Folegandros Restaurants: Where to Eat in the Chora and Karavostasis

Folegandros serves most of its food in the tavernas of the Chora, with more at the harbour of Karavostasis and the village of Ano Meria. Hans found the island's cooking traditional rather than surprising, with menus much as they were 30 years ago, though Pounta Garden in the Chora adds some imagination. Ano Meria is the place for matsata, the island's home-made pasta. The verdicts below are personal, from meals Hans ate in 2011. Hire a car to explore Folegandros at your own pace, covered in our Folegandros car hire guide.

Most tables

Chora

Best rated

Kalymnios & Pounta Garden

Local dish

Matsata

Harbour dining

Karavostasis

Pounta Garden Restaurant, Chora

Pounta Garden was the one restaurant on Folegandros where Hans found a menu with real imagination, and it earns a verdict of good, 8 out of 10. The restaurant stands at the bus station in the Chora, with a few tables in front and a garden of more tables behind, set with flowers and visited by sparrows. It opens all day, so it works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Hans ate a crêpe with Greek yoghurt and honey and yoghurt with fruit salad for breakfast, and in the evening a mixed salad with rocket, carrots, sundried tomatoes and local cheese, fried zucchini balls with tzatziki, an artichoke casserole and rabbit stifado. The service was friendly and fast, and the food kept the place busy even off the main walking route.

Kalymnios Taverne, Karavostasis

Kalymnios is a cosy taverna one street up from the harbour of Karavostasis, behind the little white church, and it earns a verdict of good, 8 out of 10. A mother and daughter run it, both friendly, and the drinks arrived fast. Hans returned to eat here and ordered fresh fish, served with a delicious herbed olive oil, toast, olives and an ice cooler for the water. After dinner the taverna brought a free bowl of sweet strawberries. This is traditional Greek cooking done well, with warm service.

To Asygrito, Chora

To Asygrito is a taverna on one of the squares of the Chora, and it earns a verdict of reasonable, 7 out of 10. Hans tried the spinach pie, the matsata with chicken, lamb chops and tzatziki. The spinach pie was cold but nice, the matsata with chicken delicious, the lamb chops less tasty and the tzatziki reasonable, while the fries arrived cold. Matsata is a speciality of Folegandros and comes highly recommended here. Service faded once football came on the television, so pick an evening without a match.

Kritikos Taverna, Chora

Kritikos is a cheap taverna on one of the squares of the Chora, and it earns a verdict of reasonable, 7 out of 10. The kitchen serves traditional Greek food, with appetizers, moussaka and plenty of grilled meat and chicken. Hans tried an artichoke and potato dish, lamb chops, chicken souvlaki and tzatziki: the chicken and lamb chops were well seasoned and tasty, the tzatziki good and garlicky, though the fries again came cold. The local village rosé is simple but tastes good.

Dunavis Taverne, Chora

Dunavis sits on the main Chora square with the churches, next to Nicolas Place, and it earns a verdict of reasonable, 6.5 out of 10. The taverna serves breakfasts, omelettes, grilled meat and chicken and Greek salads, and the waiter is very friendly. Hans ordered a ham-and-cheese omelette and a bacon-and-eggs breakfast that came with home-made marmalade, butter, toast, fresh orange juice and coffee. Everything was fine except the weak coffee. Later that day the same waiter spotted Hans walking and drove him to his favourite beach.

Nicolas Place, Chora

Nicolas Place stands on the large Chora square with the churches, and it earns a verdict of 5 out of 10. The taverna offers wifi and an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu that Hans found long and confusing. He ordered bacon and eggs with a cappuccino: the eggs came half raw and cold inside, the cappuccino held too much milk, and the bill reached 18 euro in 2011, which felt expensive. Staff also cleared plates and glasses the moment they emptied, without asking whether guests had finished.

Mimis Kouzina, Ano Meria

Mimis Kouzina is a taverna at Ano Meria, and it earns a verdict of terrible, 3 out of 10, saved only by the water and the fries. Ano Meria is famous for matsata, so Hans walked an hour from the Chora to eat it, but the taverna did not serve the dish that day. The saganaki was hard as a rock, the Greek salad came without feta and the tzatziki was nothing special, while only the warm, crunchy fries were good. Walk on to the next taverna in the village instead.

Evangellis Beach Bar, Karavostasis

Evangellis Beach Bar sits on the harbour beach of Karavostasis, and it earns a verdict of 1 out of 10, best avoided if you are thirsty. Hans sat down for a drink, but the waiter kept talking with the only other customers and never took an order. After 5 minutes Hans left without ordering anything. Fortunately that freed the evening for the far better Kalymnios one street up.

Sweet Chora and breakfast spots

Two more spots in the Chora round out the island's eating. Sweet Chora is the place for cakes and desserts in the town, and it earns a verdict of reasonable, 7 out of 10. The Fata Morgana Studios serve a good breakfast in the Chora, which earns 8 out of 10, handy for guests staying there. Both keep to the Chora, where most of the island's tables sit.