The hardest thing for a good restaurant is to remain good; to improve and reinvent itself over time, to adapt to trends and seasons.
With obvious passion for his profession and deep knowledge of his chosen ingredients, chef Apostolos Altanis reinvents recipes with new techniques and creates rare and intense culinary experiences.
Both Ambrosia restaurant at Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki and Alfredo’s Garden at Regency Casino Thessaloniki are two established gastronomic destinations where the bar remains high.
Apostolos Altanis has been putting his signature and culinary prowess on the menus of Ambrosia restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki, as well as Alfredo’s and Alfredo’s Garden at the Regency Casino Thessaloniki for years. At the same time, the executive chef teaches at private schools, sharing his knowledge and contributing to the education and training of young professionals.
Born in Argithea, Karditsa, where he spent much of his childhood, but raised in Thessaloniki, Apostolos Altanis has loyal customers who may visit the city just to enjoy his gastronomic creations. These two places, Argithea and Thessaloniki, give his dishes their identity, traditional but at the same time in perfect sync with his own particular style.
“I truly believe that every dish that is prepared with care, passion and attention to detail, whether we are talking about the ingredients or the preparation, is unique”, he tells Travel.gr. “This applies to all the dishes we serve at Hyatt. But it’s very important that our menus also include dishes you won’t find anywhere else”.
“This is also the case at Ambrosia”, he adds, “where we serve dishes based on Greek cuisine, but a bit tweaked and presented in a more creative way, but also at OCEANA, where mainly traditional favourites are served, as well as the Lobby, where you can basically enjoy flavours from all over the world. All these things differentiate our restaurants and make them stand out. It goes without saying, of course, that we use excellent ingredients, which we upscale with right techniques and our desire to evolve. It is the combination of all of the above that makes each of our dishes so special”.
Can a dish be a multi-sensory experience?
“It is common knowledge that good food satisfies – or at least it should – all five senses. Therefore, we always try to serve dishes that will fully satisfy our guests who honour us with their presence and trust for so many years.
The perfect dish is as delicious as it is beautiful. I approach every dish like a canvas, because food can indeed be art. And it gives us great joy when we see the guests’ satisfaction and smiles before they even taste a dish. Just as art never stops, we never stop creating”.
What are the new trends? And how would you describe Thessaloniki’s cuisine?
“Gastronomy is deeply intertwined with everyday life and the state of affairs. So, it was impossible not to be affected by the unprecedented situation that we have been going through in the last two years. There is a shift to familiar flavours, to home-cooked food. In the midst of all this, we’ve seen a big boom in street food eateries and small, traditional restaurants.
Thessaloniki is known for its diversity, which is not only about its people, but also about the gastronomic scene in which it plays a leading role. Its cuisine remains a mishmash of peoples, aromas and flavours. It is no coincidence that it is the only Greek city included in the UNESCO Network of Creative Cities of Gastronomy”.
Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki
13th km Thessaloniki – Peraia highway, +30 2310 401234
Apart from the pleasant stay that one enjoys in its spacious rooms and suites, a luxury hotel like Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki offers its guests the opportunity to experience unique moments in a convivial and relaxing environment.
Whether you decide to soak up the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel with a signature cocktail at the bar or embark on a culinary journey in one of its award-winning restaurants, all five senses are sure to be satisfied.
Regency Casino Thessaloniki
12th km Thessaloniki – Airport highway, +30 2310 491234
For almost 26 years it has been in the spotlight as the ultimate entertainment and fun venue that offers unique experiences to both the residents of Thessaloniki and its numerous visitors.
Regency Casino Thessaloniki – one of the largest and safest casinos in Europe – in addition to state-of-the-art slots, live games and lotteries, also provides you with the opportunity to enjoy great food in its restaurants, as well as signature cocktails in one of the city’s most beautiful bars, Ian’s Bar, whose décor is reminiscent of 1920′ s New York during the Prohibition years.
The aura of the award-winning Alfredo’s Grand Dining (+30 2310 491199), combined with its renowned service, offers guests a truly valuable experience.
On the other hand, at La Terrasse (+30 2310 491234) at the Regency Casino Thessaloniki, March is dedicated to the cuisine of Istanbul. In its rich buffet you will enjoy flavours and aromas from the East and “travel” through authentic dishes, cooked with love.
Enjoy a signature cocktail from a very creative menu in the elegant space of Ian’s Bar (+30 2310 491234). We recommend the Swan Loves Red Lipstick, made with premium vodka, berries, a blend of three citrus fruits (lemon, orange, yuzu) and apple juice under an aromatic veil of ripe wild strawberries.
