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Traditionally, Corfiots tend to eat their main meal at midday, with simpler food in the evening. Though meat is eaten much more frequently these days, meals at home feature casseroles bulked out with lots of vegetables, such as the winter favorite fassoulada, a thick bean soup. Unless they cater to the local lunchtime trade, tavernas tend not to serve these home-style dishes, but prefer generic Greek dishes like moussaka and stifado (beef or rabbit cooked in a spicy sauce with small onions), plus the great Sunday-lunch and holiday dishes of the island, pastitsada (beef or rooster in a spicy tomato sauce served with pasta) and sofrito (beef casserole with garlic and parsley), or the third great dish of Corfiot cooking, bourdetto (fish cooked in paprika, sometimes curry-hot). In the island's resorts, tavernas will also offer grills (such as pork chops and steaks), plus omelets and (invariably frozen) pizzas. Your main courses should be preceded by a variety of dips and small salads, and perhaps some keftedes (meatballs), which you all share.
Corfiot restaurants usually take the form of psistaria, or grillrooms, where all the meat is cooked on charcoal. Most of these places also run a takeaway service, so you'll eat in the company of neighborhood families waiting in line for souvlaki, whole spit-roasted chicken, or lamb chops. The most economical choice here is pita: a wrap enclosing meat, french fries, salad, tzatziki, and sauce. Desserts are not a strong suit on Corfu, although many love karidopitta—walnut cake drenched in syrup. Locals head to a zacharoplasteio (patisserie) for a creamy cake, some baklava or galaktoboureko (custard pie). In summer, the last port of call is the gelatopoleio (ice-cream parlor). Corfu produces wines mainly from Skopelitiko and Kakotrigis grapes, all drinkable and many excellent. Most tavernas have their own house wine, served in carafes or jugs, and usually this is a good choice. Bottled water can be bought everywhere—Corfu's salty tap water is not one of its pleasures. Kali oreksi! (Bon appetit!)
Both local and international dishes are on the menu at this long-established and casually elegant restaurant on the Liston arcade. Start with a plate of steamed mussels or a salad, then move on to hearty Greek and Corfiot classics. Spicy bourdetto (fish stewed with hot red pepper) and braised lamb shanks in red wine are usually on the menu. Drinks and sweets are served from midnight to 2 am.
Everyone—not just sailors—will appreciate the spectacular location of this classy restaurant, tucked under the northern wall of the Venetian-era Old Fortress beside the yacht club harbor. The food is Greek but offers twists on traditional concepts, such as a cheese pie topped with honey, in a dish straight out of ancient times. Dishes from all over Greece include Santorini-style fava dip and a salad featuring local nouboulo ham (made from pork loin in a style similar to prosciutto) and the Greek version of ricotta.
The scene is as delicious as the food in this wonderfully romantic restaurant arranged around a 17th-century well on the most beautiful little square in the Old Town. Expect creative Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, with a menu that changes regularly according to the availability of the always fresh ingredients. You will encounter unusual pastas, imaginative salads, and standout dishes such as a tart with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and goat cheese; and slow-cooked veal cheeks with ginger, lemongrass, and honey. Accompany your meal with one of the single-estate Greek wines, or choose one of the selected global vintages. Kremasti Square is difficult to find, so be sure to get very specific directions from your hotel, or once in the Old Town ask directions from a local. Reservations are essential.
Recently established and already in receipt of awards, this sophisticated eatery is located on the roof of the prestigious Cavalieri Hotel, overlooking the historic center and the sea. The menu is bijou but eclectic, incorporating international classics as well as select Greek dishes; it ranges from imaginative pastas, through seafood like swordfish with grilled vegetables, to USA Black Angus steaks, among other dishes.
Blessed with a wonderful location by a wave-lapped jetty in the little waterfront Faliraki area north of the Old Fortress, En Plo offers everything from snacks and pizzas to a full meal. Enjoy mezedes, a big variety of salads, and interesting pastas.
Choose from whatever fish is fresh that day—it could be sea bream, mullet, sole, squid, or snapper—or choose a steak or chicken fillet. Sit on the waterfront terrace and watch the boats heading in and out of the marina. It's a bit difficult to find; pass the Kontokali Bay Hotel, then go left at every junction, keeping your eyes open for the signs for "Roula."
One of the island's longest-established and most famous fish restaurants, Gerekos pulls its catch daily from the family's own boats. The choice varies each day according to the season, but the friendly staff will show you what's available and guide your choice. For a light meze, opt for marinated anchovies and delicious clams, accompanied by a salad and a crisp white wine. Other local fish dishes to try are Christo's famous fish soup, bianco (fish stewed with oil, lemon and garlic), and lobster pastitsada. The location in the centre of a village where local residents live alongside tourists, makes for a fun, if sometimes noisy, experience.
Just steps from the quayside of Benitses harbor, where fishermen land their daily catch, Klimataria is naturally the village favorite for seafood. Diners may kick off with marinated anchovy fillets and white taramosalata, continue with fried squid, sardines, or prawns, or choose a fish cooked in a casserole, like spicy local speciality bourdeto. With the classic Corfiot pastitsada on the menu, meat eaters will not be disappointed, and vegetables include dishes made with courgettes, aubergines, and seasonal greens, as well as various imaginative salads.
To describe a restaurant's cuisine as "international" can imply that it is bland, but no one would ever say that about La Cucina. Renowned for its Italian cooking—and particularly handmade pasta—the menu also incorporates Thai curries, a raw fish bar, quirky takes on Corfiot staples, and even nods to British cuisine. Naturally, the establishment maintains its Italian roots in the classics of the country, like carpaccio and Florentine T-bone steak, while some dishes are more contemporary, such as linguine with goat cheese, cream, mushrooms, ham, zucchini, and saffron. Tuna fillet—an Italian favorite—comes with avocado, soy sauce, and lime, a hint of Asia that segues into full-fledged Thai with the curries. Pasta and pizza are made in-house in a glass-walled kitchen. On warm evenings, outdoor tables beckon, and the wide alleyways of the location are a delicious spot for people-watching. While waiting for a table, the Oenus Bar opposite, under the same ownership, is the place to sit and enjoy a drink accompanied by mood music.
This wine bar–bistro is as famous for its food as for a very extensive wine list and a magnificent outlook across the Old Port to the massive walls of the New Fortress. Using pure ingredients from small producers all over Greece, the menu takes traditional Mediterranean dishes and moves them into trendsetting territory. Octopus tempura, marinated anchovies, and salmon carpaccio make meze-inspired starters, and you might follow with a herb-encrusted rack of lamb or basil butter–dressed salmon fillet accompanied by briam, the local ratatouille.
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