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Karpathos is a gorgeous island. I love Greece anyway. It had been a long time since I had been to a Greek island (that was Lefkas, by the way), so it was time to get to know it again. In 2021 Laura and I went to Tenerife. Originally we wanted to go to Karpathos, but something about borders closing and safety measures and the like came up and prevented us going to Greece. So we decided to try again this year and – you guessed it – it worked out!
Table of contents
We had a rental car again this year, so we drove all over the island. Looking for nice places and nice restaurants. Well, we found them. So here are 11 restaurants on Karpathos where we had a great meal. The standard of food on the island in general is pretty good. We were only really disappointed once, which you won’t find in the below list of restaurants on Karpathos.
By the way, most of the restaurants in the list below are in the main town of Karpathos (Pigadia) because that is where we stayed. I don’t like driving on dark roads with hairpin bends late at night, so we ate in Pigadia almost every night. And the nice thing is that there really is a lot of choice!
Under the Tree (on the way to Lefkos)
The list is headed by Under the Tree. Now, the list is in random order, so don’t put too much stock in its place on the list. But Under the Tree was a special place. You will find this local restaurant on the road on your way to Lefkos (from Karpathos town). We were immediately welcomed by dog Jack and the super friendly service.
By the way, we found this restaurant through The Karpathos Guide by Athina and Vincent. If you are going to Karpathos, it is worth buying the guide, because besides the restaurants you will find all the necessary information about the island. Think about; the most beautiful beaches, the most beautiful viewpoints and many more practical tips.
Going to this restaurant? Be sure to try the zucchini fries. They were super tasty!
Kelaria (Kyra Panagia)
We ended up in Kelaria when we visited Kyra Panagia beach. There are two good restaurants on the beach.
We chose Kelaria. The restaurant looks beautiful and the sun streaming through the thatched roof made for a beautiful light on the photos as well. You can see them everywhere. Here you can eat delicious Greek food. From fresh fish to tasty salads. Laura chose a sea bream from the grill, I chose a dakos salad. Sort of a Greek salad, but a little different.
Thalassa (Pigadia)
Thalassa was the first restaurant we went to on our first night in Karpathos. It was also within walking distance of our hotel (we were staying at the Parasol Luxury Suites), so it was ideal for that first evening. Again, they serve Greek classics, but you can also go there for a nice steak or something else.
You can sit in the courtyard garden, sheltered from the ever-present Karpathos wind, or you can choose to sit on the beach side. It’s a fairly large restaurant, but the different rooms make it feel less massive.
Enplo seaside (Pigadia)
Are you a big breakfast or brunch fan? Then a visit to EnPlo (which means on the water) is a must. Although you can go here for dinner and a nice cocktail (we’ve had cocktails here more than once because it’s a great place to sit by the water with a view of the mountains), we thought it was the breakfast spot par excellence.
Keep in mind that the food is hefty, so don’t make the mistake of sitting here with a full stomach. You’ll want to try the fantastic open-faced sandwiches and pancakes. Mega sweet, by the way, but worth saving a spot in your stomach for!
Amoopi Nymfes (Amoopi)
For the fifth restaurant in this list of restaurants on Karpathos we go to Amoopi. Amoopi Beach is a stretch of coast that consists of a number of smaller beaches. There is Little Amoopi and Big Amoopi, but apart from those two there are many other smaller beaches where – if you are lucky – you will be alone. It is a rocky coastline though, so it is good to take that into account.
For lunch we went to Nymfes. In addition to a restaurant, there are also nice apartments, so it is convenient if you want to stay here. Again, the restaurant is in a nice location and the food is excellent.
Island Pool Bar (Pigadia)
Also within walking distance of our hotel was the Island Pool Bar. A place you can enjoy all day long. You’ll find a swimming pool with nice lounge beds, as well as a restaurant and of course a bar.
The cocktails were great, but you can also enjoy some nice music from the DJ who (I think) comes every day. I have no idea if he always plays the same kind of music, but this time it was nice eighties tunes. Not too loud either, so you can still have a normal conversation with someone. Of course, it could be that the music is turned up in the evening. No idea.
Aside from drinks, you can also enjoy delicious food here. The food is best described as fusion. I had a tataki as a starter and a delicious burger as a main course. You just have to be in the mood, right?
The island bar is right next to the five-star hotel (on the beach!) Alimounda Mare. That makes a nice combination.
Mama Cousine (Finiki)
We cross the island again and arrive at the cozy seaside village of Finiki. Small but nice, and you can even lounge on the beach. (Which we did) For lunch you have a lot of choices here. Mama Cousine (aka kokoma) is highly recommended for tasty Greek food and for dessert, just walk across the street to Delfini. They have the most delicious cake. So both cannot be missing from the list of restaurants in Karpathos.
Nuevo (Pigadia)
We ended up at Nuevo – again – thanks to a tip from Athina and Vincent, who also happened to be there. It is a relatively new restaurant where sharing is central. So the dishes are a bit smaller and suitable for sharing with your table mates. You have a view over the harbor and it is a nice place to sit on the slightly elevated part of town.
Don’t forget to order bougatsa for dessert. Bougatsa is a traditional dish, but like most other dishes on the menu, Nuevo gives it a slightly different twist. I thought the beef pies were perhaps the tastiest dish, but of course we didn’t get to try them all.
La Veranda (Pigadia)
La Veranda is close to Nuevo (and Acropolis just down the street in this row) and they serve Greek, but a little fancier, for lack of a better word. The food was delicious. In terms of price level it is a bit higher, but if you are there you really must try the strawberry dessert. This is a giant strawberry filled with strawberry mousse and topped with a chocolate sauce. It may not sound special, but it is delicious! So a must try. Of course, you can just go there for dessert. Nothing wrong with that.
Mesogios (Pigadia)
You can eat tapas at the harbor, we had heard. And Mesogios had been identified as one of the restaurants on Karpathos with the best tapas. Now I have a certain image in my head when I think of tapas. Let go of that idea, because Greek tapas (mezedes, that is) are nothing like the Spanish variety. No doubt it varies from restaurant to restaurant, but I found the portions here to be quite large for a tapas-like setting. I also made the mistake of ordering everything with cheese. Not the best decision as I was full in no time at all. But it was delicious. May be make better choices than I did!
Acropolis (Pigadia)
Acropolis is located on the corner near Enplo beach, and although the service here is a little too popular, the food is delicious. I had a great pita gyros and Laura’s lamb chops looked absolutely delicious.
Anoi (Pigadia)
We didn’t eat at the last two in the row. Not the first one, because it’s a cocktail bar. But it’s worth a look. Anoi is located on a staircase with a great view over the bay and they have the best cocktails. (it does get hot here and there is little shade, so maybe not pick the hottest day to go there)
Skala Bar (Amoopi) – Closed
Update: Skala bar is closed!
Skala Bar is run by a Dutchman. He invented the ouzo milkshake and yes, of course we had to try it. There are several variations; one with blue curacao, the regular and one with cranberries. As a cranberry-o-phile, I should have gone for the cranberry, but the flavor was not that different from the regular one we understood, so I went for the regular ouzo milkshake.
The bluish one was made with blue curacao, but honestly, the classic is better. I thought it was delicious. You also get a nice breeze here. Great if you want to cool off after a walk along the coast!
And that ends this long list of restaurants on Karpathos. There are many more, but you won’t be disappointed with the ones above. In every restaurant we had a great meal and great seats. Should I find myself back on the island, this list will be added to again!
