In this text, we have singled out some of the most beautiful restaurants and the ones with the best food in Sithonia. For each, you will find a short description of the location, details of what we tried, as well as the average prices you can expect. When it comes to prices, keep in mind that we mostly only had water to drink, only sometimes a glass of wine. Enjoy and enjoy!
1. Paul’s Tavern (Parthenonas)
Arriving in the authentic Greek village of Parthenonas will take you back in time. The village is small but beautiful. You can park your car in the square (where you will see an olive tree about 1,000 years old), and then walk up and down the cobbled streets. You can also reach the restaurant by car, but for me, a ten-minute walk through the village is so relaxing and nice.
A table in the famous Paul’s Tavern should be reserved days in advance (make sure you ask for a table in the lower garden by the cliff), and it is best to arrive around 7 pm, have dinner and wait for the most beautiful spectacular sunset (around 9 pm) when the colors of the sky overflow like tempera on a painting palette. Dinner here is worth it because of the unique atmosphere and scenery. In this tavern, you will enjoy great food, wine, and a fascinating view of Toroneos bay and the turtle-shaped island of Kelyfos.
What to Eat?
My recommendation goes for lamb chops, which are prepared perfectly in most Greek villages. They are grilled with a lot of spices so that they are crispy and aromatic and they are served with French fries. Pork ribs are also excellent. You can order a Greek salad with the meat, and for dessert, the famous Greek sweet – Greek yogurt with honey. Dinner for two adults and a child costs around € 40.
2. Tavern “Zorbas” (Kalamitsi)
One of the best taverns in this part of Greece is located in the town of Kalamitsi. It is a typical Greek tavern called “Zorbas”. You will recognize it by the colorful tablecloths, chairs in various colors, and tables along the shore, as well as on the beach. It is great for families with children because you can let the children play in the sand, right next to your table. The tables in the sand are in the shade even when the sun is the strongest. The ambiance is very pleasant, and you always have a view of the turquoise sea, colorful chairs, tablecloths, and lamps, and it all creates that unique spirit of a traditional Greek tavern.
What to Eat?
As soon as you sit down you get a bottle of water to freshen up (free). We ordered a Greek salad, which is served here with the addition of sour peppers and lettuce. The portion is huge and enough for two people. They kindly brought toasted bread rolls with them. As the main course, we ordered two portions of souvlaki. They make it from pork, and serve it with french fries, tzatziki, and a lot of salad. There are two skewers in the portion and it is really big. Everything we tried was of exceptional taste. Lunch for two adults and a child cost € 26. This tavern is not crowded, and before eating, a disposable paper tablecloth is placed on your table (which is great in the time of the pandemic), as well as in all the taverns we had the opportunity to visit.
3. Tavern “Tzitzikas” (Porto Koufo)
It is known among the locals that the best fish restaurants are located in the small fishing port of Porto Koufo. Tavern “Tzitzikas” is located right next to the harbor. The owners are two brothers, and the business was started by their great-grandfather. It has a fantastic view of the sea and boats, which creates that real coastal feeling. The garden of the tavern is full of wonderful flowers. It’s beautiful! Although it was not crowded, around lunchtime the tavern started to fill up. If you get up early, you can take a table with the best view, the first row to the coast. If you come by car, you can park for free close to the tavern, next to the harbor.
I was delighted with the hygiene (new linen tablecloth for each guest) as well as the kindness. Food is a special story. Although it is not cheap at all, here you must try some of the freshly caught fish, which are on the menu that day. All the fish is put on the ice, and when you want to order, they will take you to see for yourself and choose the one you want them to prepare for you.
What we Tried
Let’s start with the fish, which was delicious! It melts in your mouth, like butter. It was served about 20 minutes after we ordered. We ate “mousmouli” fish, which is considered one of the highest quality sea fish, and they told me that it is good for children as well. They clean the bones before serving, but watch out for small ones, especially if you give them to children. Along with the fish, we ordered a Greek salad, very unusual baked potato slices with cheese, olive oil, and spices, as well as fried sesame feta with honey. The latter is such a good combination of flavors, that it’s fantastic! As is the custom in Greece, after a rich lunch, you get a plate of Greek cookies at the expense of the house. Before the cookies, they brought hot towels to clean our hands of fish. The service is top-notch, the food is even better, and the price of this lunch for two adults and a baby was around € 50.
