Mavri Thalassa
A seafood restaurant overlooking the sea in Nea Krini. A family story that began in 1926 as an Asia Minor refugee's kafeneio.
About
Mavri Thalassa is one of the few restaurants in Thessaloniki that sits literally on the water, and almost certainly the only one that can count its history in generations.
From kafeneio to seafood restaurant
The story begins in 1926, when Savvas Tokidis, a refugee from Asia Minor, opened a small kafeneio in Kato Toumba and named it "Mavri Thalassa": the Black Sea, the sea he had left behind.
"Barba-Savvas" didn't open a restaurant; he opened a coffee house, as dozens of refugees did in those years in the city's new districts. The transformation came with time and with generations.
In 1984 the kitchen passed fully to Alexandros Tokidis, the family's third generation. From 2000 onward the place gradually became a seafood restaurant, moving from simple mezedes toward more considered cooking.
The move of 2013
In 2013, after 87 years in Kato Toumba, Mavri Thalassa moved to Nea Krini, its present position on the Kalamaria seafront. The new space spreads over two floors with more than 70 tables, looking out across the Thermaic Gulf.
Today the kitchen is run by Alexandros Tokidis and Sonia Margaritou, with the family's fourth generation (their son Giorgos) increasingly involved.
What it is today
An award-winning seafood restaurant, built on fresh raw materials and preparations that don't hide them. It keeps a substantial wine cellar and appears consistently among the city's leading recommendations for fish.
Good to know
- It is a seafood restaurant, not a Pontic one: the name refers to the family's origins, not the menu.
- It sits on the Kalamaria seafront, now reachable by metro as well.
- For opening hours and reservations, contact the restaurant directly.
FAQs
What kind of food does Mavri Thalassa serve?
Seafood and fish. Despite the name, it is not a Pontic restaurant. The name comes from the Tokidis family's refugee origins.
How old is the restaurant?
Its history begins in 1926 in Kato Toumba as a kafeneio. It moved to its present location in Nea Krini in 2013.
How do I get there by metro?
The nearest stations are Nea Krini and Aretsou, on the Kalamaria branch that opened in August 2026.
Updated: 10 September 2026
Attractions nearby
5.0 kmWaterfront & Umbrellas
The redesigned seaside promenade with Zongolopoulos' "Umbrellas" sculpture.
5.6 kmMuseum of Byzantine Culture
An award-winning museum dedicated to Byzantine and post-Byzantine culture.
★5.7 kmArchaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
Finds from Thessaloniki and Macedonia, from prehistory to late antiquity.
★6.3 kmWhite Tower
Thessaloniki's symbol on the waterfront: a 15th-century tower with a museum and city views.
