In the heart of the city, right across from the White Tower, we find until today perhaps the longest existing hangout in Thessaloniki, a place of legend that carries in its name the history of a century. The reason for "Dore", the historic cafe of Thessaloniki that was set up according to the European standards of the time and gathered inside it from artistic personalities to political figures and members of royal families, which became a point of reference for people who left their mark in the last hundred years city's. Starting from today's Al. Svolos, was moved to its current location after 50 years where it remains in a modified form.
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Let's get to know his story as described by Stratos Simitzis in his book "Once upon a time in Thessaloniki":
Cafe "Dore" has been inextricably linked with Thessaloniki and its political, cultural, social, sports history. But, he has also connected his name with the history of the country. In its long journey, before its image changed, it hosted and received heads of state, prime ministers, princes, politicians, glorious generals, eminent scientists, artists, businessmen, activists and dictators who shaped modern history. For a long period, "Dore" was the most brilliant thing that the Macedonian capital had to show. It is indeed very great the glamor that this coffee shop has known. At best, one could compare it with the famous cafe "Zacharatou" in Athens, and in one respect with the well-known Demel in Vienna, "hangout" of Emperor Francis Joseph. It was at that time the meeting and reference point of important Thessalonians. The story of "Dore" is fascinating, a unique part of the history of Thessaloniki, because many important personalities are involved in it.
The beginning of the story
It was in 1908, when Alfredo Moratori, a prominent Thessalonian and patriot, founded a coffee shop at the corner of Ethnikis Amyni and Prigipos Nikolaou streets, today Alexandrou Svolos, initially under the name "Eastern Confectionery". There, the pastry chef "Ali Baba", (probably a nickname) prepared the famous syrupy sweets, which were enjoyed not only by the Turkish beys and pasades, but also by the old Thessalonians, known as "stale". With the revolution of the Young Turks in Thessaloniki, in July 1908, "Dore" hosted the young officers, among them Kemal Atatürk. Atatürk usually drank raki in special red glasses. The Greek patrons drank in blue glasses. Takis Xefteris, nephew of Alfredo Moratori, owner and manager of "Dore", until he passed away a few years ago, kept the glasses and jugs of raki in a collection of memorabilia.
Taksim Pasha – Crown Prince Constantine
Taksim Pasha, military commander of Thessaloniki, was one of the regular patrons of "Dore". On October 26, 1912, he surrendered the city to Crown Prince Constantine, who entered at the head of the victorious Greek army. On leaving, Taksim Pasha presented Moratori with a cast iron carver's stove, a real work of art, and a Persian Bukhara carpet. And these are kept in the memorabilia collection. At that time, "Dore" was visited by the heir Constantine, with his staff. There they got hot tea, pudding and cake. The samovar and the pond's bowl are also preserved.
The National Defense movement
On August 17, 1916, the National Defense Movement took place in Thessaloniki. On September 26, Eleftherios Venizelos together with Admiral P. Kountouriotis and General P. Daglis, Triandria, forms a provisional government in Thessaloniki. During this period regular patrons are the staff of Eleftherios Venizelos. Among them his son, Sofocles, and Pavlos Gyparis. Other patrons are generals Othonaios, Styl. Gonatas and Tsiroulis, of Military Justice.
The First World War
During World War I, the senior officers of the allied forces stationed in Thessaloniki frequented the "Dore". The officers of the French and British army in their impressive uniforms, especially the hussars of the cavalry, passed through the "Dore" to get a French coffee, a tea or a Viennese chocolate, as they were returning from the famous salon of Madame Anne, nearby, on Angelaki Street, where they used to "have fun".
The Great Fire of August 5, 1917
"Dore" was also a victim of the great fire of 1917, which was completely destroyed. The revolutionary government of Eleftherios Venizelos contributed decisively to the attempt to recreate it, which instructed the mayor Angelakis to provide all possible help. So a little later a new "Dore" was reborn in the same place, modern, luxurious, with new European furniture, new equipment, all specially ordered from Vienna. The Italian architect Vitaliano Pozelli was the one who designed the new "Dore", creating a unique environment. He also made the plans for the Headquarters, the 3rd Army Corps, the Villa Allatini, today Prefecture, the building of the Old Philosophical School - then University - and for other impressive neoclassical buildings. The new "Dore" also had a billiard room, of Viennese origin. Among the personalities who frequented this period are Georgios Kondylis and Theodoros Pangalos.
