End of the year, and let's get the accounts. To collect the material in mind, to weigh but also to be weighed to see where the scales are tilted. But whatever happens, we will carry the beauties and we will banish to oblivion the ugliness and the things that hurt us.
In her piece of Greek gastronomy the situation is systematically improving. A continuous increase of quality in the products, new arrivals in the restaurant, cheerful chefs, ambitious initiatives and mainly collective actions that form local identities and create gastronomic destinations.
Closing the year, I will refer to twenty taverns which this year gave us the message that Greek cuisine holds up well. Every tavern and a place. Arbitrariness is great, I wish I could choose another 100. The criteria - as always for me - are human-centered, place-centered and atmospheric-centric!
Greek lentils, simple things, to see and perceive what you eat. The food should not be a puzzle, a test of gastronomic knowledge, the atmosphere should be familiar, relaxed, in fact somewhere I chose to be uplifting, where gastronomy marries with its eternal companions… song and fun… and creates turmoil!
Twenty taverns and taverns in Greece. They do not know what awards and distinctions mean, most do not even know the term gourmet and gourmets. However, they are the backbone of Greek cuisine and represent hundreds of honest professionals who fight for survival and to preserve the delicious memories of the place.
And time!
Linda Tavern in Astypalia
Η Linda tavern It is located on a magnificent sandy beach, in a cove surrounded by wild rocks and steep hills full of phrygana, where you observe dozens of goats grazing acrobatically on the cliffs. In the middle of the beach is a tavern with a large paved courtyard and a huge vegetable garden watered by a large well, a fenced estate of hundreds of acres with 2001 sheep and goats, a traditional cheese dairy, a fishing trough, frame the scene and three advanced people o TassosThe Linda and Costas (their son) to fight from dawn to dusk with all their work, (animals, cheeses, orchards, fishing, tavern) with gods and demons, alone on the edge of the island to make ends meet, always with a smile on his face.
Cinnamon and Clove in Vitsa, Zagori
A restaurant which you should definitely visit at Zagorochoria it's the "Cinnamon and Clove»In Joke of central Zagori, opposite the gorge of Vikos. Vassilis's cuisine is based on the innumerable local varieties of mushrooms - wild and cultivated -, the continental pies, meat, but there is no lack of risotto! The menu in "Cinnamon and Clove" is not written in a list, but on a large blackboard, which for customers to see and place their order is transferred from table to table by Vassilis himself, and where with chalk colors different per category of food (first, salads, mushrooms, pasta, meat) her dishes are presented of the day.
Sea in Tinos
The Sea is the best the Tinos in the field of gastronomy. And where can one imagine that little Antonia, with studies of social worker and with apprenticeship of photography in Plato Rivelis, would become one of the best cooks in Greece!
The tavern is simple, bows to the landscape, with discreet touches of Antonia's artistic concerns. The menu (menu) of food and wines, inspired in the shape of a fish.
Her kitchen Antonia Zarpa creative, impressive, aromatic (uses her garden herbs), but with absolute respect for the form of the materials (without foams and so on), presses firmly on local products and to traditional cuisine of Tinos.
Bakatsianos in Arnaia, Halkidiki
In its famous grove Saint Paraskevi - the historic church -800 meters north of it Arnea, or visit its Halkidiki, is the restaurant Bakatsianos. Made of stone and wood, it nests in the enchanting forest of tall oaks and whatever season you find here, you will meet a nature that will shock you with its special beauty. The owner of the restaurant is Dimitris Polyzos (Bakatsianos is the family nickname) who combines his European experience and knowledge with modern gastronomic trends, with the traditional recipes of Halkidiki, but also her Of Macedonia In general, the local products created a variety of excellent appetizers, ouzo appetizers and delicacies that are accompanied by local tsipouro or some wine from its rich wine cellar.
Hermes Coffee Shop in Mytilene
At the end of Ermou street it is located Hermes Coffee Shop one of the most historic cafes Island's. THE Kyveli Spanoudaki-Laskari, a beautiful Mytilene, current owner of the store, in 1997 took over the cafe and renovated it as faithfully as she could. Today's Hermes coffee shop offers as always morning coffees, but has evolved into one excellent tavern-restaurant, for lunch but also for dinner. The appetizers of many the atmosphere of the store is unique and takes you back years, as the furniture, the decoration, the mirrors, the frames are all seasonal, and of great taste. It is no coincidence that Hermes cafe-restaurant is the first gastronomic station of those who visit Mytilene. And Kyveli compensates them with the above.
Dounias Tavern in the White Mountains
At Dragon Tiles, is located on a green slope of the White Mountains the tavern of Stelios Trilyrakis, the so-called "People". The story begins when Stelios Trilyrakis, a young man, a professional cook in Chania in 2004 decided to live in his village and deal with his parents' family tavern. Only he, using all the knowledge of his grandmother and mother, decided to create a kitchen that would have the ultimate traditional identity. First the kitchen was created with parasites, wood stoves, wood oven. There are no electrical appliances and so all cooking is done on a wood fire. Then he organized the estate. He planted his orchards and created places where free range animals live, small local cows, sheep, goats, rabbits. Ten years later The tavern of Stelios, "Dounias", is a reference point in Crete.
