Halkidiki has enjoyed a culinary resurgence over the last decade. New locations are always opening, increasing competition, while even established restaurants are upgrading their standards. However, this has resulted in higher prices. Fancy cuisine and trendy restaurants undoubtedly raise the cost of dining out, but there are still places, both well-known and obscure, old and new, that aim to cook with local ingredients and genuine passion. For roughly twenty to twenty-five euros per person, you may have everything from sardines and steamed mussels to juicy meatballs, delectable stuffed veggies, Macedonian meat pie, traditional pasta, and classic baked lamb.

Kafeneio o Nikos

This is the first coffee house that opened in the village of Nea Fokea. Since 1928, it has been serving the daily needs of locals and passersby all year round. Third generation owners Nikos Aivaliotis and his wife Eleni continue to serve daily cooked dishes such as stuffed vegetables and chicken with okra, while also preserving some very old recipes, such as meatballs in sauce, and offering delicious seafood meze, with sardines and anchovies from local fishermen being some of the highlights. However, tsipouro comes first. “I use grapes from the Peloponnese to make my own tsipouro, with or without anise. It’s my passion, and every year I’m anxious to find the right grapes,” says Nikos, who produces 2.5-3 tons annually.

Grigoris Grill House

Fani Karagianni, wife of Grigoris, the owner of the namesake grill house in Afytos, was adamant about not including their place in the report. “I don’t want any publicity; we already have too many customers and can’t serve them all. We can’t find enough staff for service; do you understand?” Since 1997, they have been serving top-quality grilled meat. Handmade pork and chicken souvlaki, charcoal-grilled chicken breast, and beef meatballs with organic eggs are the main attractions that draw people to their stone-paved courtyard. The setting is also charmingly nostalgic, with honeysuckle, geraniums, and other potted plants evoking the essence of a bygone Greek summer.

Balatsos Ouzeri 

The Balatsos family restaurant, which has been a fixture in Kryopigi for two decades, is located in the center of the town, beneath two massive mulberry trees that appear to kiss. It began as a coffee shop and evolved into an ouzeri, serving as a regular gathering place for locals. The menu offers a delightful mix of seafood (fresh anchovies, sardines, red mullets, and squid) and traditional grilled meats (souvlaki, lamb chops, and meatballs). The variety of salads served alongside the fish or meats on the menu is particularly amazing. Highlights include the bulgur salad with shrimp and the mixed green salad with grapes and mint.

Aknos restaurant 

Aknos, a hidden gem in Pefkochori’s old square, off the tourist trail, is well worth visiting. Located in Halkidiki’s most popular tourist area, it resists the trend for fast food and overpriced gourmet cuisine by serving home-cooked meals and quality grilled meats. The restaurant takes pride in using many PDO products, like as Halkidiki feta cheese, and sticking to perfectly grilled meats and traditional dishes like Macedonian meat pie. Standout dishes include egg and potato with aged Macedonian cheese and smoked paprika, “gioufkadia” pasta with grated graviera cheese, and chef Evmorfos Arnidis’ signature zucchini fritters. They also offer various Greek wines, beers, and spirits.

Ilia’s Canteen

12 years ago, Ilias Skavendzos built a canteen out of driftwood on Xina Beach and decorated it with spectacular photos, including one of a white shark taken in the vicinity in 1973. The menu is simple, and he flatly refuses to serve french fries: “Healthy eating above all,” he says, laughing. His limited supplies are locally sourced. Paliouri fishermen provide sardines, squid, and octopus (when available), while meats such as pork souvlaki, chicken, and pancetta are sourced from butchers from nearby villages. “I get 2-3 kilograms of everything daily, until it sells out. I do not want to keep second-day meat or fish,” he states.

Klimataria Taverna 

Klimataria is one of Halkidiki’s oldest tavernas and a popular gastronomic destination. Since the Akarastos family established it in 1963, it has served the same cuisine of home-cooked dishes, spit-roasts, and grilled meats. From oven-baked pig knuckle and traditional lamb “psima” (baked with vegetables) to stuffed eggplants, okra, and beef stew, there is something for everyone here. The veal liver is wonderful, as are the lamb chops. The menu is supplemented by a variety of cheese appetizers such as bouyiourdi and grilled kefalotyri, as well as fresh salads, greens, and spreads.

Arsanas Restaurant 

Michalis Delithanasis still reminisces about the small shipyard where he spent his childhood and which closed permanently in 1992. Only four years later, he transformed it into a year-round restaurant, focusing on quality and continuous culinary evolution. Despite several gourmet options, the menu also features many affordable and delicious dishes, such as savory fish of the day, salted mackerel and anchovies, and fried zucchini with garlic dip. Highlights include shrimp and mussel saganaki, fried anchovies, and succulent grilled calamari. The restaurant’s hallmark dish, however, is its marinated fish.

Stelios restaurant 

Stelios Melissis now runs the family restaurant that his father Konstantinos opened right on the beach in Toroni in 1962. Since its inception, its philosophy has remained consistent: affordable prices and fresh ingredients to ensure quality meals for all. The menu includes daily specials such as mixed vegetables (tourlou), stuffed grape leaves (dolmadakia), meatballs, and fresh fish that are primarily sourced from fishermen in Porto Koufo. The grilled sardines with olive oil and lemon are particularly delicious, and the fried anchovies pair perfectly with the budget-friendly retsina. The setting is simple: plastic chairs, two pine trees for shade, and the sea.

Akrogiali Restaurant 

The grandfather of Dimitris Sarris, the current owner, established this seaside restaurant in Olympiada in 1924. The extensive menu features steamed local mussels, fresh vegetables, homemade spreads, and their famed honey-glazed octopus, which is sautéed and then deglazed with wine and honey. Sea bream, red mullet, and cod are also available at affordable prices ( around 50 euros per kilo), as are innovative surprises like sea pastrami (availability is dependent on the day’s catch). Pair your meal with reasonably priced, locally bottled wines, with the most expensive bottle costing no more than 23 euros.

To Tzaki Grill House 

Dimitris Tsiontos, father of current owner Giorgos, established a delicatessen grill house in Palaiochori, a village located 550 meters above sea level near Arnaia. Here, hospitality is combined with high-quality ingredients and low prices. “If the kitchen lights are on, I’ll feed anyone who comes,” Giorgos says. He gets his chickens and meat from Galatista and Palaiochora, and his mother, Mrs. Vasiliki, still makes the burger patties with a secret mixture of pork and beef to keep them tender. Grilled meats include chicken, local sausage, steak, and pork belly. The fries and dips are homemade, and the salads are made using locally sourced ingredients. The price-to-quality ratio is tough to beat.

This article was previously published in Greek at gastronomos.gr.