Offer to refugees
After the Asia Minor disaster, many refugees were housed in the churches of Saints Constantine and Helen and Saint Anthony in the Hippodrome. For a considerable period of time, until they were rehabilitated, "Dore" offered the refugees a morning drink and a hot lunch. Prince Alexander and Aspasia Manou, his great love, were special guests of "Dore" during this period. The Pangalos dictatorship brought to "Dore" the chief of staff Spyros Karapanos, his assistant Spyros Myronis, the guard Spanopoulos and other officials of the regime.
Iagoulas in "Dore"
Takis Xefteris had heard from his relatives that the notorious robber Giagoulas appeared one day at "Dore" as a customer. Immaculately dressed, he ordered his ice cream, paid his bill and left, leaving a card under the plate. As soon as the waiter Yiannis Poulios saw the card, he froze in fear and surprise. He gave the card to Alfredo Moratori who rushed to report the incident to the 3rd Police Department. The card read: "Fotis Giagoulas, king of the mountains".
Dore and Halloween
During the Halloween period, "Dore" knew big parties, with the Dance of the Editors "White Bear" and also the dance of the Philoptochos Brotherhood. All secular Thessaloniki was "present". Ladies in gowns and crinolines and gentlemen in tuxedos enjoyed the famous Sarah Bernard, Armenoville, Rainbow and more ice creams. Among them the Mayor of Thessaloniki Nikolaos Manos and Deputy Mayor Apostolos Kosmopoulos. The great global economic crisis of 1929 suspended those great events.
The "Dore" in the White Tower
In 1933 "Dore" was relocated to the area of Lefko Pyrgos. There he continued to know fame and glory. With the 1935 movement, which was suppressed by Georgios Kondylis, "Dore" hosted the protagonists of the events, such as Wing Commander Reppa, who, flying a borrowed Serbian helicopter Brike, fired at the rebels in the river Strymonas. During the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas, "Dore" became a hangout for the officials of the regime, such as the Commander-in-Chief of Macedonia-Thrace, Georgios Kyrimis, Alekos Karathodoris, the minister Eurysthea Mayakos, the leader of the youth Lebesi, the somatarch Kavarakos and others. In 1936, the old Carnivals were revived, and the majestic procession of floats passed in front of the "Dore" and ascended the National Defense Road to the Fountain.
World War II
With the declaration of war, the friends and regular patrons of "Dore" began to thin out. In April 1941, "Dore" was commandeered by the Greek Red Cross, which used half of the cafe as a workshop for the manufacture of wheelchairs. Over time, "Dore" became a hangout for many members of the National Resistance. Generals Vardoulakis, Argyropoulos, Avdelas, Tsiroulis, Chrysochou and Frontistis frequented "Dore". A little later (44-45) ELAS executives Bakirtzis, Sarafis, Vafiadis and others frequented there.
In the years that followed, "Dore" continued to host personalities from all walks of life: George Papandreou, Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Sof. Venizelos, Yiannis Tsirimokos, Petros Levantis, politician, founder of the newspaper "Hellenic North". The regular patrons include the journalist Ilias Kyrou, columnist and editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Ellinikos Vorras", Sakis Athanasiadis, senior employee of ATE.
Yannis Vellidis
Without a doubt, the most regular patron of "Dore" was the late Yiannis Vellidis, editor of the newspapers "Macedonia" and "Thessaloniki". "Dore" was his second office. There, on his permanent corner table, he also had a special telephone, he received associates, political figures, agents and friends. At "Dore", Yiannis Vellidis, received Prince Petros, as well as the American general Donovan, who played an important role in the much-lauded Polk case.
