Dreaming about escaping to Europe to enjoy delicious cuisine and bask in the summer heat? Read vegetarian restaurant reviews from Greece and Macedonia!
By Nelson Atiga
Greece Review
Stepping off the plane in Thessaloniki, Greece, you’re hit with a certain kind of heat. It’s a dry, ancient heat - one that the people in the region have been feeling for thousands of years and the lifestyle and food reflect this.
I wanted to review a specific restaurant when visiting Thessaloniki, but I found it too difficult to single one out. Walking through the streets you’re spoilt for dining options. I was in town for six days, I didn’t eat at the same restaurant twice and I don’t remember having one bad meal.
The standout dish for me was the chilled eggplant salad, which was a midday essential in the summer heat. This salad is made by first grilling the eggplant over charcoal then removing the skin and mashing it. After mixing in onion, garlic, and herbs it’s then chilled and served cold. It was a perfect starter to share before the mains arrived, though for me it was often the highlight.
Of course, I must mention the Greek salad, although the locals call it Horiatiki which translates to village salad. The salad’s beauty lies in its simplicity - tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and olives. Drizzle with olive oil and you’re done. Everything you need and nothing you don’t.
It’s not my first time in Thessaloniki and one of my strongest memories of the place was its tomatoes. Forget everything you know about this humble little fruit. The tomatoes here pack a punch. Each bite has more flavour than a whole bag back in NZ!
As I write this, I’m already planning my next visit!
Macedonia Review
In August I travelled north from Greece into Macedonia with a cheery Greek taxi driver, who didn’t seem to mind too much that I spoke little-to-no Greek. That didn’t stop him from talking non-stop from Florina to Bitola.
Also known to some as The Republic of North Macedonia, between the Ottomans, Serbians, Bulgarians, and being a part of Yugoslavia until 1991, Macedonia has emerged as a true melting pot of history whilst still maintaining a strong sense of patriotism. This can be seen in their food and the way they eat. Food is shared everywhere. Ordering a meal at a restaurant is a communal process that is carefully considered. Not once did I order a meal solely for myself.
The food is fresh, often gathered that morning, as if there’s a garden to the rear of every restaurant. As in many less commercially developed countries, the majority of what you consume is locally grown. Almost everything on your plate has come from a 20km radius of the establishment. I could taste the difference in the tomatoes from town to town, as seen in the Macedonian staple, the Shopska Salad. Consisting of chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and topped with grated feta, it’s the perfect way to start a long lunch. The kind of lunches that linger late into the afternoon, where the food often takes a back seat to the conversations had.
Macedonians are very friendly, albeit perplexed as to how a Kiwi had ended up there. Much to my extroverted delight, I couldn’t order a coffee without getting locked into a deep conversation. Macedonia has captured my heart and soul. Undoubtedly, I will be back.
