Evia Restaurants: Where to Eat in Karystos and Marmari

Karvoraki sits on the main coastal road through Karystos, not far from the port. We ordered simple dishes - saganaki, a Greek salad, tzatziki and fries - and a Greek family eating here raised our hopes, but the meal disappointed. The feta on the salad tasted poor, the fries were pale and soft, the saganaki was rubbery and the white wine came lukewarm. The service was not friendly, and there was no free dessert or fruit at the end, unlike most Greek tavernas. Our verdict: bad, a 4 out of 10.

O Kioykis is a cosy fish taverna in the harbour of Karystos, where we have eaten several times. The service, by Johny, is extremely friendly. We tried the saganaki, tzatziki, stuffed tomatoes and peppers, goat in lemon sauce, Greek salad, fried zucchini slices, fries and chicken fillet. Everything tasted good, the bread came fresh and the white wine cold, and afterwards they served free melon and cherries. Our verdict: good, an 8.5 out of 10.

Cava D'Oro stands in the narrow street beside the main square with the taxi rank, running from the harbour away from the sea. Many dishes are displayed in showcases inside. The food is very good and the service friendly and fast. We tried the stifado and goat in red sauce, served with large beans and okra, and left very satisfied. Our verdict: very good, a 9 out of 10.

Zygos sits on the seafront near the ferry port of Marmari. We ordered fish, cheese-filled egg rolls, beet salad and tzatziki. The service is friendly, the white wine good, and we were given a free dish of big beans with our order. Portions are large, everything tastes good, and at the end came a free dessert of yoghurt with orange preserve. Our verdict: very good, a 9 out of 10.