Eat and Drink

Tsipouro

Everyday, no matter how early or late it is you 'll see locals drinking tsipouro in the legendary tsipouradika (small restaurants around Volos that serve tsipouro with traditional seafood and other appetisers). Have a drink with them and you 'll never forget Volos and its tsipouro !

Tsipouro is served in small bottles 25ml (it's for one glass), accompanied with a plate of meze, different in each round. The order usually is one tsipouro for each person. You may chose bottled or not, and with anise or without. The order is repeated (the meze is different) as many times as you like. If you don’t like a meze, you can ask for replacement. You may order extra meze.

Tsipouradika (pictures and information in Greek)

The tsipouradiko is almost a daily habit for local people and certainly a pleasant discovery for visitors to the city. According to the Municipal Center for History and Documentation of Volos, elements of the culture of the local people tsipouradiko are starting from very old. The refugees of Asia Minor, who settled in Volos after the exchange of 1922, were the ones who brought the city into the habit of meze. That became popular among people working in the sea. After the day work, they wanted something sting and drink, around 11am.

Thus, in the port of Volos were prepared casual snacks with small fish or whatever left over from the catch. The flavors are beautifully tied with tsipouro that was produced in the region, which unlike other Greek marc is containing aniseed.

Spetsofai

The villagers of Pelion are known for their excellent culinary skills. The most traditional Pelion dish is "spetzofai". The word "spetzofai" is derived from the italian verb spezzare (to cut into pieces) and the greek word fai (food). Also, spetza in Pelion means pepper. Spetzofai's ingredients are: sausages, peppers, olive oil and fresh tomato sauce. The recipe is really easy and tasty!

A rustic spicy Greek dish made with thick country sausages and peppers in a rich tomato sauce.. Perfect over a glass of red wine or tsipouro! Paired with salty kefalotyri cheese or tangy feta, lots of crusty bread, to dig in all the delicious sauce, it is guaranteed to warm you up during the cold winter’s days. Spetsofai is a Greek dish, one can find in many variations. The famous spetsofai from Pelio contains aubergines, while in most areas, it is prepared with green or multicoloured mild bell peppers, or spicy peppers hot enough to make your eyes tear! (If using mild sausages, spice it up with some red hot chilli peppers and hot paprika and be generous with the seasoning. (source)

Greek bean soup (Fasolada)

65

While in Pelion don’t miss to taste delicious traditional Greek bean soup (fasolada).

Bread with olive or cheese

If you like a snack, try an olive or cheese bread. Olive bread from Pelio is the traditional bread of Pelion and it was baked before the traditional loaves of bread were baked. It is prepared mainly in "traditional" bakeries in many Pelion villages. [from Greek Breakfast]

Wine

Local wine "Dimitra"

Lemonate

Spetzofai

This is one of the most classic dishes in Volos, a specialty of the mainland area around Mt. Pelion. A rustic spicy Greek dish made with thick country sausages and peppers in a rich tomato sauce. The famous spetsofai from Pelio contains aubergines, while in most areas, it is prepared with green or multicoloured mild bell peppers.