Aristotle Ouzo

Η Aristotelous Square, the central and most famous square, its pride Thessaloniki - together with the White Tower-, was built after the great fire of 1917 according to the plans of Ernest Hébrar. Its design included the seaside square in a semi-circular shape and to the north meeting the streets of Tsimiski, Vasileos Heraklion, Ermou as far as Egnatia (the ancient ones were found there). The facades of the buildings with arches, capitals, balconies, arcades were a synthesis of influences from European and other Mediterranean cities and the intention to revive the Byzantine memories of Thessaloniki.

Since then, the square has experienced historic moments, including the historic pre-election rallies. A few meters above Olympian which was built in the late 1950s and among other things houses the headquarters of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the hotel Electra built in the 1960s by the architect Jacques Moses is hidden one of the most famous gastronomic hangouts of Thessaloniki. The ouzo Aristotle.

Η entrance is made through a narrow gallery that crosses a beautiful building with public and private uses. At the end of the gallery and where through two beautiful art nouveau doors, the students pass to go to the tutoring centers located on the upper floors, in the covered atrium of the building you discover the ouzo of Aristotle.

On either side of the gallery, which is decorated with a fountain and flower pots - a bit reminiscent of Venetian or Arabic mansion atriums - are 2 separate high-ceilinged rooms.

In spring the space on the patio becomes heavenly, while in winter indoor spaces are preferred.

The decoration is simple, as naive but successful -like the yellow barrels barrels-, vintage aesthetics, a floor with black and white tiles, with marble tables and wooden Thonet chairs, frames with posters of EOT of the 1960s from various parts of Greece and objects of another era.

Service is quick but for Thessaloniki somewhat impersonal. People of all ages and social backgrounds get involved and enjoy "loosely" tsipouro, ouzo and wine with a wide variety of appetizers.

From them we singled out, the salted (cheese salad, smoked mackerel), the bougiurdi that comes in a clay pot, the stuffed squid, the cuttlefish with spinach, the thick and delicious sardines, the grilled spicy feta and the wrapped feta wrapped, hot, mussels fried or boiled and meatballs, meatballs, sausages and frying.

Ouzeri Aristotelous is an oasis of unpretentious and relaxed food in the busiest part of the city.