Somewhere in Thessaloniki, behind the lights and filters, there is a beautiful shop with homely warmth, which reminds us of how we used to run to the table every time grandma served a sweet. Faithful to the quality of its small, daily productions, “Babalooka” became the ultimate destination for sweets, which are still made today in the traditional way, by hand, the one learned from generation to generation. Sweets that are prepared not to impress, but to last. Never before has luxury in taste been so accessible. In an era where everything seems to be accelerated, made easy and standardized, the “Babalooka” team continues to knead, fill and bake in the traditional way. Offering its products to you, who know how to recognize authentic, handmade flavors.

At “Babalooka” – a modern “syrup factory” – a 2nd generation offers freshly syruped, delicious, mommy-like sweets 365 days a year. A new generation of professionals, who dedicated time, research and knowledge to reviving a range of sweets, that refuses to surrender to trends and dreams of raising the next generations, with a love for syrup-soaked sweets.

That’s why the “experts” say: “You will go to ‘Babalooka’ to eat a carefully crafted syrup-soaked sweet with its light syrup and crispy phyllo”. And when you hear that “crunch” at the first bite, you know they still keep their promise.

Syrup-soaked sweets that are passed from mouth to mouth

Returning to “Babalooka”, one of these days, I met several people at the entrance. Outside, among other things, a sign read: “Trigona that are filled for you, in front of you” and another sign “Come in and ask for fresh tsoureki”. At that moment, my mind was flooded with images and aromas of delicious baked sweets, orange pie, ravani, kazan dipi, walnut pie, pudding and of course tsoureki. “How nice that the neighborhood smells so beautiful from a small shop”, I thought.

I entered at the same time as two or three other customers and immediately, I felt a sense of familiarity. With a smile, a “Babalookaki” – this is the nickname of the people who work at the store – said: “Good morning, welcome to “Babalooka”, are we all in for a sweet treat?”

“Yes, and we came from Volos, because we have been suffering from… “Babalooka”!”, a customer was heard. Also in the place was another gentleman, who came to get baba, touloumbes and ravani for his family from Thermi, a couple from Athens, who fell in love with their trigona and a lady who lives in Germany and who smiled and said “yes, and I came recommended from afar, because we finally discovered a crispy galaktoboureko, which does not make us feel hungry, as well as this delicious, chewy tsoureki”. Inside, they served us one by one with courtesy, kindness and calmness. There I understood – again – that “Babalooka” has not gained so many visitors only with its sweets, but also with its incredibly warm service.

Maintaining tradition with respect

Babalooka’s space is small, but clean and neat. It is not based on expensive or sophisticated decoration, but on respect for the customer and specialization in what it offers. Here you will not find fashionable sweets that succumb to international trends – only those that you are looking for to remember old, pure memories.

The much-discussed and beloved galaktoboureko of “Babalooka”, along with the trigona of Thessaloniki that compete with equally well-known names in syrupy sweets in the city, are the two reasons worth putting as a reminder in your GPS and calendar, to stop by when passing by 15 Konstantinos Karamanlis Avenue.

“Babalooka” has changed the way we see syrupy sweets as a gift option for our loved ones, but also as a treat at the Sunday, family table. I recommend it with a little of their ice cream with cream, Aegina pistachio or dark chocolate sorbet, so that the pleasure can slip away without remorse.

Also, if you love ravani, at “Babalooka” you will enjoy their magical Byzantine (or politiko, as some know it). A wonderfully syrupy ravani base with light cream, sprinkled with cinnamon. The pans leave in a row with their travelers, to all the lengths and ends of Greece and abroad.

A little diamond, traveling to your door

You will hardly find long queues at “Babalooka”. They try to serve with pre-orders, so as to reduce your waiting time, as they respect your time as quality of life.

“Babalooka” innovated in turning galaktoboureko into a social habit, introducing to the market a new way of how Thessaloniki’s syrupy sweets should be, in essence. Syrupy sweets can be equally charming with a balanced syrup, which is pleasantly eaten and the next day cool, directly from the refrigerator. So that one can enjoy it on the road, in the office, at an event, on the beach, even while waiting at the airport.

They make small batches of sweets every day, so before you go to find them, it is worth making a phone call, so that they can prepare the fresh trigona, the stuffed touloumbes and the babades for you, just before you pick them up or as a pre-order. Alternatively, they will bring them to the comfort of your space, with distribution in the east up to Thermi and in all the west, up to Evosmos, Diavata, Sindos and Kalochori. Even its shipments outside Thessaloniki are made traditionally, by KTEL buses (the main intercity public transport bus service in Greece) in your city.

“Babalooka” is the little gem that, if you don’t know it, you feel like they kept it a secret from you. If you get to know it, you definitely won’t change it. It’s one of those shops that doesn’t shout. They just exist. And along with their sweets, future generations will grow up. Because you’ll give something from “Babalooka” to those you love.

Tip 1: “Babalooka” operates from Tuesday to Friday 08:00-19:00, Saturday & Sunday 09:00-21:00. Every Monday (except holidays & public holidays), it remains closed.

Tip 2: Delivery is carried out by the store itself 7 days a week, upon pre-order and consultation, for your own convenience.

Tip 3: You can pay with “IRIS” and send a gift to your loved ones, without having to go to the store.

Tip 4: “Babalooka” undertakes events, corporate catering, small events and memorials.

Tip 5: The products are also available via E-food, Wolt and Box.