30 Best Restaurants in The Peloponnese, Greece

Background Illustration for Restaurants

While you can enjoy elegant and nouvelle dining in some of the finer restaurants of the Peloponnese's beauty spots, such as Nafplion and Monemvasia, one of the great pleasures of traveling in this region is enjoying a meal on a square or seaside terrace in a simple village. In fact, villages here were the source of such international favorites as avgolemono soup and lamb fricassee. There are several other local specialties to watch for: in the mountain villages near Tripoli, order stifado (beef with pearl onions), arni psito (lamb on the spit), kokoretsi (entrails on the spit), and thick, creamy yogurt. In Sparta, look for bardouniotiko (a local dish of chicken stuffed with cheese, olives, and walnuts), and, around Pylos, order fresh ocean fish (priced by the kilo). In the rest of Laconia, try loukaniko horiatiko (village sausage), and in the Mani ask for ham.

Vegetables are almost always locally grown and fresh in this region famous for its olives and olive oil as wells as figs, tomatoes, and other produce. Seafood is plentiful, though sometimes frozen—menus will usually indicate what's frozen and what's fresh (and frozen usually hails from beyond Greece). A fresh catch is usually available at seaside tavernas, and an octopus or two will usually be drying out front. Inland, many tavernas serve grilled pork from local farms, as well as chicken and roosters plucked that morning. As for wine, beyond those varelisio (from the barrel), there are great reds from the region around Nemea and a top light white from Mantinea. After dinner, try mavrodaphne, a heavy dessert wine, or dendoura, a clove liqueur, as a digestive. Dress is casual and reservations unnecessary, although you might be asked to wait for a table if you're dining with hoi polloi (the masses) at 9 pm or later.

3Sixty Grill

$$ Fodor's choice
If you tire of homespun tavernas serving up rustic menus in cobbled streets under blooming bougainvillea, 3Sixty is the rather brash grillhouse antidote. Sure, it's decoration is desperate to reassure you just how on trend it is, but after one or two excellent cocktails, you won't even mind the annoying horse photography on the walls. It also has the menu to back it up. Pata negra spareribs melt off the bone, the 150-day-aged rib-eye has flavor to beat the band, and the anthotyros-stuffed ravioli are a delight. Add to that comfortably the best wine list in the town.

Antica Gelateria di Roma

$ Fodor's choice

Traditional Italian gelato (ice cream), in many flavors and dished up in colorful old surroundings, supplies a tempting excuse for a break. Try the zuppa Inglese (trifle) flavor, with hunks of sweet frozen sponge inside.

En Chatipi

$ Fodor's choice
A ten-minute walk south of the center takes you across the river and into the suburbs, where you'll find this friendly, unselfconsciously retro neighborhood taverna. Inside, jazz music echoes the vintage ad posters for 1950s Greek cigarettes and long-gone liquors, while the menu is a treasure trove of hearty classics, from Spartan dishes like pork with olives and orange, to the lightest of moussakas. It's great value and a peaceful break from the cramped plateia terraces.
Panagioti Chrysikou 27, Sparta, 23100, Greece
27310-26677
Known For
  • Peaceful shaded terrace
  • Friendly neighborhood vibe
  • Bargain prices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.

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Kardamo

$ Fodor's choice
Greek comfort food is the order of the day here, albeit that does Kardamo a bit of a disservice. This isn't just fries and kebabs, but the tenets of classic Greek mezedes dishes given a creative boost. Take the keftedes (meatballs), sprinkled with hairlike slivers of fried potato and drenched in a sumptuously rich tomato sauce, or the traditional Maniot tsouhti, a likeably satisfying mangle of cheese, pasta, and egg resurrected for prime time. Grab a local Nema beer and revel in the comfort.
Sidirodromikou Stathmou 21, Kalamata, 24100, Greece
27210-98091
Known For
  • Hearty comfort food
  • Great people-watching spot
  • The meatballs are the best in Greece

Labyrinthos

$ Fodor's choice
Labyrinthos is an old favorite of locals and visitors alike. This stonewalled setting, tucked away off the main drag, sets the perfect pace for a whistlestop tour through some classic taverna fare, from katsikaki (goat in olive oil) to fried anchovies, and even recognizes the region's Slavic influence with a tasty pork schnitzel.
Poukevil 44, Patras, 26223, Greece
26102-26436
Known For
  • One of the oldest restaurants in the city
  • Friendly service
  • Traditional fare

Lela's Taverna

$ Fodor's choice

The late Mrs. Lela, once housekeeper for author Patrick Leigh Fermor, was famous for her simple, old-fashioned cooking using fragrant homemade olive oil and exceedingly fresh tomatoes and herbs. Her namesake taverna is an institution in these parts, and dinner beneath the trees on the seaside terrace of an oleander-covered stone house is a high point of a visit to the Mani. Chicken with rosemary, light moussaka, and fish soup are among Lela's dishes that her son Giorgos and his staff now prepare. Upstairs are simple but comfortable rooms with fine sea views looking out over the coast.