Elsewhere in Gialos in Syros
In the place where years ago there was on the shore in Kini a small traditional house that housed a cafe, his dreams were housed Giannis Lieas and Lina Fournistaki, who created the Elsewhere Glass. Without disturbing the humble building, beautiful roofs were formed along the beach and so between the existing tamarisk trees and the pots with mint and basil, a loving courtyard was built, two steps from the beach with unparalleled sea views.In Allou Gyalos you will find fresh fish and seafood but also cooked, of the "oven and cauldron" as he describes them, a series of pastas, and finally meats of the hour. Their cuisine from year to year moves from the traditional to the creative space, both in content and presentation, always based on fresh local ingredients.
Tastes at sea in Kotronas of Mani
As you travel to the Peloponnese from Gythio and go down to the east (it is also called prosiliki because it looks east) Mani, you meet him Kotrona, a beautiful harbor with few stone buildings. Here, on the sea, in front of a small sandy beach, in an 1870 tower, which he took in 1997 and built from scratch, the Mary Panagakou has made them Flavors at sea, its own castle of flavors. The main thing is that Maria also works in the winter when Mani is deserted. Using local ingredients offers local recipes (drawn pies, convergent, olive oil, wild greens but also fish and seafood) but other more sought after (cuttlefish ink risotto, shrimp spaghetti, pizza with convergent) stands like Akritas its price laconic gastronomy.
Marios Restaurant in Naoussa, Paros
The Marios Restaurant in its port Naoussa in Paros, is a place of pilgrimage. Do you want its privileged position in the port with the insatiable view of the moored boats, side by side within walking distance, do you want because events and happenings have happened here - above Captain Linardos, the legend of Naoussa - this place carries an incredible positive energy. I remember him Mario to play around and later a cheerful and ambitious lad to help their father, his brother, George Tsachpini, when it was opened in the center of the square sailors ouzo. The years have passed and Marios is the same restaurant! Generous in the quality of the raw materials - vegetables that he grows in his garden, cheese and meat from Naxos, sweets from his mother - he created together with chef Nikos Goumblias a menu of "Greek creative cuisine" with ethnic influences.
Nontas Fish Tavern
The traditional fish tavern Nontas It 's in the Partridge of Aegina on the sea, overlooking the island of Moni and the coast of the Peloponnese. THE veranda of "Nontas" with the wooden indigo floor, the rustic chairs with the colorful nautical cords, the white tablecloths, and the colorful ribbons hanging from the ceiling, show something special. In addition to fresh fish, special traditional recipes of Aegina are served, wonderful pies with village leaf, octopus juvette, a wide variety of appetizers, cooked, grilled and delicious pastries.
The tavern of Kostas Vassiliadis
It is not easy to find her tavern of Kostas Vassiliadis, since he does not even want to put a label. But it is the delicious surprise of the region, in Armenika, in its industrial zone Kalamata, in place Bournias. You can get there only with GPS or with no local friend, after crossing horizontally and vertically the impressive orchards of the area, full of cabbages, arabesques, cauliflowers. Lost in the pockets the tavern "Stou Kostas" reminds the classic taverns of the province, with hanging flags of the Greek Revolution, "When or on them", "In this victory" of Byzantium, but also with photos of Kazantzidis!
The world is popular, but also sought after, all kinds of people come here for their lunch (it only serves lunch). Many believe he has the best folk food of Kalamata.
The cook of Eleni Kougia Tsagri
Directly opposite the Archaeological Museum of Aegio - the building of exceptional architecture of the old town market of the city, built in 1890 by the German architect Ernest Ziller - is the tavern "The Old Market of Aegio".
For the locals it is her magic Eleni Kougia Tsagri and without question the best cuisine of Aegialia. Excellent homemade cuisine with our national cooked food. Chicken with noodles, braised veal with potatoes, pork with garlic and spices, sardines in vine leaves etc. and of course the emblematic local food, the cod with the Corinthian raisins. Exuberant portions and ingredients always of the day.
The tavern of Mrs. Pothiti in Schinoussa
At Chora of Schinoussa, is located tavern Kyra Pothiti. THE Mrs. Pothiti - a beautiful name found on Small Cyclades and in Amorgos -, after raising her five boys (Antonis, Christos, Dimitris, Angelos, Manolis) she created the first restaurant of the family, in 1992 25 years ago. In 2005 Triantaphyllia enters history Filitsa Karamanli, originally from Asia Minor, who arrived and fell in love with it. It took 5 years until this love ended with the marriage with her eldest son Mrs. Pothitis, Antonis. Husky. Smiling with beautiful eyes and a good hand in cooking, she was the one who turned the local flavors into the most creative and the result in both shops was explosive. For four years now, Filitsa - where on the island became Filio - cooks in the summer in Schinoussa dishes that you do not find easily in the Cyclades, even in gourmet restaurants!
Mezetzidiko - tsipouro restaurant "Demiris" in Volos
The mezetzidiko - tsipouro restaurant "Demiris» is located in Nea Ionia, the Asia Minor refugee district on its northwest side Volos. It is here that after the Asia Minor catastrophe the refugees were housed and thanks to the tsipouro restaurants they transferred to Volos, but also to the rest of the country, the tsipouro ritual with the endless appetizers.
