Greece: Athens & the Peloponnese Guidebook
Best and worst restaurants:
Best: Taverna O Thespis
Why: Great restaurant in Athens above the hustle and bustle of the Plaka. Wonderful Greek food (Rick is right -- try the bekri meze), great service, fantastic setting and very reasonable. Ask to be seated in the garden patio -- we happened to be there on a full moon night and had a wonderful view of the full moon over the city on our left and a great view of the lit up Acropolis on our right.
Don & Conni in Albuquerque, NM USA 11/08/2011
Best: The city buses.
Why: We were here longer than Rick recommends, 2 weeks, and we had great experiences in all the villages we went to including Perissa, Kamari, Pirgos, Akrotiri, and Oia(4 times!)
Robert Teagardin in Vashon, WA USA 10/28/2011
Best: Lelas in Kardamyli
Why: Beautiful setting, nice waitress, great food.
Jan Grantham in Redding, CA USA 07/26/2011
Best: page 174 – Sholarhio Ouzeri Kouklis:
Why: still has lots of locals, friendly owners that give you non-smoking seating options, delicious options, Meal deals start at 14EU, and 3-6EU/plate.
Worst: Taverna Vakchos pg 222
Why: excellent views and great Baklava, but the spinach & cheese pies, heavy & slightly greasy, & the Greek Salad, bland and too oily, were very disappointing.
Kip Freytag in Shingle Springs, CA USA 06/06/2011
Best: We liked the gyro shops as much as anything.
Why: Very good and inexpensive.
Dave Kendle in Lincoln, NE USA 04/14/2011
Best: Sholarhio Ouzeri Kouklis, Xenios Zeus and Thanasis
Why: Fabulous food, great ambiance and a true taste of Greek food and culture. The Ouzeri was our first meal on our honeymoon and we were really anxious about not knowing anything. So we followed your advice from the book and just picked off the tray. We picked whatever looked good or interesting and enjoyed every bite! It was fun to see the families and older men just eating and enjoying each other. Then Zeus was our last night and we were aiming for a bit more romantic. This place paid off. The Greek salad was fabulous, as was everything else we ate. There was no rush, just simple pleasures of great food, good weather, and great company. Finally, Thanasis for lunch. I have tried to recreate that souvlaki so many times since our return and it's just not gonna happen. I have resorted to trying to find fabulous Greek restaurants in the Chicagoland area. Thank God it's Chicagoland! Just an aside, but Thanasis was also recommended to me by a friend who is Greek and returns to visit family. She doesn't much care for beef but in this case recommends it! It was a double winner. Thank you!
Shannon Fonferko in Schaumburg, IL USA 03/20/2011
Best: Aegean Taverna on Georgiou Douma Street in Olympia (across the street from your recommended Taverna Melathron
Why: We ate at both Melathron and Aegean, and the Aegean won hands down. Very imaginative menu and the food was excellent. Melathron was average in all respects.
William T. Smith in Scottsdale, AZ USA 10/12/2010
Best: Xenios Zeus at the top of the restaurant"steps", also Thanasis in Souvlaki row
Why: We ate at Zeus twice, one lunchtime, one dinnertime and it was excellent. Especially the lamb wrapped in country vine leaves and the roasted red peppers in yogurt. Thanasis full or half plate lamb kebab and pita was superb.
Worst: Gargadouas in Delphi
Why: almost inedible pork souvlaki. Pretty bad
Ellie Stratton in Devault, PA USA 09/30/2010
Worst: God's Restaurant
Why: Over-priced, low quality, and not-so-friendly service.
Caroline Young in Vancouver, BC Canada 11/19/2009
Best: To Kafeneio in Plaka
Why: Very traditional and cozy atmosphere, and the food was delicious!! We discovered that locals bring their out-of-town guests there well after 9 pm or so. The place was empty when we walked in at 9 pm, but soon the place was packed! Great food, great drink. Highly recommended! Thank you Steve!
Worst: Sholarhio Ouzeri Kouklis in Plaka
Why: The place only displays EXACT menu in Greek; ONLY the meal deal discription was printed in different langueges in small color-coded papers. The waiter brought a huge tray with all the dishes on it, but VERY LIMITED dishes available. The quality of food was nothing but mediocre. The place wants you to sit but doesn't want to tell you the individual dish choices. Once you sit, you are trapped! We saw a group of ladies who are very religiously sensitive about their meat choices; they were very poorly treated and walked out. In contrast, we really enjoyed dining at TO KAFENEIO across the street the night before...what a difference in service and taste!
Miyuki and James in Los Angeles, CA USA 11/18/2009
Best: Mezedopoleio O Noulis (Nafplio):Taverna Dionysos (Olympia)
Why: The saganaki flambe was just incredible: The best souvlaki I had anywhere in greece. The chicken was hot, tender and moist and very flavorful.
Worst: Taverna Gargadouas (Delphi)
Why: Lackluster service, bad house wine, poorly reheated moussaka
Davy Davis in Denver, CO USA 10/28/2009
Best: To Patriko Mas in Delphi; To Omorfo Tavernaki in Nafplio
Why: Food and view in Delphi were both outstanding. Food and atmosphere, both inside and outside were great in Nafplio. Ate in both places more than once. And of course, special cheers for Antica Gelateria di Roma in Nafplio! We also enjoyed one of the "steps" restaurants in Plaka, Athens.
Jim Reiners in Austin, TX USA 10/01/2009
Best: Savas on Metropoleus
Why: We loved the cheap and delicious food here, and the spicy cheese dip. We ate here more than once.
Kristen in Gail, TX USA 08/22/2009