Kardamyli, 24022, Greece
27210-73541
Known For
  • Lovely seaside terrace
  • Nicely prepared traditional dishes
  • Its literary connections
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch, No credit cards

Taverna Noulis

$ Fodor's choice
Noulis sits on the very edge of the Old Town, stashed away like some treasured secret. It's a little pricier than the average taverna, but its small-plate menu is full of thrills. If chef Andrianos Andrianopoulos can't turn your dish into a flaming inferno in front of your eyes, he's not happy—order the cheese flambe and guard your eyebrows. More homely delights are found in the fried anchovies, punchy skordalia (garlic-potato dip), or the lamb shank with artichokes that arrives bathed in a citrus-heavy gravy that demands to be mopped up with bread. A welcome escape from the crowds of quayside or Staikopoulou Street.

Teloneio

$$ Fodor's choice
A stately menu taking inspiration from its Mani roots makes this breezy waterside restaurant the pick of Limeni's harbor dining. Dishes hum to the tune of the region's famed smoked pork sygklino, myzithra cheese, and a bounty of fresh seafood, from parrotfish atop wild greens plucked from the Taygettus mountains, to its impressive Greek "sushi."
Limeni Bay, Limeni, 23062, Greece
27330-52702
Known For
  • Greek sushi—think yellowfin tuna carpaccio and anchovy ceviche
  • A wealth of local produce
  • Authentic Mani food given a gastronomic kick
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Oct.–Apr.

Voltes

$ Fodor's choice
While it lacks the pretty terrace setting of the other restaurants along Monemvasia's main street, Voltes more than makes up for it with culinary wit. Imaginative takes on the staples of Greek mezedes yields traditional cheese pies raised to new heights with a dash of sweet tomato jam, or local-style stir fry kototigania spiced with ample chillies, tart mollasses, and sweet caramelized onions.
Next to the main gate of Monemvasia, Monemvasia, 23070, Greece
27320-61919
Known For
  • Exciting small plate menu
  • Great local wine
  • Atmsopheric stone cellar setting

Aegean

$

Don't let the garish signs depicting the menu put you off: the far-ranging offerings are excellent. You can eat lightly—a gyro or pizza—but do venture into some of the more serious fare, especially such local dishes as the fish that's been oven-baked with onion, garlic, green peppers, and parsley. The house's barrel wine is a nice accompaniment to any meal.

Georgiou Douma 4, Olympia, 27065, Greece
26240-22540
Known For
  • Good, traditional fare
  • Friendly atmosphere
  • Very good for vegetarians
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

Androuvista

$
This old-school café is a hit among locals, who come for the homemade karydopita (a deliciously syrupy local walnut cake). This is best washed down with a cup of traditional Greek coffee and preceded by a delicious zucchini pie.
Kardamyli, 24022, Greece
27210-73788
Known For
  • Local hangout
  • Delicious walnut cake
  • Good coffee

Arapakos

$$

Nafplion locals are demanding when it comes to seafood, so it's a credit to this attractive, nautical-themed taverna on the waterfront that locals pack in to enjoy expert dishes made from fresh catches. The kitchen sends out such traditional accompaniments as a memorable taramosalata (fish roe dip) as well as a few meat dishes, including exquisitely seasoned and grilled lamb chops.

Bouboulinas 81, Nafplion, 21100, Greece
27520-27675
Known For
  • Fresh seafood
  • Affable service in pleasant surroundings
  • Attracts locals
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. in winter

Blossom Owl Coffee Shop & Roastery

$
Greek cities live and breathe coffee, which pretty much makes Blossom Owl the lungs of Kalamata. This hugely popular café sprawls from one side of the pavement to the other, pouring cold drip coffee, pulling cappuccinos, and everything in between. Pancakes and waffles are stacked a foot high here.
Valaoritou 7, Kalamata, 24100, Greece
Known For
  • Best coffee in town
  • Ideal for brunch
  • Good people-watching spot

Diethnes

$

Locals claim this is one of Sparta's best restaurants, but then again, most head out to village tavernas for a big meal and leave this place to the tour-bus crowd. Even so, the food is reliably good. The classic specialties include a fish dish made with garlic, wine, oil, and rusks; bardouniotiko (chicken cooked with cheese and olives); and, occasionally, sheep's heads cooked on a spit. The tree-shaded garden rounds out a perfect meal.

