Κοντοσώρος

The restaurant, named after its founder, is a repository of his ideas. Continued by his daughter, it's worth at least one stop.

The memory of a long-standing friendship and the name of his restaurant are not all that remain from Nikos Kontosoros. The legacy he left behind, which is today in the capable hands of his daughter, Iliana, remains vividly alive. Nikos's restaurant alone managed to emerge from the obscurity of a small village outside Amyntaio, which until then had nothing special to offer. It succeeded in making Central Macedonia a destination for culinary excursions. We had spoken many times, but his modesty always made him say, «If it weren't for you for people to know us, whatever we did would have had no effect.».

However, let's come to the present. Iliana, as expected, followed in Nikos's footsteps and inherited his virtues. I first met her when she was working in Paxos, at a very good restaurant, Ermitis. In the kitchen, she collaborates closely with Ilias Giozis, who apprenticed for many years under Nikos, and they continue the same tradition together. A tradition with strong foundations in Greek cuisine and a simultaneous goal of preserving the taste heritage of the region.

If your steps haven't led you to the restaurant's door by now, you must make them. Of all the known quality establishments in the isolated province, Kontosoros is – if not the one – certainly one of the most iconic. Equally iconic is the "souot makalo," a local, humble dish based on beef meatballs, which are complemented by a rich, garlicky flour sauce enriched with red pepper and saffron. On the menu, there is always a traditional pie, often the famous trahanopita.

Another great asset of Kontosoros's proposal is the wine list. A fanatic wine collector, Nikos, always had a rich cellar, and together we had conducted many tastings. Iliana continues her father's tradition, and it is certain that if you are wine lovers, you will have the opportunity to try significant and noteworthy wines.