Meals are usually simple at provincial restaurants and tavernas. What distinguishes them more often than their cuisine is their position or their view, as with Edessa on its plateau, the little lakeside tavernas of Kastoria, and the seaside tavernas at Kavalla. If there is such a thing, Macedonia and Thrace are the gastronomic regions of Greece. In season Lagos (hare) in walnut sauce or stewed in wine is highly recommended.
The Turkish-born moussaka (baked eggplant and minced meat) is best prepared here and unadventurous British tourists will rejoice on seeing sausage and beans on the menu. If it says kokoretsi, it's grilled on the spit. Florina's specialty is a salad of fried red peppers (ptiperies salata).
Thessaloniki is the place for baked fish with spices (psari plaki). The excellent and inexpensive red caviar (brik) comes from Porto Lago. There are three good cheeses: manouri in Western Macedonia, tzatziki in the Thessaloniki region and telemes in Thrace. Turkish pastry, like halva or kataifi (shredded flour paste and nuts) is predominant. Thracian pastry shops sell mainly the honey and nut type of glyko. Florina's apples are said to be the best in Greece, while most people go to Naoussa to drink the red wine. Another good local wine may be found in and around Arnaia.