Cook & Dine With a Local Greek Family in Thessaloniki

Overview

Available languages

Greek

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Step inside a real Greek family home and experience Thessaloniki the way locals truly live it — in the kitchen and around the family table.

In a small, intimate group (max 9 guests), you’ll cook traditional Greek dishes from scratch, including iconic favorites such as moussaka, tzatziki, and bougiourdi, using fresh local ingredients and family recipes. No cooking experience is needed — we guide you step by step, just like cooking with family.

After cooking, we share a homemade dinner served family-style, paired with local wine, ouzo, and tsipouro. As in every Greek home, everyone tastes and enjoys the food in their own way, while stories are shared and traditions come to life. The evening ends with a fun Greek dance lesson.

We meet at Porto Palace Hotel and provide a short 10-minute transfer to our home.

Featured by BBC & CNN.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Step inside a real Greek home in Thessaloniki and join one of the country’s first authentic home cooking experiences. Together, we’ll prepare moussaka, tzatziki, bougiourdi, Greek salad, and a homemade dessert from scratch. The evening begins with a fun traditional Greek dance lesson, followed by the hands-on cooking and a full dinner accompanied by local wine, ouzo, tsipouro, and soft drinks. We proudly welcome guests from around the world, including famous chefs, and have been featured on BBC and CNN. We love sharing our home and traditions, and can accommodate lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan-just let us know in advance.This experience is ideal for couples, families, solo travelers, and anyone who wants a truly authentic and unforgettable Greek night in Thessaloniki.

Sample Menu

starter

Greek pies

Pie with feta cheese or mpougatsa with cream.

main

MOUZAKAS

Is made with potatoes, eggplants and beef.

starter

TZATZIKI

Is very traditional made with yogurt and cucumber.

starter

Bougiourdi

oven-baked feta with peppers & tomatoes)

dessert

Homemade Greek sweet (varies)

What‘s Included

Full dinner Moussaka+Greek salad + dessert+ greek ouzo + tsipouro + greek wine + Greek pie mpougatsa or cheese pie

