Prefecture of Lesvos Restaurant Tips by nickandchris

To Xani: Excellent All Round

A great family run restaurant on the main agora street but before most of the shops.

On our first night in Molyvos, we had a wander round to have a look at some menus to get some idea of prices and dishes available. To Xani was the last one we came to, having walked along the main road and back up through the back streets. We liked what we saw, plenty of choice and reasonable prices, especially for the drinks. It seemed slightly cheaper than all the others we had looked at. As we had already eaten that night, we kept To Xani in mind for another occasion.

We were not disappointed and in fact, ended up eating here three times. There is a downstairs indoor dining area, and two lovely outdoor balconies looking out over the sea and town
. Service is friendly and very efficient and the cooking is great. The first night we ate here, it was almost full and did get full, the second time it was not so full and the third was once again busy.

We were amazed at the choice of food, all home cooked and excellent. We had:
Mixed fish plate: €8
Kleftiko: €8 (a massive plate of braised lamb and vegetables)
Beef chop: €7.50
Toasted sandwich:€2.50
Beef and potatoes:€6.50
Fried and stuffed courgette flowers:€4.50
Seafood risotto:€6.50
Chicken risotto:€6.50
Feta saganaki:€3.50
Chips:€2.20
Half kilo red wine:€3.50
Mythos:€2.30
Can fanta:€1.60

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Favorite Dish: Everything was wonderful; Philip especially enjoyed his seafood and chicken risottos. The chicken breast was freshly cooked for it and the seafood included mussels, shrimps, squid etc.

Naturally, I really appreciated the stuffed courgette flowers as this is not something we have in England.

To be honest, we couldn't find fault with this place at all. I took lots of photos of the family and it was just a nice experience all round.

Address: To Xani, Molyvos, Lesvos

Comparison: about average

Directions: Turn right off the main road in, up the first cobbled street. To Xani is one of the first restaurants you come to, on your left.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

The Cockerel: In the Heart of Petri Village.

Once again, we only stopped for a drink here.

The Cockerel is tucked away in the small streets of Petri. Follow the signs to it.

It has a pleasant outdoor seating area with lovely countryside views and very friendly owners. I believe this to be the place that if you want to eat, literally offers you what is being cooked for the family. As we were the only customers, we didn't see any one eat but there were some pleasant cooking smells emanating from within!

Beer was the usual €2.50 which rather surprised us, seeing as we were in the backwoods. Still, there's nothing so strange as Greece restaurant pricing!!

Favorite Dish: NA.

Address: Petri, Lesvos.

Directions: Park in the small parking area before entering the village and follow signs.This could also be called Petri Taverna.

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Moutsos: Friendly Service

This was our first lunch of the holiday. We were in Anaxos and stopped for a beer at the taverna by the bridge at the western end of Anaxos. This ended up turning into lunch as we were suddenly hungry and stiffado had been mentioned!!

We opted for stiffado,€7.50
Spaghetti with tomato sauce:€3.50
Half kilo of wine:€3.50
Coke:€1.50
Beer:€2.50

We all enjoyed the lunch, there wasn't a scrap left!!

Service was friendly but we were the only customers all the time we were there.

Nicely and quietly situated down a small lane off the western end of the beach. We watched a delivery lorry parked on the bridge here slowly delivering boxes of ice cream which were piled up on the bridge and left in the sun. Quite amusing.

Favorite Dish: The stiffado was very nice, Nick and I shared a large plate full.

Address: Anaxos, Lesvos

Comparison: about average

Directions: Down the narrow lane at the western end of the beach. Parking.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Achivada Taverna, Nyfida: Real Greece

Ah, this was a real gem!! We had been touring around and found ourselves on the coast at Nyfida. As we had forgotten to pack a picnic lunch, we decided to see if we could get some lunch here.

