Hello and welcome to Food Neighbourhoods on Monocle Radio.
I'm Monica Lillis and once again we visit the places locals love for their food and drink.
This week we're heading to Greece's second city, Thessaloniki.
Located in the northeast of the country on the Aegean coast,
this offbeat metropolis has a rich gastronomic identity thanks to its diverse history.
And in 2021,
its culinary prowess was rewarded as Thessaloniki claimed the title as the nation's first UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
Here, Monocle's Claudia Jacob takes us on a tour to find its best hidden gems.
Thessaloniki, Greece's second city and a characterful mix of ancient Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman influences.
With one foot in the sunny Mediterranean and another in the rugged hills of the Balkans,
you'll find culinary influences much further reaching than in Athens.
This offbeat metropolis has a rich gastronomic identity thanks to immigration from Sephardic Jews,
Italians, Albanians, Romanians and Ottoman Christians.
This diversity earned the city the title of Greece's first recognition as a UNESCO City of gastronomy in 2021.
But where to begin?
Mornings in Thessaloniki are best spent at Estet, a newcomer to the increasingly popular speciality coffee scene.
This charming corner cafe will fulfil your caffeine craving from morning
until night thanks to silky blends sourced from Costa Rica.
Line the stomach with Za'atar spiced sourdough filled with pickled onions,
melted casserole cheese and a coffee infused sriracha sauce.