Aroma Avlis

Aroma Avlis is a new restaurant in Santorini that opened its doors in 2014 Exo Gonia, but it was a success from the beginning.

The master mind behind the place is wine-maker Artemis Karamolegos and the key to its conception his kinship with the talented chef Christos Koskinas. The idea was to create a restaurant that would represent Santorinian - but not only - cuisine and to combine it with a modern, visitable winery with an exhibition area / shop where people could taste the wines. Aroma Avlis, built of black volcanic stone and furnished with comfortable island sofas, white chairs and tables, minimal décor and an unimpeded view down to the beaches of Monolithos and the island of Anafi in the distance, has become an oasis of coolness and pleasure and a gorgeous setting for a memorable lunch or dinner.

The chef's recipes are inspired by both traditional Santorini cooking - viewed with a fresh eye - and Mediterranean cooking generally. In both cases, the dishes are prepared with seasonal vegetables and fruits - white aubergines, courgettes, Santorini tomatoes, katsounia (a special kind of cucumber that grows without the need of water), melons, watermelons - and aromatic herbs from the estate.

The rich menu contains variations on local dishes, such as Spaghetti with garlic, a traditional recipe with Santorini tomato paste and garlic on thick spaghetti and sea bass fillet with Santorini fava and roasted fennel. Kavourmas (confit of pork) with fried eggs is an exceptional dish based on a traditional local version handed down by Christos Koskinas's grandmother. Made of choice pieces of pork with savory, it bears no resemblance to the rather heavy dish we associate with Northern Greece.

Other interesting recipes include pork fillets with Assyrtiko and raisins, beef fillet with Vinsanto sauce, both accompanied by Basmati rice; stewed cockerel with tomatoes and handmade pasta from Crete.

The wines at Aroma Avlis are from the wide range produced by Artemis Karamolegos's winery, which one can of course get to know before the meal in the exemplary wine tasting room, so that you can pick the label you like best.