Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in Kefalonia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Fiskardo's harbor is lined with restaurant terraces, but Irida's is the pick of the bunch. Reliably good seafood is the difference-maker, with comforting staples such as shrimp saganaki (in a spicy tomato sauce laced with cheese) supplemented by the odd culinary gem like the sole in champagne sauce. It also runs a rather nice boutique shop around the corner, filled with jewelry, hats, and pretty knitted bags.
As is the case with much of Kefalonia, many of its dining gems are found outside of the larger towns. Il Borgo lies in the lee of Agios Georgios Castle, 15 minutes' drive south of Argostoli, and makes for a dramatic pit stop. Its vine-shaded terrace has easily the best dining views on the island and the food isn't far behind, with homespun pastitsada (one-pot pasta) and lip-smacking youvetsi (slow-cooked lamb leg and orzo) soothing both belly and soul.
Yogurt-thick smoothies and scrumptious homemade cakes make this the perfect spot for a sugar kick. Gaze out over the yachts in the harbor and indulge your sweet tooth—the syrup-drenched baklava here is the size of a doorstop and every bit as satisfying as it looks.
This delightful mother-and-daughter-run café-restaurant lies a couple of miles outside Fiskardo, on the road to Assos and Myrtos. It makes for a great breakfast and brunch spot, and even wraps up picnic lunches for those wanting to drop by and pick up a meal for the beach. Well worth passing by.
This venerable taverna stands apart from the needy café-bars that ring the waterside of Assos village. It's a solid old-stager with a menu of classic Greek mezedes, grills, seafood, souvlakis, and a far larger than usual range of vegetarian dishes. The more rural dishes, such as the goat stifado or rabbit lagoto stews, are particularly rewarding.
Perched on the cusp of Megas Lakkos Beach, with a garden terrace running to the shore, you couldn't get much closer to the water. The seafood is excellent, though demand often curtails the menu, so it pays to get there early. The monkfish tail wrapped in guanciale (Italian cured meat) is a particular delight.
A stone-walled interior sets the scene for this family-run slice of traditional taverna hospitality. The friendly owner is always happy to offer suggestions, though the Kefalonian kreatopita (three-meat pie), the island's famous "national dish," is well worth sinking your teeth into.
