6 Best Restaurants in The Peloponnese, Greece

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.

Dimitra

$$ Fodor's Choice

Finer dining in Olympia town is reserved for a handful of eateries clustered near the entrance to the archeological site. Dimitra is arguably its most accomplished, with a pretty terrace surrounded by trees and a blend of Italian and Greek fare to savor. Dishes range from pork belly and various pastas to grilled mastelo cheese, and a decent wine list makes this one of the slicker spots in town. Service is slow though.

Teloneio

$$ Fodor's Choice

A stately menu taking inspiration from its Mani roots makes this breezy waterside restaurant the pick of Limeni's harborside 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."

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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.

Tikla Cuzina

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 sea bass tartare, and a slew of accomplished pastas and grilled meats.

Wild Duck

The setting for Wild Duck's terrace, among the cluster of eateries that line up across from the quayside, affords views out over the water—and the food is every bit as delectable. The menu eschews the typical taverna favorites for Italian and Greek-style bistro fare: pork fillets in demi-glaze sauces and crayfish kritharoto (a local take on risotto using orzo) join plenty of pastas and steaks that have been given a local twist.

The Peloponnese

The Peloponnese

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