Paleologou 105, Sparta, 23100, Greece
27310-28636
Known For
  • Shady rear garden
  • Traditional dishes
  • Handy central location
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards

Elies Hotel Restaurant

$
For a lot of travelers a perfect day in Kardamyli includes lunch beneath the olive trees in the Elies garden, which stands directly across from the beach. The setting is memorable at night, too, and at any time a meal includes tasty daily preparations of lamb, chicken, and fish, infused with herbs and prepared with local olive oil. For those who find it hard to leave, ten handsome apartments are tucked away in a cluster of stone cottages.
Kardamyli Beach, Kardamyli, 24022, Greece
27210-73140
Known For
  • Idyllic seaside garden setting
  • Nice preparations of local favorites
  • Homegrown produce
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Mar.

Kalimera

$
A cute little breakfast and brunch spot just up from Syntagma Square. Organic produce and homemade jams and cakes make this a great little find, though it's so tiny that it can only cater to a few people. Get there early—it shuts at 2 pm.

Kastro Taverna

$
The friendly welcome of owner Petros is just the appetizer for a traditional Greek taverna where much of the produce served comes from the owner's personal farm. Gaze out from the pretty terrace over olive and lemon groves to the coast below as great juicy hunks of pork and fine stews arrive with thick wedges of potato, crispy at the tips. A post-prandial wander among its serene grounds is well advised.
Kardamyli, Greece
27210-73951
Known For
  • Rustic Greek staples
  • Quiet terrace setting
  • Friendly owner
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Mar.

Marianthi

$

You'll feel as if you're dropping into someone's home at dinner here: family photos of stern, mustachioed ancestors hang on the walls along with local memorabilia, and the service, at tables on the street in good weather, is just as welcoming (perhaps too much so, as cats can be as numerous as diners). A memorable meal makes the most of local ingredients—wild mountain greens, any of the fish but especially the fresh red mullet, the addictive potato salad (you may have to order two plates), and the marinated octopus sprinkled with oregano.

Main street, Monemvasia, 23070, Greece
27320-61371
Known For
  • Character-filled surroundings
  • Excellent small plates
  • Cash only
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Sat.

Nikos's

$

"The only time this kitchen closes is if I'm sick," says Nikos Vile, who insists on cooking everything from mamboulas (a moussaka made with tomatoes) to maridakia (lightly fried whitebait) each day. You can sip an aperitif at the bar or hide out in the vine-covered courtyard.

Methoni, 24006, Greece
27230-31282
Known For
  • Good, home-style food
  • Warm hospitality
  • Great seafood

O Thiasos

$
A well-kept secret bandied around by expats and locals. This ebullient street-side café-ouzeri in the old town bustles of an evening under the shadow of the plane trees. Classic Greek dishes are given the care and delight they deserve by a pair of chefs who have never met a pork skin they didn't want to crisp to perfection, and driven by what's fresh from the market. Musicians often stop by to soundtrack the evening.
Ipapantis 3, Kalamata, 24100, Greece
27210-88407
Known For
  • The gournopoula (suckling pig) has the crunchiest crackling in town
  • An old-school vibe in a historic building
  • A fine selection of local liquors
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

Salumeria

$
A likeably bobo take on modern Greek and Italian fare. A huge bar dominates the interior, wrapped in stone and with a roof of upturned glasses, reminding you this is aperitivo country. The wine list is excellent, while the menu dishes up a steady barrage of juicy steaks and elaborate pastas that go a little further than most and make good use of local treats like the excellent smoked pork.
Pantanassis 27, 26221, Greece
26102-25930
Known For
  • Creative cooking that doesn't disappoint
  • Good selection of local wines
  • Hip setting at a good price

Takis

$

The service is legendarily churlish but the fish and seafood, priced by the kilo and served at the water's edge in Limeni, are some of the freshest in the region—and best when simply grilled, usually with mountain herbs. You may end up dining next to the boat that brought in the fresh catch, or for that matter, near a crew cleaning the fish that will soon appear on your plate (it's much more charming than it sounds). You can even spy wild turtles in the bay if you're lucky.

