“Verges Lagies” has been famous among avid meat lovers, both inside and outside Thessaloniki, for a long time and is a grill restaurant with a personality that is incomparable to any other in the city. It opened its doors in November 2017 by two friends, Christos Kapriniotis, originally from Ioannina, and Thanasis Tselnikas, originally from Larissa, who, as lovers of good meat, wanted to create a place with good mutton, good music and good food overall, as is customary in their regions of origin.

The original store, a small, long, narrow space with a few tables outside, was immediately loved by many people in and outside Thessaloniki and became a must and a bit of a cult, one might say, hangout, for groups of people in the area and beyond. With its generous portions, it was, after all, one of the few that managed to breathe life into the part of Venizelou Street above Egnatia Street, which had been dark for years, due to the Metro works.

Fanatics of the store, passers-by, tourists, regular patrons for years now, enjoy delicious meats – from the first excellent items, the pork in the pot that one can also get in a sandwich and that won many over from the beginning – fresh potatoes and their favorite accompaniment from the cellar, in a friendly atmosphere and always cheerful and hospitable.

Interesting conversations take place at the tables of “Verges Lagies”. Christos and Thanasis are there every day and you will most likely meet them. They have recently expanded their business to the corner shop next door – a historical landmark for those who remember its development over the decades – and now, even more tables outside and several inside are at your disposal, for one of the best street meat dishes in Thessaloniki.

A place that is constantly full

All the items are grilled in the original space, where the fire burns non-stop, the staff comes and goes with wooden boards in their hands and the customers wait – standing – to get their take away order.

Next to and around, plenty of regulars, passers-by, tourists, those who know how to distinguish good meat, fill the outdoor tables daily – in winter they warm themselves with “mushroom-stoves” – which often don’t have time to empty.

In the middle, the corner space, in the style of a small box of the kind we like so much in this city, with an unpretentious, simple space, with wooden tables, chairs and greaseproof paper. And with the wood stove humming in the winter months, you will sit down to enjoy your meal, those of you who prefer a more cozy “tavern” atmosphere.

Handmade is something the owners like and you will understand this from the furniture and other DIY objects in the space, which come from reused wood and recycled materials.

Everything in hand, on the fire and in the pot

At “Verges Lagies”, nothing is pre-prepared. As part of the selective selection of products, each meat, sourced from local producers, is stored in a special cold room, and undergoes pre-processing and processing by the store’s own people. The minced meat for the sausages and burgers is theirs, while they themselves cut the portions before they reach the fire.

On the menu you will find excellent smoked steaks, which they prepare themselves, initially in salt and then smoked with apple wood, as well as suggestions such as roasted suckling pig with crispy skin, pork kebab on a spit, mutton tas kebab, excellent leek fritters, spetsofai, baked shank and other flavors, which change daily.

These, of course, along with the established, from the beginning, meat dishes, such as pork in the pot, mutton ribs, chops, kontosouvli, beef liver, pancetta steak or Tomahawk steak. Most importantly, you can order them both in portions and in sandwiches in hand and enjoy them in every way!

Plain and simple flavors

The smells are abundant, the colors are also, the ingredients are well-chosen. On each table, the meats “dance” along with freshly cut hand-fried potatoes, which we highly recommend trying with their paprika!

A few good salads, delicious cheeses from Elassona, Mytilene, Serres, mountainous Chalkidiki, Epirus and beyond, and in the cellar, everything you need for drinks – you will find from retsina and beers with or without alcohol, to tsipouro from their own cauldron in Zitsa, Ioannina, and bulk wine, from Zitsa and Tyrnavos – complement your order depending on your preference. And literally, you don’t need any other flavor, except perhaps some dips or some spices, depending on how you prefer your meals.

At “Verges Lagies”, Epirus music is honored at every opportunity. By following the grill restaurant’s social media, you can also stay informed about all the live or other events that may take place at the store!

Don’t hesitate and take the Metro to a stop at Venizelou. Two blocks above Egnatia Street, the most delicious meats and the most lively atmosphere await you!

Tip 1: “Verges Lagies” operates every Friday to Sunday from 13.00 – 01.00 and from Monday to Thursday from 18.00 – 01.00.

Tip 2: The store does not offer delivery.