning; several old ones are around the Kapani market and near the Rotunda and Kamara. | roughly €3–4.50 a portion |
| Thessaloniki sesame ring κουλούρι Θεσσαλονίκης (koulouri Thessalonikis) | Crisp, chewy bread ring thickly coated in sesame. The city's standard breakfast on the move; filled versions (cheese, turkey, chocolate) are also common. | Street vendors and koulouri bakeries on Egnatia, Aristotelous and Tsimiski, and near bus stops. | about €0.60–1 plain, €1.50–3 filled |
| Trigona Panoramatos τρίγωνα Πανοράματος | Crisp filo cones filled with custard cream and soaked in syrup, named after the suburb of Panorama where they were first made by refugees from Asia Minor. | Pastry shops in Panorama and in the centre; the best-known city-centre maker is on Dimitriou Gounari near the Arch of Galerius (Kamara). | about €1.80–3 each |
| Mussels μύδια (saganaki, αχνιστά, μυδοπίλαφο) | Mussels farmed in the Thermaic Gulf around Chalastra, served steamed, saganaki (with tomato, peppers and feta), fried or in a rice pilaf. Fresh mussels are best roughly from late spring to early autumn. | Ouzeri and tsipouradika in Louloudadika, Athonos Square, Ladadika and the fish tavernas of Kalamaria and Nea Krini. | roughly €8–13 a plate |
| Smyrna-style meatballs σουτζουκάκια σμυρνέικα | Elongated meatballs flavoured with cumin and garlic, simmered in tomato sauce, brought by refugees from Smyrna in the 1920s. Usually served with rice or chips. | Old-style tavernas and mageiria (cook-shops) around Kapani, Modiano and Athonos Square. | roughly €8–11 a portion |
| Meze with tsipouro or ouzo μεζέδες με τσίπουρο / ούζο | Small plates shared over a carafe of tsipouro or ouzo: grilled sardines, gavros, octopus, pickled fish, tirokafteri (spicy cheese spread), peppers, fava. In some tsipouradika a small free meze arrives with each carafe. | Tsipouradika and ouzeri around Athonos Square, Louloudadika, Ladadika and Ano Poli. | about €3–6 for a small carafe; meze plates roughly €5–12 each |
| Gyros and souvlaki in pita πίτα γύρο / σουβλάκι | Pork or chicken gyros, or a skewer of grilled meat, wrapped in pita with tomato, onion and sauce. In Thessaloniki 'souvlaki' means the skewer itself, and the pita is often fried or grilled with a little oil. | Souvlaki shops (souvlatzidika) throughout the centre and student neighbourhoods; quick lunch near the markets. | about €3.50–5 a pita |
| Tripe soup πατσάς (patsas) | Rich soup of tripe or trotters seasoned with garlic and vinegar, a Thessaloniki late-night and early-morning habit, especially after a night out. | Patsatzidika near the markets and on the main avenues; some are open around the clock. | roughly €6–9 a bowl |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Kapani (Vlali) Market
The city's main open-air food market, in the lanes between Egnatia, Aristotelous and Menexe streets: olives, cheese, cured meat, spices, nuts, fish, butchers and produce, with small tavernas and bougatsa shops on its edges. This is where locals shop.
Modiano Market
Covered market built in the 1920s and named after its Jewish architect, Eli Modiano. After years of decline it was restored and reopened on 5 December 2022; it now holds fishmongers, butchers and food stalls alongside tavernas and bars, so it works for both shopping and eating.
Athonos Square
Small square next to the markets packed with tavernas and ouzeri tables; a good place for meze, soutzoukakia and mussels at lunch after a market walk.
Louloudadika and Bezesteni
The old flower-market streets around the Ottoman Bezesteni, by Vasileos Irakleiou, with fish tavernas, ouzeri and small tsipouradika.
Ladadika
Restored warehouse quarter near the port, once the olive-oil trading district; now dense with ouzeri, meze restaurants and bars. Lively at night, more touristy than the market area.
Kalamaria and Nea Krini waterfront
Seafront southeast of the centre lined with fish and seafood tavernas, where locals go for grilled fish and mussels by the water.
