Top dishes and restaurants in Karpathos
The proximity to Turkey, the historical Italian domination, the influences of the Greek continental cuisine combined with the abundance of both fish and sheep meat make the gastronomic scene of Karpathos a paradise cuisine lovers. Forget about the usual Greek salad, the trivial and renowned moussaka and the classic gyros, because on this island of wonders even the gastronomic experience offers unexpected surprises.
From our food tasting we summarised the advice to experience at best what this island has to offer, from the simplest tavern where the fish really tastes like sea, to the most sophisticated dishes that revisit the classics of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, to the culinary surprises of the hinterland.
1. DIMITRIOS FISHERMAN'S TAVERNA, Finiki
Mr. Dimitrios welcomes his guests eating grapes, sitting in front of a refrigerated counter on the road, where the fish caught by his son in his boat at the beginning of the morning are displayed. Cod-sized squids, groupers, parrot fishes, shrimps and giant tentacles of octopus to choose from, fresh fish that is served simply fried or grilled, without frills, to fully appreciate the freshness of the catch.
The Greek salad is a great way to start dinner waiting for the fish chosen from the kitchen, also excellent the tzatziki to accompany the bread. The service is excellent and fast and the fish arrives immediately at the table accompanied by salad and delicious baked potatoes. Portions are quite big. All you need to appreciate the dinner is to choose the fish you like and enjoy it.
Dinner ends with a glass of Mastilka, the local liqueur, and an abundant plate of grapes on the house. The tavern is very large, and offers many tables on the ventilated terrace overlooking the sea at the entrance to the small port of Finiki. Reservation is not necessary.
Average price 20€ per person. Fish dishes are quoted by weight, with the exception of octopus, which is sold at a fixed price of €18 per dish.
2. DIONYSOS FIESTA, Menetes
It is difficult to find this small restaurant in the alleys of the village of Menetes, and the GPS does not help. Park near the main church, and enter the block of flats, where you can ask for directions to some locals sitting in front of the open door of the house.
You enter a picturesque and crowded pergola terrace, where in the evening it is not very comfortable to dine because of the persistent wind; you climb the spiral iron staircase and sit in the simple and folkloristic room upstairs, built in the house of the owners. The place is spartan and at first glance can be uninviting, especially if like us, you are the only guests of the restaurant.
But just have a chat with the cook and owner of the tavern, and with his brother who serves at the table, to convince yourself that it will be worth staying and try to trust her advice on the dishes to choose from the menu written by hand. This place is in the mountains, and the cuisine is typical of the hinterland. You don't eat fish, but hearty dishes of vegetables and meat. We chose to share several dishes to try more, including a moussaka, stifado of lamb with baked vegetables, a stew of local vegetables, based on artichokes, peas and potatoes, mashed fava beans. Dinner was excellent, and ended with a peach pie offered by the cook. The brother entertained us in a picturesque conversation about his agricultural activity and at the end he offered us an envelope of figs from his garden.
You can't refuse to be taken to visit their house, a historic home where you can admire all the characteristics of the local residential architecture.
Average price per person 10€.
3. POSEIDON, Afiarti
To the south of Pigadia, almost on the coast, is the Poseidon Hotel, to which was recently annexed the namesake restaurant run by a former competitor of the Greek version of Masterchef. Don't be fooled by this anecdote, as neither microscopic and gourmet dishes, nor an elegant restaurant, nor vips sitting at the table will be waiting for you. It is in fact a pretty tavern with a view of the sea where you can dine under a blue pergola invaded by grapes, on tables set in a rather spartan way, albeit with taste.
The beauty of this place is the reinterpretation of local recipes in a modern and unprecedented way, and the signature of a passionate cook is evident. Fish dishes are available depending on the catch, and are not the highlight of the menu, although tasty and accompanied by spinach risotto and light fruit salads.
The choice of appetizers, however, is really wide, and there is no dish that has not satisfied us during the dinners (more than one) that we have made in this restaurant. In particular, squid with truffle oil and cuttlefish with basil sauce, are really not to be missed. On the second course, our preference went, however, to a delicious dish of roast lamb accompanied by colorful mashed carrots.
The biggest surprise, however, was the bill, which was lower than expected.
Average price per person 15-20€.
4. BLUE GARDEN, Olympos
Get to Olympos and choose from restaurants that try to grab their small daily dose of tourists it not that easy. The central Blue Garden restaurant, with its blue terrace overlooking the sea on one side and the main church on the other, will not disappoint.
The owner is very welcoming and will offer you a selection from his menu. This dish is very substantial and if you, like us, are there rather for a lighter lunch, you can opt for an excellent Greek salad, accompanied by a tasty olive oil, and a dish of makarounes, the typical pasta of Karpathos, seasoned with onions and cheese. Also refrain from asking for dessert, because together with the bill you will be served a thick Greek yogurt that looks like cream, accompanied by a generous dose of honey.
Whatever restaurant you choose on the island, it is essential to know that Karpathos is renowned for some specific dishes, which we recommend you not to miss:
Calamari: they are the most popular local catch, and are found of unlikely size. You can enjoy them grilled, stuffed, fried; they are delicious in all variations.
Karpazian shrimps: they are famous throughout the Dodecanese and are tiny shrimps that should be eaten with the whole and very tender carapace. They are served fried or sautéed, with a simple accompaniment of oil and lemon.
Fava: this is a puree that recalls the consistency of hummus, saffron yellow in color. It is made with legumes typical of the Aegean islands, reminiscent of chickpeas. It is a delicious accompaniment with pita or local bread.
Bread from the stone oven: it is a tradition for local restaurants to bake their own version of this bread made from wholemeal flour, with a dark appearance. The crumb is very thick and very tasty. If your chosen restaurant offers homemade bread, don't miss it.
Makarounes: This is a type of hand-drawn pasta made from water and flour. The result is small, fluffy, striped dumplings, which are boiled and then stir-fried with goat butter, and accompanied by a seasoning of onions caramelized with cinnamon and grated hard goat cheese. Genuinely Italians, we were skeptical before trying a dish of pasta outside the national borders, but we immediately became fans.
Imam: the name immediately makes it clear that this dish is of Turkish origin, and has spread throughout the Dodecanese. It is made with baked aubergines seasoned with a tomato and onion sauce. Each restaurant has its own variant of this dish.
This content is NOT SPONSORED, but based on my genuine personal experience. Spontaneous positive and negative opinions, shareable or not, that I hope will help to live better travel experiences. My advice is a guide to accompany you in your explorations, but the real journey is built by yourselves!
