Hamodrakas is one of the straightforward mezedopoleia that make Ladadika work — no frills, no tourist pricing, just a menu of northern Greek small plates and a clientele that ranges from dockworkers to lawyers depending on the hour. The mydia saganaki — mussels cooked in a frying pan with tomato, feta, peppers and wine — is the dish Thessaloniki claims to have invented, and this is one of the better versions: the mussels fresh from the Thermaic Gulf, the sauce sharp and generous.
Order with a basket of thick Greek bread, a carafe of bulk white wine, and whatever else catches your eye on the chalkboard. The kitchen is open continuously from noon until late, which is useful when you've missed the lunch hour. Find a table in the outdoor courtyard in summer, inside under the old stone arches in winter.