To Eat

A  look at some of my favourite places to eat in Skopelos by Martin Beckett

Skopelos is rich in eating establishments purveying the classic dishes of local cooking,but even in a simple but delicious cuisine such as Greek there is a enormous variance in style, quality and flavours to be had. Although it’s quite difficult to get a bad meal on the island I have some places I tend to go, usually for the food but also because of the location or maybe the people, so this is just my personal list of tried and tested places. Most places do fish depending on availability except for the grill and souvlaki specialists.

Skopelos Town

With a stroke of good fortune two of my favourite establishments on the paralia, or waterfront, are placed in a next to each other at the far end, below the old town and the Kastro. Both of them with a great view across the harbour towards the port area so you can watch the coming and goings of various ships, boats, catamarans, hydrofoils row boats and fishing kaiquies as you eat.

Molos

A long term favourite, Molos has been around for many years with an excellent standard of cooking. They create lots of oven baked dishes and their dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves) are great in the spring and early summer when the leaves are young and tender, and so are the stuffed cabbage leaves in egg and lemon sauce. Louloudakia, which is stuffed courgette flowers, is also a speciality of theirs,they also do non stuffed items!, and grills and fried food on request. Not a huge place so time your meal to get a table. Most tourists seem to want to eat at 8.00pm and Greeks at 9.00-10.30pm.

Klimataria

Is the closest to the town centre and is quite similar to Molos creating the same mix of  oven bahed foods,vegetable dishes, meats, fish and grills. They make the best taramasalata on the island, according to locals. Dimitri the owner is also open out of season so its a local clientel can usualy be seen mixing with the tourists in the summer.

Gorgonas

(The Mermaid) Just up the alley from the sea-front (take the street next to Armoloi pottery and craft shop) is this small and traditonal ouzeri. An ouzeri is where you can drink little bottles of ouzo (or tchipouro which is the local variant) and they give you little plates of food.Main meals are their main trade however and they specializes in small dishes for mezedes and grills. The food is homemade, good and very reasonable. There are tables outside on the steep alleyway and a garden inside which is covered in the winter. This style of establishment, the ouzeria(tchipouria), for which Volos is famous has become almost rare in recent years in tourist areas  although most tavenas will do it and so it’s great to see one.

Rothi

Ροδι is the sign to look for which is Greek for pomegranate. Keep going straight up past Gorgonas for about 200 metres and you will find this gem tucked away, but worth the walk. Levtheris has brought his mother from Thessaloniki to cook and she is one of the best cooks on the island. Great quality cooking and a nice setting. The jugged red wine is excellent too.Courtyard garden nicely done in stone with ,of course ,trees no view but a nice change from the sea front.

Anna’s

Also hidden away in the town is Anna’s which is a local institution. It has a nice terrace and a barn like interior for cooler weather. The food is more european in style but using greek standards and giving them a western edge. A good wine list which is replaced often so they can be short of stock on some things and the service is friendly. They have live Greek music in the high season.

A more sophisticated place, without views, but sometimes it’s nice to be away from the bustle of the paralia and have a bit of peace and quiet. Kolikithakia keftedes (courgette fritters with tzadziki) are great if available and salads have a more of a western touch.

Perivoli

In the town just up from Platanos Sq, this is reknown for its lovely setting in a perivoli (orchard). It’s very popular with western tourists and serves classic dishes with a slightly western touch. Grilled lamb with oregano is usually good. Also difficult to get a table in the high season.

Apolafsis

On the main road out of town this great little place suffers for its location in the midst of rent a car heaven, it doesn’t have the wow factor of facing the sea but it creates its own little haven which is only spoiled by the hormonally charged lads occasionally screaming by on their mopeds. The food is really good, straight forward Greek fare, perfectly cooked and makes up for the lack of gently bobbing fishing boats in front of your table. The usual dishes and mixtures of food, their grilled meats and fish are really good and probably the best prices to be had in town. Very nice family own and run the place and it is much used by the ex pat community. If they have fish soup on try it, it’s excellent.