Food tours in Thessaloniki compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thessaloniki: Food Tastings and Drinks tour with a Chef | 4 hours | from €80 per person | max 6 | First-timers who want a small group and a long, food-heavy walk; also wheelchair users (listed as wheelchair accessible). | Check dates |
| Thessaloniki: Open Market Food Tour with Tasting | 3 hours | from €45 per person | — | Budget-conscious first-timers and morning people who want the markets explained. | Check dates |
| Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local | 2.5–3 hours | from €85 per person | — | Evening visitors who want the tour to replace dinner; also listed on Viator. | Check dates |
| Thessaloniki: Premium Private Greek Food Tour | 8 hours | from €300 per person | private | Couples, families or anyone who wants a private guide and a producer-focused tour. | Check dates |
| Thessaloniki: Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family | 3 hours | from €59 per person | max 7 (one partner site says max 9) | Couples and families; vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free requests can be accommodated according to the listing. | Check dates |
Thessaloniki: Food Tastings and Drinks tour with a Chef
On GetYourGuide · run by Led by Chef Panos (operator name not visible)
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €80 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 252 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Included
- All food bites and samples, coffees and drinks: koulouri, bougatsa, olives, local seafood and seasonal fruit, with stops at food markets, grocery stores and pastry shops.
- Suits
- First-timers who want a small group and a long, food-heavy walk; also wheelchair users (listed as wheelchair accessible).
- Starts
- Gate of the Church of Agia Sofia
Thessaloniki: Open Market Food Tour with Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Ammon Express (as listed on a partner site)
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €45 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 224 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Greek coffee and tastings through the Kapani and Modiano market stalls, an organic grocery, bougatsa from an old workshop, Louloudadika and Athonos Square. Lunch afterwards is not included.
- Suits
- Budget-conscious first-timers and morning people who want the markets explained.
- Starts
- In front of Le Palace Art Hotel, 12 Tsimiski Street (10:30 start as listed on a partner site)
Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local
On GetYourGuide · run by Thessaloniki Food Tours (as listed on a partner site)
- Length
- 2.5–3 hours
- Price
- from €85 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 5 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- About 11–12 tastings of Greek food, with alcoholic drinks, coffee or tea and water; stories of the historic centre along the way.
- Suits
- Evening visitors who want the tour to replace dinner; also listed on Viator.
- Starts
- Venizelos statue, Egnatia 78 / Aristotelous Square (18:00 start as listed on a partner site)
Thessaloniki: Premium Private Greek Food Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Olicatessen
- Length
- 8 hours
- Price
- from €300 per person
- Group size
- private
- Included
- Traditional breakfast, premium olive oils and single-variety honeys, visits to 4 local producers, ending with a tasting session in Ladadika.
- Suits
- Couples, families or anyone who wants a private guide and a producer-focused tour.
- Starts
- Αγορά Μοδιάνο
Thessaloniki: Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family
On GetYourGuide · run by Hosts Dora and Michael
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €59 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 137 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 7 (one partner site says max 9)
- Included
- Hands-on cooking of moussaka, tzatziki, salad and a dessert (some listings add bougiourdi), then a family-style dinner with ouzo, tsipouro and wine, and a short Greek dance lesson.
- Suits
- Couples and families; vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free requests can be accommodated according to the listing.
- Starts
- Hosts' home (location given after booking)
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Thessaloniki's street food is mostly breakfast and snacks: koulouri from carts, bougatsa and pies from bakeries, gyros and souvlaki pitas, and late-night patsas. It is cheap and good, and a walk through Kapani in the morning covers several of these at once. There are no night markets as such; evenings are for tavernas and ouzeri.
Sit-down meals
The typical meal is shared meze with tsipouro or ouzo rather than individual courses. Locals eat lunch from about 14:00 and dinner from 21:00 or later, so early-evening tables are mostly visitors. Taverna prices are lower than in Athens; the market tavernas around Kapani, Modiano and Athonos Square are good value at lunch.
