Places to avoid and places highly recommended

After 30 years of visiting Halkidiki, and having just returned from three weeks, I thought it would be nice to have a thread where people could put their highly recommended places for all to try, but also to put the ones to avoid. There is no excuse in a tourist area for bad or rude service, and thankfully it is not very common.

However on our last visit March to April this year we have two places to avoid. Sorry they are both in Fourka Jeff !

One is the Pattisserie shop near the traffic lights on the main road, Sakalee (havent got Greek text but this as how it was pronounced). Went in and queued for ten minutes. Just at front of queue when another (Greek) man came in, slammed his money on counter and demanded what he wanted. We were totally ignored by the owner/assistant as if we were not there. No excuse, and we walked out never to return.. Little did she know we were about to buy about 30 euros worth of chocs to bring home, her loss not ours.

Second, the Cyclon garage on the main road in Fourka. Went in, pulled up at pump and got out to speak to man (in Greek may I add). He nodded and then proceeded to walk round the other side of car. I thought he was looking for filler cap, but oh no, another Greek car was coming in and he went over and waited for her to stop, and served her. Again, we drove off, his loss.

There are so many nice places who deserve your custom that it is really not necessary to put up with this anti tourist behaviour. Frankly if tourism had not arrived in Halkidiki Fourka would not even be there.

Now for the recommendations. As you must all know by now we have been going for yonks and have posted all the recommendations for our friends in Kriopigi, Skioni, Loutra etc, so wont do them again. I will stick to new places we have found.

This time we found a newly opened bar in Skioni called La Place. Just a bar, with large screens showing satellite programmes and fairly loud music but not deafening. Very Greek, but I am sure come tourist season it will get its fair share of tourists in. There were quite a few English in this time. You cant actually hear the TVS ! but it does have atmosphere and it is nice to have a bar without having to eat all the time. Staff very friendly, and very comfy seats.

Opposite is Peters Grill. Very friendly Greek Oz bloke and his wife. Nice to call in after La Place and get a souvlaki or burger, or similar. He also has a bar next door to his place which is quite nice, although when we went nobody was in. Probably again, this will change in tourist season.

Also, visited Casablanca in Kriopigi for first time. Debbie and Tony are lovely people and we really enjoyed our visits. Very helpful, nice toasties and good measures on the drinks ! Will be going again come August.

Thats it for now folks. We really went to set up house ready for Aug, but obviously managed to find time to get out and about and find some new places and visit some old favourites. Enjoy your hols and please let us know your recs and avoids.

Oh, and we went to Hercules in Pefkohori, very expensive and because we had not been in for a few years (having previously gone in very regularly) very cool reception.

Fast Food NIkki in Kallithea near traffice lights. Nice giros, friendly staff, have been there years and we have been going for years, just forgot to mention before.

Diana Hotel in Pefkohori. We have never stayed there but go for a drink or cocktail once a week. Owner Vassilis is a very nice man, very helpful and excellent English.

Italian Pizza place on square in Hanioti, near Gold Shop. Cant remember name offhand, but we went in after not going in for years and he was very friendly and welcoming, and the pizza was excellent.

Pleased to say that Massoutis supermarkets now have mainly very friendly staff. When they first opened must say we were not very impressed. But last year and this year we have found the staff on the tills to be very friendly and helpful.

hi jane

well what can i say
i havnt been / used that patisserie shop by the lights .....is it across from the Aquarius Hotel???


also isnt the garage owned by one of julies friends ?? i think it is/was at one time.

Ok starting in FOURKA
Isis snack bar for gyros (near Hotel Australia)
Chill Out Bar across from hotel(owned by Nicos my very good friend)been known as Internet Cafe....Good News Bar..... Yamias Bar and as far as i know now the Chill Out Bar
as you go to the square on the right before the nasty bend is Stefans crepe` s and ice cream parlour.
After the bend is La Plaza Taverna bit expensive but nice friendly atmosphere this is on your right.
on your left behind the cigarette kiosk is the Bella Venetia (very highly recommend)
to the right of Venetia is a 24 hr gyros restaurant wasnt named last time i was in
but you cant miss it on the corner
of course Jimmys is no longer so no more great nites out there

next POLICHRONO
Billys Land Cheap and Great food
Oceania half way down sea front( nice waitress and her sister both exotic dancers)
theres the Down Under bar owned by Harry a Greek/ OZZY its a sort of Biker bar but the guys are great plays great music not loud but enjoyable

now the Pecs De Resistances
the cake shop near taxi rank and next to police station
believe me this place is Heaven.

next Hanioti

to many to name they are all good lol


try these places you never know you might like them
yamas
jeff

HI Jeff, the petrol station up from Cyclon used to be run by Julies husband. This one is entirely seperate.

Been to 24 hour gyros place in Fourka, yes it was very good. We went to the taverna on the corner, opposite the grass square, for pizza many times and it was good. However our friends in Kriopigi now do the best pizza about we think !

Will try some of the others, promise. Certainly the cake shop near the taxi rank!

Bye for now

Hi Jeff
I was in Fourka in June and it was still the Yiamas bar then. The Chill Out bar is on the beach, part of the Litsa complex and owned by Giannis. Hope that helps. By the way I agree about the crepe bar, got an extra dollop of ice cream to melt over the hot crepe..yummy.
Best wishes
Kim

Ps: Jane, I know the cake shop, at the top of the hill where the road junctions are. Didn't try the cakes though, as I was telling them to get an ambulance after a road accident on that junction. Ambulance came pretty quick.

hi caron

thnks for sorting the chillout bar i see i made a boo boo lol.

Nikos still calls his place yaimas bar lol makes a change to go there and he hasnt renamed it.

JANE if you read this i made yet another boo boo as the CAKE shop in Polichrono is no more its been pulled down .

ALSO Jane Billys land is now closed.

Stefans place THE GLOBE is now run by the cute Sophia she looked after my son Boyd with ices while we were there .


yamas

Jeff

jeff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>.
>
> JANE if you read this i made yet another
> boo boo as the CAKE shop in Polichrono is
> no more its been pulled down .
>
>>
> yamas
>
> Jeff

Do you mean the one next to the police station / corner, with a couple of tables outside , or the newer one that has been there just a few years on the opposite corner ??

yia sas Jeff

No problem, didn't want you to get lost (lol) crossing the road next time your in Fourka.

Just checked your photos out (again), you say Jimmy's bar is no more? Do you mean the one at the Hotel Australia, because it was there up to June, billboard advertizing 'HAPPY HOUR' !!!!!!!

yamas

Kim

DAVID

yes the one next door to police station has gone theres now a cake shop across the road but not as good as the little shop cos u cant sit outside an eat .....well you can but u would get run over LOL.


Caron / yorkshire lass/ Kim
NOW IM CONFUSED

oh well

YES i now realise i must cross the road to get to LITSA/CHILLOUT
then cross back again to go to YIAMAS thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn cross back over same road to go to JIMMYS POOL BAR @ Australia Hotel BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Jimmys Bar as WE all KNEW it aint no more its now outside by the pool and the old bar is the reception room now.

good job Bella Venetias still there and i saw Brownstones is closed for a season or two as his wife is very ill pity they did the BEST Hot Mussels in Mustard ive ever tasted.


allllllllllllllllll me dogs are now in the mountains too i do miss um