Try: grilled octopus, shrimp saganaki, Greek salad with local Halkidiki olives, souvlaki, moussaka, fresh grilled fish (sea bream, sea bass). Do not miss the local honey and olive oil.
Yes, Greek cuisine has many vegetarian dishes: Greek salad, briam (roasted vegetables), gemista (stuffed peppers), fasolada (bean soup), horta (boiled greens), spanakopita. Vegan is harder but doable — ask for "no cheese" (horis tyri).
Salad: €5-8, main dish: €8-15, fish: €10-20 (per kg €35-55), beer: €3-5, house wine 0.5L: €5-7. Meal for 2 with starters, mains, wine: €35-55. Halkidiki is cheaper than the islands.
Not mandatory but appreciated. Common practice is to leave 5-10% or round up the bill. In tavernas leave it on the table, in cafes you can simply round up.
Yes! Halkidiki has wineries producing excellent wines. Try wines from Tsantali (Maronia), Porto Carras Estate (Sithonia), and Claudia Papayianni. White Assyrtiko and red Limnio are excellent choices.
Tap water is generally safe but taste varies. Many tourists prefer bottled (€0.50 from supermarket, €1-2 in restaurants). In mountain villages (Arnea, Taxiarchis) the water is excellent.
Yes, in every tourist village. Chains: Masoutis, Lidl (Kassandreia), AB, Sklavenitis. Mini markets exist everywhere. Prices are similar to Thessaloniki — slightly higher in small shops.
Similar to Turkish coffee — finely ground, brewed in a briki pot. Order: sketo (no sugar), metrio (1 sugar), glyko (2 sugars). Price: €1.50-3. For cold coffee, try frappe or freddo espresso.
The best fish taverns are in fishing villages: Porto Koufo (Sithonia), Nea Skioni and Nea Fokea (Kassandra), Ouranoupoli. Catch of the day: sea bream, sea bass (~€35-55/kg), sardines/anchovies (~€8-10 per portion).
Tourist restaurants often have children's menus (mini burgers, fries, pastitsio). Traditional tavernas don't have a formal kids menu but gladly serve smaller portions — just ask. Ice cream everywhere!