Nafplio Eats
Greek cuisine is quite popular in the United States, so I was curious to see what the food would be like in Greece. We saw many familiar dishes (Greek salad, hummus, souvlaki), and we had fun trying traditional Greek dishes that were new to us.
Right near our apartment were several tavernas - casual neighborhood restaurants serving traditional Greek cuisine. They were less expensive and more relaxed than the touristy places in Old Town. Our favorite was Zournal, an inviting spot with colorful, eclectic decor and a nice view of Palamidi. We enjoyed the friendly service from Mary, and Steve couldn’t get enough of the moussaka. The free dessert - ice cream with honey or jam - was always welcome!
Just down the street, Pidalio also served Greek dishes in a slightly more upscale setting. It was the first restaurant we tried in Nafplio, and our first night by the sea in Greece. We celebrated with the whole roasted snapper. It was filleted tableside, and we felt like VIPs! It was a simple preparation, served with rice and fresh lemon. There was free dessert here, too - a no-bake cake made with chocolate and cookies called kormos.
On our last night in Nafplio, we returned to Pidalio so I could have more of that delicious, fresh fish. Steve tried a tasty local dish called giosa - boneless Argolida lamb, slow-cooked for 24 hours. It was served with trachana, a sort of pasta made with flour and fermented yogurt. The English translation was “sour-thick pebbles.”
There were two places we really liked in Old town. Mediterranean was a beautiful wine bar with a nice selection of PDO wines from nearby Nemea. Vyzantio was a popular taverna where we sat at a table outside, under a big bougainvillea tree. We tried more Greek dishes - baked feta (in filo with honey), souvlaki, and pastitsio. Yum!
I need to mention the bakeries, which offered a plethora of interesting savories and sweets. I liked the kritsinia, the delicately crunchy breadsticks that came in many different flavors - cheese, sesame seed, olive, and more. Steve’s favorite was the portokalopita, which looked like cake but was really made from shredded filo dough, soaked in orange syrup.
And we will never forget the salad at Athina Tavern on the beach in Epidaurus, made with freshly harvested fruit and vegetables from their ecofarm. It paired perfectly with that view!
I’m so glad that we have another six weeks in Greece to enjoy the food.