Aiolli

Along the seafront to the right or SW of the main paralia is a new addition in Skopelos Village Hotel, an up-market restaurant with a view back towards Skopelos old town. It’s quite posh but not in a stiff way, they are relaxed and friendly and have a different take on traditional dishes with great flavours. Their fava for instance is pureed with sorrel to give a lovely lemony tang. A high standard of cooking, slightly more pricey but worth it. Try the horta keftedes- wild greens and herbs cooked as a patty or grandmothers meatballs!

Finikas

Opened a few years ago by owner/chef Lambros, Finikas is on the hillside looking back to Skopelos Town and its a great setting to watch the town light up as the evening gets later.. The food is generally good and Lambros often brings his Epirus (northern Greek ) roots to his cooking. Not too difficult to find and a great view.

 

Outside town

Terpsis

On the Stafylos Rd about 2 kilometres outside town, this is one of the oldest tavernas on the island starting in the 1960’s. Its speciality is stuffed chicken! The food can be quite heavy but a nice setting, one to try if you are in search of something a little different.

Agnondas

Beautiful little harbour with 3 tavernas, 2 where you can almost get your feet wet and one, Kiria Fotinis, which is on the other side of the road but has tables on the beach in the evening. The setting is great and food goes between good and very good, all worth a try. Obviously seafood is the speciality here and there are  tanks of live lobsters etc. Fish is sold by weight so ask to see them then get them to weigh what you want so you know the price, it saves a nasty shock as some fish can be quite pricey. Try the barbounia (red mullet) if you are feeling flush,(koutsoumoura look and-taste almost identical but are cheaper) or just have the wonderful gavros (whitebait) which are cheap and delicious.

There are also seasonal tavernas at Limnonari, Millia, Glysteri, Glyfoneri and Stafylos beaches.

Panormos

Similar to Agnondas but a wider, longer beach, a bigger village, and tavernas on the beach. Amazingly beautiful bay and the view across to Skiathos at sunset is so stunning that the food is secondary. Also at the north end of the beach is Limniaraki a small taverna which has a great position with good traditional food. Bring sunglasses.

Elios

Not the prettiest  on the island  nut it is a “real” place  and the new marina has brought life to this village and there are good tavernas. 5 Platanos is an excellent seafood place and Captain Manolis is worth a visit. And Vangellis taverna which is next door is always reliable. In prime position is the taverna O’Tassos which is excelent too.You may get lost here but not for long.

Glossa

Agnanti

Must be a contender for best on the island. Its position is amazing with spectacular views from its lofty perch in Glossa town and the food is great, another take on the Greek standards but lovely tastes and flavours.The place is also stylish in a modern rustic way and although prices are high for Skopelos, it’s well worth it. Try the pork with plums and the aubergine rolled around soft cheese.
www.agnanti-rest.gr

To Stekki tou Masteras

Next to the church as you drive into the outskirts of Glossa is this simple little cafe with no pretentions at all. Its name means “the place where the master builders hang out” so it isn’t aiming at haute cuisine. It does however have a great view and it does good food specialising in meat from the souvla (charcoal rotiserie). Georgeos the owner /chef also has a small farm(as well as being in charge of the water supply for the village) and so often we are treated to his own lamb/goat/pork on the grill

Louki Souvlaki

Up the path into Glossa just before you get to Agnanti is Louki  a souvlaki cafe . Excellent quality food at very reasonable prices, gyros ,grills and salads run by a very nice young couple Illias and Iota. Known as Franks because of Illias’s uncanny likeness to the footballer Frank Lampard!Great place to see village life pass by. They also do take away and deliver!

Also in Glossa there is Cafe Bar Astarti (above the electrical shop just as the village starts from the main road) and Cafe /Restraunt Maistrali on the road up to Agnanti. I haven’t tried them yet. Also the cafe-neon up in the main square does snacks in the summer.

Loutraki

This is the port for Glossa and the north of the island and is a sleepy kind of place which wakes up when a boat lands . There are 4 1/2 tavernas (and 3 cafes and a souvlaki cafe). Flisvos and Armyrall are around the corner to the north of the village and have a great position. Akrotiri is in pole position in front of the dock  and has new owners but on the other side is Orea Ellas (beautiful Greece) which would be my pick.Very nice people and a good standard of traditional food.Also if you continue walking to the south along the sea front there is a little cafe called Hara (Happy) which doesnt look like much but is run out of a ladies own kitchen and she actually does lovely food. right next to the water.