Limeni, 23063, Greece
27330-51327
Known For
  • Fresh fish right off the boat
  • Nice harborside perch
  • Turtles floating in the water of the bay
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards

Taverna Bacchus

$

The best restaurants in Greece are often in small villages, and this appealing family-run taverna and inn set amid fields, a favorite among Olympians, is one such example. The poolside terrace is a lovely place to spend an afternoon or evening, though locals don't start arriving until 10 pm or so for dishes that include a delicious chicken with oregano, grilled lamb, and farm-fresh vegetables that appear in such deliciously simple preparations as baked eggplant with tomatoes and feta.

Ancient Pissa (Mirika), 27065, Greece
262-402--2298
Known For
  • Nice terrace with views
  • Country setting just outside town
  • Local ingredients really shine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Dec.–Feb., Credit cards accepted

Taverna Barba Petros

$

A simple, high-ceilinged room and terrace are the settings for the traditional meals hosted here in the oldest tavern in town. The kitchen uses only market-fresh vegetables and locally raised meat, which appear in simple and delicious ways. Try the baked zucchini, potatoes, and grilled lamb ribs. Dessert—ask for the honey cake—is usually on the house.

Main Street, Areopoli, 23062, Greece
27330-51205
Known For
  • Traditional Mani dishes, including grilled meats
  • Nice summertime terrace
  • A welcome taste of the old Mani
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards

Taverna Byzantio

$

Charcoal-grilled meats are the specialty in this snug, high-ceilinged old room tucked away in the backstreets off the harbor. The cuisine strays from Greece into the neighboring Balkans, with some wonderful schnitzels, cheese-filled pork roast, and other dishes that provide a nice change from a steady diet of local fare.

Alexandrou 15, Nafplion, 21100, Greece
27520-21631
Known For
  • Grilled meats
  • Attractive room and sidewalk terrace
  • Slavic influences
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards

Taverna Klimataria

$

Many of the dishes that come to the table in this rustic room or on the flowery terrace are based on homegrown produce, so count on the freshest greens and succulent eggplant and zucchini appearing in moussaka and other traditional favorites. The stuffed grape leaves and stuffed zucchini flowers are excellent starters, and the lamb is grilled perfectly.

Methoni, 24006, Greece
27230-31544
Known For
  • Nice garden with castle views
  • Good vegetable dishes
  • Friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–Apr., No credit cards

Taverna Kostas

$

Grilled chicken is the main attraction at this psistaria (grill house) run by a hospitable Greek-Australian family, and regulars come from miles around to enjoy it. Horta (boiled wild greens), huge horiatiki (village, i.e., "Greek") salads with a nut-flavored feta cheese, and stuffed zucchini are other reasons to enjoy a meal on the large terrace in warm months or in the cozy dining room in winter.

Anapafseos 486, Diakofto, 25003, Greece
69475-24996
Known For
  • Grilled meats
  • Lively terrace dining scene
  • Friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards

Taverna Thea

$

Olympians flock out to the little village of Floka, about 5 km (3 miles) west of town, at dinnertime to enjoy traditional fare in this country setting. Dining is in a homey room or on the summertime terrace with wide views across the landscape, and the specialties are the expertly grilled meats.

Flokas, 27065, Greece
26240-23264
Known For
  • Village setting
  • Grilled meats
  • Pretty views from the terrace
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Nov.–Apr., No credit cards

Tikla Cuzina

$$
A change in ownership and a pivot away from its old wine-bar vibe to become simply a restaurant with an excellent wine list puts Tikla ahead of many of its more polished rivals along the seafront. The terrace overlooking the water is the perfect spot to indulge in feta croquettes, fresh seabass tartare, and a slew of accomplished pastas and grilled meats.
Eparchiaki Odos, Kardamyli, 24022, Greece
27210-74444
Known For
  • A sumptuous seaside setting
  • Excellent wine list
  • Charming atmosphere

To Kanoni

$

Kanoni is known for its fine breakfasts, served on a rooftop terrace that gazes down to the square's cannon and across the old battlements to sea. Choose from omelets, ham and eggs, or thick, creamy yogurt and honey, then come back at lunch or dinner for a nicely varied menu that offers some sumptuous seafood alongside old Greek standbys of moussaka, lamb kleftiko, and stamna. There's little innovation here, but the views and food are still mouthwatering.