April 21, 1967
"Dore" once again becomes a political hangout, this time for the Aprilians. The famous cafe was frequented by some of the pioneers of the dictatorship: Nik. Canton, Nik. Petanis, Styl. Pattakos, Georg. Zoitakis, Dim. Tasopoulos, Mich. Hoidas.
Postcolonization
With the post-colonization and the return of Konstantinos Karamanlis, the scene changed again. Now Alekos and Grammenos Karamanlis, Melina Merkouris, Jules Dassin, Yiannis Kontoulis, Costas Marinakis, Dinos Triaridis frequent "Dore". the Sot. Kouvelas, George Tzitzikostas, Nik. Akritides, Yiannis Sfendonis, Stelios Nestor, Mich. Giannoussis, Man. Andronikos, Lachis Alexopoulos and others.
"Dore" and Festival
"Dore" actively participated in Film and Song Festivals. Since the establishment of the institution by TIF, "Dore" has been par excellence the hangout of artists as well as the focus of relevant developments. Organizers, artists, producers, directors, conductors, critics, journalists, from the fields of theater, cinema and music, almost the entire potential of the country during the duration of the festivals gave their presence at "Dore". All-night talks, arguments, arguments, Homeric fights, background, with a delicious pasta or a hot soup. Unrepeatable atmosphere. Artistic performances have no beginning and no end. Katina Paxinou, Alexis Minotis, Elli Lampeti, Aliki Vougiouklakis, Jeni Karezis, Melina Mercouris, Philopoimin Finos, James Paris, Irini Papa, Manos Hatzidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Dimitris Papamichail, Marios Ploritis, Yannis Maris, Alkis Steas. But Rita Hayworth, Sylvie Vartan and Rafaela Cara were also hosted in Doré.
"Dore" and sports
As strange as this sounds, "Dore" also has strong ties to sports. Being close to the two big wrestling stadiums, PAOK in Syntrivani and Iraklis higher up in the University, it quickly became a hangout for the agents, athletes, coaches and players of the two clubs. The agents and players of Aris frequented the "Giannakou" cafe in Agia Triada. Exceptions were Nikos Angelakis and Kostas Vikelidis who also frequented "Dore". After the matches and trainings, they visited "Dore" to enjoy the famous truffles, chocolate pastes, crappens and the famous Italian sweets pervesina. Among them Apostolos Kosmopoulos, prominent sports and social figure, repeatedly president of Herakles, Alex. Petridis, a leading social and sports figure, Vlasis Garezos, Aivazis, executives of the historical club. From PAOK, the great president Pantelis Kalpaktsoglou, Dimitris Dimitriadis (Hamit), Mikes Ventourelis, Ionas, Pangalos frequented "Dore". Apostolos Nikolaidis, Angelos Messaris, Miyakis, Tsorlinas of Panathinaikos also passed through "Dore", as did the five Andrianopoulos brothers of Olympiakos.
"Dore" today
In its more recent history, a turning point was when, in the early 90s, Takis Xefteris, in his attempt to save "Dore", proposed to Despina Mavrommatis, owner of "Zythos" in Ladadika, to continue its operation. Thus, there was a revival of the "Dore" Cafe in the form of a beer restaurant with the name "Dore Zythos", which has been operating in this form since 1995 until today, on Tsirogianni Street in the area of Lefkos Pyrgos, in the same space that for decades, Thessaloniki has known the historical haunt. The decorative elements found inside today are indeed authentic, as from the wooden bar with carved pieces to the hand-made tiles and the original “Dore” sign, they belonged to the old historic cafe, a part of whose atmosphere lives on today with this way.
Of course, Stratos Simitzis notes: "Thessaloniki over time acquired many tasteful, modern and busy coffee shops. "Dore" coffee, however, will never happen again. And this is because the people who frequented it are not reborn. Indeed, the glamour, nobility and glory experienced by "Dore" can hardly be repeated. The big, as simple as it is secret, is that "Dore" managed to "participate" in the life of Thessaloniki and the evolution of the history of this place. He was constantly in the news. And that is not easy to repeat.”
Source: parallaximag