In Demiris you will find her greater variety of appetizers, with all kinds of shellfish. The appetizers come with the sea bream with the classic process, one by one in order following the number of tiny bottles ordered. In the beginning the appetizers of lentils and pickles, then the seafood (glossy, pins, bubbles, mussels), then fried like kolitsians (sea anemones fried in batter), or fresh fried small fish of the day, saganakia, squids etc, appetite to have.
The Specialty Grocery in Tambouria
In Salaminas and Psaron street at Drums of Piraeus, is located - as the sign says - the "The Special Wine Shop, Ap. Papakonstantinou and Son, year of foundation 1920 ″. THE Sun-Apostolis the tavern owner is a meek, sweet-spoken householder who wins you over at first sight. THE Mrs. Voula, the wife of Mr. Apostolis, cooks in the kitchen, their son o Aristideshelps everywhere and in serving o Gregory with mastery he passes between the suffocatingly full tables to give the salads, the fava married, the meatballs, the soutzoukia, the liver - plain foie gras! -, the potatoes with egg eyes. It should be noted that the retsina of Mr. Apostolos is one of the best I have ever tried feasts of the store are made by the groups that come to eat, to have fun and with the accompaniment of live music to sing and sometimes to throw no dance.
Lampi Fish Tavern in Patmos
At Lampi beach, with the homonymous colored pebbles that refer to paintings of the expressionists of the early 20th century, in the northern part of Patmos Is located Lampi Fish Tavern. It first operated as a cafe in the late 1950s and has now become a fish tavern with a much richer menu. In addition to salads with boiled vegetables from their own vegetable garden and the relative firsts, there are crayfish and fish cooked with craftsmanship, some meat and an interesting wine list. The specialty of the store is the saganaki flame with vermouth that is personally prepared by Mrs. Kaiti (tavern owner). The concrete table on the beach for years, which for years now withstands the north winds, is one of the most beautiful arbitrarily in Greece.
Diporto in the Varvakeio Agora of Athens.
The Double door is an underground box located in Central Market of Of Athens, Socrates and Theater Square corner. Although the neoclassical building, 150 years old, as well as the tavern, has two stairs, one on each street, it is very difficult to understand what is hidden down there. At about ten tables, lined with oilcloth, difficult to sit alone to eat privately. The shop is usually a fissure and that is why you sit temporarily with some others until a table is empty. By the time it empties, however, you have already caught a conversation and it is difficult to come off. They easily become friends in Deporto. The other riveting feature is that from the time you sit down until the time it takes you Sun-Mitsos the order does not take more than thirty seconds. At most sixty more to get the first, second and whatever else you have ordered. Your choices are not many. Bean soup, chickpea, beans, broad beans, plain or married fava, cod, fried sardines, yahni potatoes, braised with spaghetti, barley juvette, salads and wine… But from flavors, one by one.
The tavern of Marina in Corfu
In the district of Spilia in Corfu, lost in the narrow cantonments of the "Ovriaki" district, is a small diamond. The Marina tavern, which, thanks to the mammoth cuisine of the owner, is adored by both locals and foreigners living or passing by. The manorial, solid and warm presence of the patron and her clean face wins you over with the first one. The service is immediate. The ingredients are all fresh - after all, every morning Marina buys the food of the season on the market alone - the flavors are pure, with a preference for light cuisine, for the most part Corfiot recipes, but the executions are one and the same.
The tavern Roza in Vourvoulos, Santorini
It is located in this humble village of Vourvoulos one of the most famous - for the "wanted" and the locals - taverns of Santorini. The Roza tavern, it does not fill your eye, the shop is small, so is its covered veranda, and its kitchen is a stalia. And yet here are hidden the treasures of Santorini. In the first place Mrs. Rosa in the kitchen and Maro's daughter at the serving They have the warmest smiles on the island and it is worth going to Vourvoulos for this reason alone. Starting with the classics of the island, such as tomato meatballs, split peas, Santorini salad with capers (dry caper), moussaka with white eggplant, we pass to the dolmadas, the garlic macaroni, the Smyrna soutzoukaki in the oven and the ladera of the day. Rosa's heavy artillery is the rabbit stew or wine, the wild boar salmon and the chewing gum with pilaf while they are also present in meat and fish. And let her gourmets forgive me Santorini!
Axiotissa in Naxos
A target of a couple of Sofia and Giannis, was in a paternal garden in Kastraki, in Naxos to create a tavern with sought-after local flavors, relationships of trust with their customers and a quality of life away from the hustle and bustle of cities. He had mediated a small trip of John to America and Canada, when at the age of twenty he gained the first important culinary experiences, working alongside passionate chefs.
First feature of their work in Axiotissa tavern, is the obsession with local materials, where utilizing their rich garden, they use for cooking mainly their own vegetables. The list of delicacies is impressively long. A homemade lemonade with honey and louiza accompanies you in the beginning until you make the necessary combinations according to your appetite, choosing what to order and what to exclude… a difficult test.
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