4. Tavern “Children’s School” (Sarti)
If you visit Sarti, be sure to stop by the ouzeria, which completely delighted us! In ouzerias in Greece, you can drink ouzo ( amazing Greek brandy) and eat well, mostly traditional food. On the map, you will find it as “Old School Kindergarten. If you walk the streets of Sarti, not far from the church, you will not be able to miss an old house, decorated in typical Greek coastal style, surrounded by flowers, with tables in front, right there on the street. You will also notice that there is a huge crowd in the evening. It may take you more than one try to get to the table here. But, it is definitely worth the effort. The service is top-notch, the food delicious, the serving in colorful plates, and the experience unique.
Here we tried an old Greek cooked dish – stifado. It is beef that is cooked with spices and whole onions (this is how it is served too). It is cooked in a sealed earthenware dish for hours. They prepare it for all celebrations and important family gatherings. You have to try this dish because it is perfect!
We also tried the chicken in curry and mustard sauce, which was also great. They have a children’s menu too. We took chicken croquettes with fries. As has always been the custom in Greece, after lunch you will be treated to some sweets. They brought us a cake with biscuits and cream, and the little one got a little ice cream. Although it is a well-known place in Sarti, the price was not particularly high compared to other restaurants. The dinner we described to you cost € 34.
5. Luxury Tavern “Aristos” (Ormos Panagias)
You will find it in a small fishing port, called Ormos Panagias. Everything you see there is in the spirit of fishing, which is the main source of money and livelihood. Fish markets, anglers who go in boats early in the morning for fresh catch for the day, taverns that serve top-quality fish caught that day, which “smiles” at you from the refrigerators of local taverns.
If the road takes you to this place, don’t miss lunch at the “Aristos” tavern (you will see that there are always a lot of people, while the surrounding taverns are almost empty), and have some fresh fish. The ambiance is elegant and very Mediterranean-like. Part of the restaurant is on the sand, it has a beautiful view of the harbor, and flocks of seagulls are constantly flying over here. The service is perfect and it all makes you feel very comfortable.
We tried the “mousmouli” fish, which they say is high-quality fish. It is caught at depths of 280-400m and has huge eyes. You will easily recognize it when they offer you a selection of fresh fish caught that day. When the fish is ready, it is cleaned in front of you and that is a special performance. Along with the fish, we ate Greek salad, bujurdi (feta baked with paprika, tomato, and cheese), french fries. After lunch, we received a delicious chocolate cake with ice cream as a gift. As this is a truly exclusive place, so are the prices. Lunch for two adults and a child cost around € 70 but it was so worth it! Don’t regret it!
6. Tavern “5 Steps in the Sand” (Sykia)
If this name does not remind you of Sithonia, then you have not been to one of the most beautiful taverns in Sithonia, called “5 steps in the sand”. The tavern is located near the beach of Sykia, in a cove, with a beautiful view of the harbor and the sea. Nobody is sure whether it is more romantic during the day, in the evening, or at sunset when pink shades spill over the sea.
Coming to the tavern is a special experience. Through the entrance high above the sea, you walk down a path next to flowers and other Mediterranean plants, all the way to several terraces where you can dine. One of them is located just along the coast. The service is great, everybody is very kind, and they make a special effort for the children. By the way, I haven’t been to any tavern that had any content for children, so you can have a problem entertaining them, if the tavern is not on the beach, in which case you can let them play in the sand.
Now, the Food
We tried sea bass “lavraki” in Greek), which was very tasty. Of course, we also ordered a Greek salad, which was served here with boiled eggs. The fried zucchini was very nice, but we didn’t like the feta saganaki. After dinner, we got a few cakes at the expense of the house. The prices are similar to other places, so the dinner for two adults and a child cost us around € 30. Keep in mind that we ordered fish, which is never cheap in taverns.
7. Tavern “Panorama” (Kalamitsi)
If it is too warm for you at the beach and you need freshness, visit the tavern “Panorama”, which is located above the beach Kalamitsi and has an amazing view of it.
The ambiance of the restaurant, decorated with elements reminding you of ancient Greece, is very pleasant. Everything is in flowers. There are two parts to the restaurant. We had lunch in the shade, while the wind was blowing, so we didn’t even feel the intense heat that day. In front of the restaurant is a souvenir shop, and next to it a small chapel, all in oleanders. About 50m from the tavern there is a path from which you can observe an amazing panorama.
We tried chicken gyros and Greek salad. The portions are large and delicious. After lunch, we ordered Greek yogurt with honey, a delicious Greek specialty. However, we did not like it here. The taste was good, but the honey was a bit “sugary”. After lunch, we got a slice of watermelon, which was a complete hit. Although the view is breathtaking, the prices are not drastically higher than in other places. The lunch we had, for two adults and a child, cost us € 20.
Author: boyanayow
