Kastanis in Chora

Walking in its main alley Country of Amorgos which connects the City Hall and the bus stop with the Lodza square, in your left hand, you will meet the Kastani Tavern of Antonis Giannakos Kastanis.

The building that houses the tavern has a history of 500 years. It has been operating as a tavern since 1962 by Antonis's grandfather, Nikitas Kastanis, who had it until 1978, when it was taken over by his father Elias Giannakos Kastanis until 1988 and then rented until 2014 when Antonis took over.

«It was the first tavern in Chora. Before becoming a tavern, the building functioned as a farm club for several years. He gathered all the girls of the village and knitted with looms brought by the Amorgian association. In 1965, my grandfather had brought the first television and the serial "Unknown War" was playing and the whole village gathered to watch it. Some displaced politicians during the junta era ate here. (Do not forget that Bardis Vardinogiannis was also isolated in Amorgos)».

A historical event that characterizes the tavern is the escape of George Mylonas, leader of the Union of the Center, former minister and member of the illegal resistance organization "Democratic Defense" who was displaced in Amorgos and who much later wrote his memories in the book "Escape from Amorgos".

Antonis describes how his grandparents carried a wireless transmitter that night from the tavern where they received it at the house of the displaced MP, and that the same night under the eyes of the gendarme Mylonas after having dinner at the tavern went home , agreed with the radio and escaped the same night!

Antonis Giannakos Kastanis reopened the tavern in 2015 after a few years he was involved in family camping.

He learned cooking from his father who was a cook. The delicacies served in the tavern are mainly local traditional recipes, potato, goat with rosemary, pork with thyme, braised beef, rooster noodles, revitada, grilled sardines, grilled octopus with local fava beans, kalamas.

«Our tavern is based on good raw materials. Our products are local such as our meats, cheeses and fish. The grocery store is mostly from my father's grocery store. We can not miss the fava of Amorgos which is not compared to any and the handmade cheese pies and vegetable pies as they are made fried in Amorgos».

Antonis Giannakos Kastanis is a progressive Amorgian and a good professional who when he comes to fun will not hesitate to show it with his violin…