The traditional Greek kafeneion — a coffee house serving strong Greek coffee, ouzo, and simple food — survives in its most authentic form in the Panagia district. These are old-fashioned places: wooden tables, old men playing backgammon, a television in the corner showing football or news. The coffee comes in a small copper briki pot and sits at the bottom of the cup as dense grounds.
In the evenings, the kafeneions of Panagia are among the best places in northern Greece to drink slowly and watch the neighbourhood go quiet. The castle lights up, the lanes empty of tourists, and what remains is a genuine neighbourhood at rest. Bring patience and no pressing schedule.