Greek dance lesson

Private transportation

Options

Cook & Dine With a Local Greek Family in Thessaloniki

Reviews

5.00

26 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Highlight of our 2 week stay in Thessaloniki
645ninom,,Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
An absolutely wonderful experience. We were entertained in their beautiful home, met three generations of the family and were treated to a delicious dinner with many unadvertised dishes. We highly recommend this for any Travellers who want to experience true in home Greek cooking and hospitality. Nino & Shirley
Unforgettable cooking experience
Larry M,,Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had an amazing time cooking with Dora, Michael, and Daphne. They welcomed us into their home and treated us like family. We even learned how to do a traditional Greek dance! They also made sure the recipes were Gluten free to accommodate for our allergies. Highly recommended experience for anyone visiting Thessalokini. And we got the recipes!!!!
Cooking, Laughter, History and the Best Moussaka Ever
yvonnevC3908EH,,Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We booked this on just the second day of our two-week holiday, and afterwards my partner and I immediately decided this would be the absolute highlight of our trip. Dora is such a wonderfully kind woman who instantly makes you feel at home, and her partner holds the entire history of Greece in his mind, you can ask him anything, and it’s fascinating! The food was incredible (we even enjoyed the leftovers the next day just as much). The instructions were clear and fun to follow, and you truly feel like a top chef in the making :) With the music playing, laughter filling the room, glasses being raised, and even a little bit of dancing, it felt like pure joy. At one point their daughter popped in with a question about her homework, which just made it all the more authentic and heartwarming. 💛 In short: you won’t find a more genuine or authentic Greek evening than this. It felt priceless. As the cherry on top, we even received a certificate to take home, so our moussaka-making skills will continue to bring joy and gather people together. Truly an unforgettable experience, and without a doubt a must-do if you’re visiting Thessaloniki. If you’re reading this and hesitating: let this be your sign to book. We can’t recommend it highly enough, an absolute highlight of our trip! And don’t forget to send them our love when you go ;)
Authentic experience, wonderful hosts :)
Sightsee59684098056,,Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
There are some really detailed reviews here which cover everything in great detail, especially the one made by fellow member Mrsbaran - in fact, we were attending the same event at the same time as she and her wonderful family, so I just want to add our own two cents. :) The hosts are wonderful and they keep the atmosphere fun and laid-back from start to finish. We were late for a good twenty minutes since we left the local bus (the meeting point is well connected to the city center by bus) one bus stop earlier than we should have, but Michael went out of his way to pick us up half-way! I kept apologizing anxiously, to which this wonderful man would just laugh and insist that we relax. :) So - we are talking about hosts that are not merely friendly in a sterile customer-service kind of way, but they really make you feel like you've stopped by your cousins' place. The event itself is WONDERFUL - and I say that from a perspective of somebody who doesn't really like to cook (my significant other does :) ) - it's absolutely beginner-friendly because you are working tightly with seasoned cooks - Michael's mother and aunt who, along with Michael and Dora, guide you through everything from the background. :) I really don't know how three hours passed so quickly in laughter, lively talks and some really useful insights on the local culture and history by the hosts. The food itself is AMAZING, and you get to taste many kinds of cheeses, salads, pastries wines, spirits, and the host keeps offering more and more. :D The hosts really make everyone "click" with one another, so you're not just interacting with them, but with other guests as well. I think we were lucky to have a wonderful American family with whom we really enjoyed chatting along the way. All in all - this is a must for anyone wanting to have a glimpse at the authentic Greek cuisine.
Fun experience with family and friends.
Mrsbaran,,Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My siblings and I had only two full days to spend in Thessaloniki. We had never been there before. Before our travel, we searched activities to do in Greece, and stumbled upon this activity of cooking, dining and dancing with a Greek family. I was very surprised and excited about this activity. Since our family heritage is Greek, I had wanted to find some cousins in Greece, but had been unsuccessful in doing so before our travel. When I saw this activity, I thought, "Well, we can make friends with a new family, and pretend they are cousins." The family turned out to be so friendly, warm and inviting. There were other guests there, as well, which added to the dinner party vibe. Dora and Michael, their lovely daughter, and mother and aunt opened their home and taught us how to cook Greek food. We also learned about and tried Greek wine and spirits. The food was delicious! We also learned to do a simple Greek dance. Michael has a big and vibrant personality. He and Dora are excellent hosts. He really enjoys sharing anything about Greek culture and sites. They are both very engaging. They do a good job making everyone feel included and getting all of the guests to interact with each other. They have a huge map of Greece set up in their living room which Michael uses to explain about different areas. We learned a lot from them. Η Μαμά και h θεία (mom and aunt) do not speak English, but they are adorable ladies. I really enjoyed them. If you enjoy meeting new people, preparing and eating homemade food, and learning Greek culture from Greeks, then you should definitely book this activity. If we are ever in Thessaloniki, we will definitely do this again.
An Unforgettable Evening of Culture, Cuisine and Celebration
Bill S,,Jul 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was an incredible experience from start to finish. A perfect blend of history, authentic cooking, and traditional dancing. The evening went above and beyond our expectations.
Couldn’t recommend this authentic, homemade cooking class more
Matthew C,,Jun 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was one of the highlights of our honeymoon trip. Dora and Michael are amazing hosts and fantastic people. We will definitely cooks and dance with them the next time we’re in Thessaloniki!
A MUST! Better than any restaurant in town
Max K,,May 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was so fun, delicious, intimate, and cultural all in one. Their family is so kind, welcoming, and accommodating. They did a great job of making us feel like a part of their family for the evening and made all the guests feel like we were experiencing something truly special together. Everyone should go!
Excellent and highly recommended
lincolnw99,,Mar 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The highlight of our 11 day Greek trip! Dora and Michael were friendly, fun, and knowledgeable. The food was excellent and the company was better. Would recommend this for anyone!
Wonderful evening!
Sharon M,,Feb 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a fantastic time with Dora and her family. We cooked, we laughed, and we learned a lot about Thessaloniki. Wonderful moussaka and new friends in Greece! We highly recommend this experience!