Eating and Drinking

Eating out is much cheaper than in the UK and standards are very high. The tavernas are nearly all locally owned. The emphasis is on Greek food both traditional and with a more modern slant. Both make excellent use of the wonderful array of fresh herbs and vegetables that we have.

If you can bear to leave your luxury villa rental, there is a great variety of tavernas, coffee shops and bars on Alonissos. They’re a great place to watch the world go by and catch up on local gossip.

In Greece, the names of places serving food differ according to the type of licence they hold.

Typical examples of places to eat

Ouzerie

An ouzerie is an eating place based around ouzo. The traditional way to visit an ouzerie is to order ouzo (or Tsipouro, which is a more fiery version) and meze. A meze is a plate or plates of titbits. The choice is left to the owner but an ouzerie’s reputation is built on the fact that he may never bring you the same thing twice. The better selection the better his reputation! This is a wonderful way to explore many different dishes at a fraction of taverna prices. It’s also an excellent place to visit with company because you can try a huge selection. Main meals and top-ups can also be ordered and other types of drinks are on sale.

Tavernas

Most tavernas on Alonissos still follow the traditional Greek system of ordering food. That is, you make your choice once you have seen the dish, rather than simply ordering from the menu. If you particularly want to have a starter then a main, then this is best stressed. Greeks more usually fill the table with food and select individually.

The tavernas are the focal point of social activity in the evenings. They offer traditional Greek dishes including souvlaki, spanakopita, Greek salad, Yiouvetsi, Pastitsio and Yigantes.

Psarotaverna

We are renowned as a fishing island and we have wonderful fresh fish. Price and variety depend very much on the season. We have the wonderful maritha and gavros (whitebait and anchovy), fresh young mackerel, savrithia, bream, prawns, swordfish and tuna as well as the more expensive langoustines, lobsters and applejacks.

A psarotaverna is a taverna specialising in fish. You should definitely try the fish soup. The soup is served separately and the fish is served on a platter with potatoes, celery and carrot. It is best ordered the day before to give the taverna owner notice to buy the best and freshest fish.

Zaharaplasteion

A zaharaplasteion is an after dinner bar. It serves cakes, ice creams, fruit salads, yoghurts and coffee. Greeks don’t usually have a three course meal in a taverna. Instead, they move on to a Zaharaplasteio. They’re the ideal place to relax after a meal.

Bars in Alonissos also serve soft drinks, coffees, milk shakes, ice creams and, quite often, snacks.

Souvlaki

Souvlaki bars serve what is surely the most delicious snack in the world. Forget your stereotypical image of fast food, this has to be the best and most healthy. Here you will get a skewer of freshly grilled pork or chicken, a few chips, a slice of tomato, tsatsiki and sauce wrapped in pitta bread like a cornet. You can order also order several plain skewers and a plate of salad if you prefer to eat in. Souvlaki is very cheap and very good. They make excellent snacks and wonderful fill ups for children.