Cooking classes
Classes are fewer than in Athens and are mostly held in hosts' homes or small kitchens, usually 2.5–4 hours with a shared meal. Menus lean on national dishes (moussaka, tzatziki, pies) rather than Thessaloniki specialities, so check the menu if you want local recipes.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €20–30 (koulouri or bougatsa breakfast, gyros pita lunch, meze dinner with a carafe) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €45–65 (market taverna lunch, seafood meze dinner with drinks) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €100+ (top restaurant or a long seafood dinner with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Fairly easy. Spinach and cheese pies, sweet bougatsa, koulouri, gemista (stuffed vegetables), fava, briam, beans and salads are meat-free. Fasting periods (Lent and others) bring many 'nistisima' dishes with no meat or dairy, which helps vegans. Check that vegetable dishes and pies are not made with meat stock or lard.
Halal: Halal-certified restaurants are few. Pork is the default meat for gyros and souvlaki; chicken and lamb are common alternatives, and seafood is widely available. Ask specifically, as the same grill is often used for all meats.
Gluten-free: Harder at breakfast, because bougatsa, koulouri, pies and trigona are all wheat-based. Grilled fish, meat, salads, mussels and many meze dishes are naturally gluten-free, but fried items often share oil. Awareness of coeliac disease is improving but uneven; carry a Greek-language card.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Fish and seafood priced by the kilo, especially in Ladadika and waterfront places, giving a large bill for one grilled fish. Ask the weight and the total price before it is cooked, or order dishes with a fixed price per plate.
- Touts and English-only picture menus in parts of Ladadika and on the busiest corners near Aristotelous Square, with higher prices and frozen food. Eat where the menu is in Greek too and the tables are full of locals; the market streets and Athonos Square are better value at lunch.
- No receipt, or a bill with items you did not order (bread, extra meze, bottled water). Every business must issue a receipt (apodeixi); ask for it and check the bill. Bread and a small meze are sometimes charged; it should be on the menu.
- Ready-made souvenir packs of herbs, spices and 'Greek saffron' at inflated prices on the tourist side of the markets. Buy loose by weight from the regular spice and grocery shops inside Kapani, and check the price per kilo.
Top tours & activities in Thessaloniki
Rent a car in Thessaloniki
Compare rental cars from local and international companies, with free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare car rentals in ThessalonikiPlan the rest of your Thessaloniki trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Thessaloniki?
Tipping is not obligatory. In tavernas people usually round up or leave around 5–10% for good service, often in cash on the table. Card terminals rarely offer a tip line. At bakeries, koulouri carts and souvlaki shops nobody expects a tip. On food tours, guides appreciate €5–10 per person if you enjoyed it.
When are the Kapani and Modiano markets open?
Kapani trades Monday to Saturday from early morning to mid-afternoon and is closed on Sunday; go before noon for the full atmosphere. Modiano reopened in December 2022 after restoration: its fishmongers and butchers keep daytime hours, while the tavernas and bars inside open into the evening. Hours vary by shop and change on public holidays, so check before a special trip.
Where should I eat bougatsa, and sweet or savoury?
Any specialist bougatsa shop in the centre is a safe bet; look for ones that bake through the morning and are busy with locals. The classic order is the sweet custard version with icing sugar and cinnamon, but cheese (tyri) and minced meat (kima) are just as traditional. It is breakfast food, best before noon, with a coffee.
Which food tour is best for a first visit?
A morning market tour through Kapani and Modiano gives you the city's main foods and how locals shop, and it is the cheapest option. An evening tour replaces dinner and includes more meze and drinks. If you prefer small groups, the chef-led tour is capped at six people. Cooking classes are a good extra for a rainy day or a family evening.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Thessaloniki is cheaper than Athens. On a budget, about €20–30 covers a koulouri or bougatsa breakfast, a gyros pita at lunch and a simple meze dinner with a small carafe of tsipouro. A comfortable day with two sit-down meals is roughly €45–65. A long seafood dinner with wine can run €50+ per person on its own.
What time do people eat in Thessaloniki?
Breakfast is quick, often a koulouri or bougatsa on the way to work. Lunch is late, from about 14:00 to 16:00, and dinner starts around 21:00, later at weekends and in summer. Many tavernas stay open all day, so you can eat earlier, but popular ouzeri in Ladadika and Athonos Square fill up after 21:00 on Thursday to Saturday.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.