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Τ 1908: the progression of the legendary
café begins. 1908: η πορεία του
θρυλικού καφέ ξεκινά.

The chapter in the history of Thessaloniki
written by the legendary Dore takes us back
to 1907 when it first opened its doors as an
“Oriental Patisserie” on Prince Alexander
Street, now known as Alexandrou Svolou
Street. There, the grand master Ali Baba
offered his famous syrupy desserts to the
Turkish beys and pashas, to the original,
diehard Thessalonicians, known as
“bagiatides”, but also to prominent Turkish
army officers, among who Kemal Atatürk.
After the great fire that destroyed the largest
part of the city in 1917, Dore, a modern café
with a European aroma reemerged at the
exact same place, aspiring to become the
epicentre of cultural activity and creative life
of the cosmopolitan capital of the North. The
first establishment in the city that welcomed
women was decorated by the Italian architect
Vitaliano Poselli, based on the examples of
the famous Viennese coffee houses. What’s
more, all the furniture and machinery were
shipped over from Vienna by special order,
and the ensemble created an ideal meeting
point for the bourgeoisie of the time. The
founder was Alfredo Moratori, the uncle of
Takis Xefteris- the soul of Dore for many
Dore’s luxury sofas welcomed the city’s elite. DORE:THE
years - and the son of Salvator Moratori,
the man who published the first newspaper
in Thessaloniki. In the years that followed,
Aside from the glorious social events and
balls with ladies sporting strapless evening
gowns or petticoat dresses and well-dressed
gentlemen with elegant tuxedos, the legendary GOLDEN STORY
cafe was also patronised by blue bloods,
politicians, journalists, foreign delegations
of army officers and spies, as well as social
instigators who etched out the course of the

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