White-tiled tables, stucco walls and hanging plants from the ceiling is what I take note as I enter the scandi-inspired interiors of Osten. It resembles a safe haven up in the mountain peaks somewhere in the Nordics and not on the perimeter of Thessaloniki. As we proceed to our table, I also notice a couple of families given that the place is very family friendly. Regardless, it still is one of the best brunch places in town (even if a few kilometers outside of it) with a very solid menu.
We order our coffee that comes in high-quality hand-crafted ceramics and browse over a rich menu with lots to choose from! Eventually, we give in to the shakshuka baked in the wood-fired oven and complement that with something sweet – a sourdough cronut that comes with strawberry chunks, hot caramelised chocolate sauce and some almonds!
Other options definitely catch our eye, as Osten indexes high on the healthy eating side of breakfast. Think cacao porridge, fruit energy bowl and a delicious acai bowl with oatmeal milk, acai berries and chia seeds.
As the place gets busier after 11:30 or so, we take note of the waiters arranging a big table left to the open kitchen and the big marbled-countertop. They meticulously pay attention to small details, aligning cutlery, glasses and placemats to the maximum – an odd little detail of service that is definitely rare in Greece (not to mention Thessaloniki). But that’s probably no surprise given also the effort the team has put in the design of the interiors or other little details such as embossing their brand assets on the placemats.
Rumor has it their burgers on the dinner menu are also delicious and come with a few cocktails equally nicely prepared. We’ll be back!
