Maraskino

Taverna Ai Giorgis

Ai Giorgis Taverna is the most organised seafood option outside the city. It sits right on the shore of Makri, at Agios Georgios, exactly where the olive grove ends and the waves begin. It has been running since May 2002 and has become a go-to spot for Sunday lunch. This isn't your neighbourhood taverna. It's a destination: taverna and beach bar in one, with a large courtyard, tables on the sand, and an organised beach with sunbeds, umbrellas, showers and table service. What makes it stand out Location: You're right on the sea, not just overlooking it. Samothraki lies ahead of you, the olive groves of Makri behind. The sunset from here is one of the best in the Municipality. Menu: A modern fish taverna, not a classic one. It has the essentials - fish soup, bouillabaisse, fried and grilled fish - but also raw and cured dishes: carpaccio of the day's catch, lightly smoked octopus carpaccio, ceviche with coconut milk and ginger, wasabi tartare, Fine de Claire oysters, and smoked/cured items like lakerda, fish pastourma and smoked eel. Thracian identity: It works with local cheeses - Samothraki graviera, soft Komotini cheese, Thracian feta - and closes with Samothraki haslamas. For non-fish eaters too: There's a full land-based menu with chicken, pork tomahawk, burgers, dry-aged ribeye and tomahawk, seafood risotto and pasta, and a kids' menu. What to order Start with fish soup or bouillabaisse and something raw on the side. Continue with the catch of the day - ask what the boat brought in - or with the "Gifts of Poseidon", such as anchovy, marinated sardine, grilled scallops, shrimp sausage and octopus with fava. Finish with haslamas or kiunefes. Beach Bar Before or after your meal, you can stay for a swim. Agios Georgios beach is organised with sunbeds and a bar serving coffee, juices, beer and cocktails. Table service is also available on the beach. Practical info Agios Georgios beach, Makri 68100 — 16.15km by road from the centre of Alexandroupoli, about 20 minutes by car. Tel: 25510 71777, aigiorgis.com. Open daily 12:00-01:00, reservations recommended. Large free parking.