Vergina Theatro
12th km Thessaloniki – Airport highway, +30 2310 491291
The partial return to normality and the return of music in entertainment venues bring to the fore the high quality performances at the Vergina Theatro, located next to the Regency Casino Thessaloniki.
In March, Vergina Theatro welcomes the famous Greek singer Glykeria. The popular singer will present a delightful music show with hits from her long career and her collaborations with great artists. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Smyrna Catastrophe, the show will bear a strong emotional and ethnic character stretching from Izmir to Istanbul and the Bosphorus.. She will be accompanied by the beloved Greek-Turkish singer Dilek Koc.
Salumeria del Greco
82, Olympou street, +30 2310 272988
Salumeria del Greco by Eugenia Margaritou is a modern grocery store, delicatessen and tavern where you may find products from small producers from all over Greece, as well as delicious dishes. You may enjoy the latter on the tables inside the store and outside on the side-walk, overlooking the Ancient Agora.
High in the preferences of the delicatessen’s customers are the kavurma meat (slow-cooked meat product similar to confit) from Komotini, pastirma meat, as well as George Paschalidis’ salt-cured fish from Rodopi. Besides, the workshop of George Paschalidis – husband of Mrs Eugenia – has been operating since 1955, producing smoked and salt-cured fish such as excellent quality smoked mackerel, anchovies, striped tuna, smoked mussels and seafood kavurma. All of the above can be enjoyed on the spot or at home. On the shelves you’ll also find a wide variety of cheeses and cold cuts from all over Greece and many many more.
From the dishes served at Salumeria del Greco (daily from 12:30pm until the evening – except from Wednesdays), there are a few that stand out. You should try their Mani smoked pork (singlino) orzo, their fried meatballs, their kavurma dish and sausages, the pancetta and parmesan spaghetti, as well as the home-made dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves).
Votanikos flower shop
2, Agnostou Stratioti street (Roman Agora), +30 2311 8286628
Dried flower bouquets and long-lasting plants, special boxes full of flowers, orchids, pots, handmade arrangements, roses that do not need watering or light (known as eternity), a variety of indoor and outdoor options.
All of the above can be found in the Votanikos flower shop, which has been open for only 2 months. It is located on a pedestrian street overlooking the ancient Roman Agora and is the second space created by Irini Karavangelis, agronomist and landscape architect, who aspires to win over the crowds in a central area of the city full of student and artist hangouts, taverns and café-bars.
Votanikos flower shop, among other things, undertakes floral arrangements for weddings or other events, provides advice on the design and construction of any outdoor space, and of course sells flowers, as well as beautiful arrangements.
Ancient Roman Agora
Olympou & Filippou streets, +30 2310 221266
It was the main reference point and administrative centre of Thessaloniki for about three centuries. The Roman Agora was erected at the end of the 2nd century as something similar to the Greek Agora, but modelled on the centre of Rome. In its time it consisted of two squares: the one that has been excavated and includes the Hidden Gallery, the Museum of the Roman Agora and the Odeon; and the one that in Byzantine times was an open square without arcades and today lies beneath the upper part of Aristotelous Square.
In the archaeological site mosaic floors, part of a cobbled road, pipes and drains, as well as silver coins and stone and marble sculptures have been found. The Agora is also connected to “Las Incantadas”, a two-storey arcade with Corinthian columns and pillars. In 1864, the sculptures were transferred to the Louvre Museum, where they remain to this day. At present the archaeological site is not open to visitors due to the work being carried out there, but the museum, which is housed in a modern underground building, is open to visitors.
There the entire area of the Roman Agora is presented through the findings of the periodic excavation, which began in 1962 and was completed in 1999. The presentation is made with the assistance of rich visual material, both on the history of the Agora and on the city itself, from the 3rd century BC to the present day. The “modern era” is presented in the entrance hall, “the space before the Agora” in the eastern corridor and “the public character of the space and the Agora” in the central hall.
Opening hours: daily, 08:30 – 15:30, except Tuesdays. The entrance fee is 4 euros. Also nearby is the Panagia of Halkeon, one of the 15 UNESCO monuments in Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki Concert Hall
25th Martiou street, +30 2310 895800
Amazing Greek artist and composer Evanthia Reboutsika is ready to take the audience on a nostalgic journey, an exhilarating experience filled with music through emotions and memories from a not so distant past that stretches like a rainbow over the Aegean Sea.
On Saturday, February 26 (at 21.00), the great composer will present “The Roads of Smyrna” at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. A unique performance, where emotion meets historical memory, lending it even greater dimensions. Besides, 2022 is a reference point, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. The music of Smyrna, but also its overall culture, has significantly influenced Reboutsika’s work.
She will be accompanied by a group of great musicians and the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall. All together they aim to bring memories to the minds of the audience, to awaken feelings and nostalgia for travels to the East.
