The Greek blues was born here twice: once in 1922 when Smyrna's refugees landed with their bouzoukis, and every night since in the rooms that kept the licence. Cocktails over Aristotelous, an 1885 Ottoman café up the hill, and a last drink in a port warehouse.
- 1 · The Cold Open
Orizontes Roof Garden, Electra Palace
Fifty years of the city's front square, seen from the roof of its grande dame with the Thermaic Gulf going gold below. Open the ruling with a cocktail at altitude; the hill and the harbour are both waiting.
fifty years over Aristotelous · evenings · verified Jul 2026 · 🏨 the night ends at Electra Palace Thessaloniki
- 2 · The Detour
The Blues Bar
Up past the Roman Forum to a room papered in music memorabilia, where the other blues gets its hearing. Espresso from nine in the morning, twelve bars after dark. For the devout, this is the sidebar that matters.
by the Roman Forum · from 9am · verified Jul 2026
- 3 · The Anchor
Tsinari
Pouring since 1885, when Turks and Greeks shared coffee and hookahs under the same roof; Smyrna's refugees took the lease after 1922 and taught it ouzo and Asia Minor mezedes. Blue windows, checkerboard tiles, unchanged on purpose.
est. 1885 · midday till late · verified Jul 2026
- 4 · The Wildcard
Tombourlika
The Greek blues, played where it landed: rebetiko of the 1950s and 60s, tables close enough to touch the bouzouki, Tuesday to Saturday until three in the morning. Same trouble as the Delta, different scales.
songs of the 50s and 60s · Tue–Sat till 3am · verified Jul 2026
- 5 · The Last Call
Kitchen Bar
Warehouse B on the working port, Greece's first open kitchen and twenty years of last drinks over black harbour water, the White Tower lit down the quay. The ruling is discharged dockside; your bed waits five minutes behind you in the old oil-merchants' quarter.
est. 2003, Warehouse B · till late · verified Jul 2026 · 🏨 the night ends at Mediterranean Palace Hotel