It is a narrow coastal strip with a small harbour. I think there were a couple of psarotavernas but only one appeared to be open. Here a couple of tables were occuppied with Greek men eating fish. We asked if we could have small plates of mezedakia and we ended up with a plate of small fish, a plate of spicey cheese dip, a plate of tomatoes and onions and olives and a plate of chips and bread. Completing our lunch we had a Mythos and a Greek lemonade and the bill was a ridiculous €9. It was exactly what we wanted and I think this was one of the meals this holiday I enjoyed the most.

The other diners asked us where we were from and were interested in the economic situation in England at the moment,. They were surprised to hear that the cost of living was higher in Greece than England, now.

A nice touch was the fact that the fish bones were thrown for the waiting animals. Simply a nice experience all round.

Favorite Dish: I have no idea what else was on offer but the men were eating huge plates of different fish, some enormous. I guess whatever had been caught that day and I'm sure all the frozen stuff would have been available.

Address: Nyfida, Lesvos

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Nyfida is on the north coast of the southern part of the Gulf of Kalloni.The taverna was near the little harbopur.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Panorama Taverna: On Top Of The World

We only stopped for a drink at this lovely little taverna but what a location!! It's just below the castle and the views are stunning!

We were amazed that the prices here didn't seem to be any dearer than other places in Molyvos, you would expect to pay for location, wouldn't you?

The taverna is on two levels, with seating and sun umbrellas on the top terrace.Walk down from the top level to the taverna and terrace below. The views are just as good.

Favorite Dish: This place gets some good reviews but to be honest, there are just so many places to eat in Molyvos, it's difficult knowing when you have found a real gem.

Mythos: €2.50, standard Molyvos price.

Address: Panorama Taverna, Molyvos

Comparison: about average

Directions: Take the road to the castle in Molyvos. Park by the castle and the taverna is on the right, before the castle.

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Fantastico: The Most Fantastic Pizzas.....

Not my choice for a meal but we had our 14 year old and a holiday friend with us and they decided they would like pizza. "Ah, I know of real pizzas," I say. I had read about the Eftalou Hotel and it's famous freshly made pizzas so off we trotted.

Fantastico is the hotel's restaurant and it has a lovely diing area by the floodlit pool where there is also a wood burning stove.

Although this turned out to be the most expensive meal of the holiday, it was GOOD! Also, we had anm extra mouth to feed so it was bound to be so.

Favorite Dish: I think we had a large margharita, a medium village and a large mixed meat. I had cheese and ham pastry rolls. Disappointingly, there was no local wine so we opted for a retsina, which came in at €5 and an Amstel, €2.70 and coke at €2. Not cheap but the pizzas are all freshly made. We watched the dough chef throwing the dough in the air to help it expand and get air into it. Quite amusing, as we all counted as he threw it and never once did he drop it!!

The boys thoroughly enjoyed their pizzas which made me feel pleased I had chosen the place.

Address: Fantastico, Eftalou Hotel, Eftalou, Molyvos.

Comparison: about average

Directions: Head towards Eftalou and the Eftalou Hotel is on the right. Fantastico's is part of the hotel.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Pizza

Website: http://www.eftalouhotel.com/pizzaria-restaurant.htm

Petri Taverna: Up Above Petra

We had been up to Petri a few days before and loved the village. We had stopped at a little taverna called the Cockerel for a drink. This time we opted to call at the first taverna which had the superb views down to Petra. There were a couple of tables occuppied but by the time we left, it was quite busy.

Initially we only called for a drink but upon looking at the menu we decided to eat. It still amazes me how much choice of food is available in early season on this island.

I liked the idea of the stuffed onions but was told they had rice in them, which I'm not keen on. In the end, we just had a plate of shrimp saganaki which came with lovely toasted and oiled brown bread. We washed it down with half a kilo of white, which was a little acidic but at least it was cold.

The service was a little slow but then we weren't in any hurry but I do remember it took a while to get the bill!!
There were some lovely cats here who I was very pleased to see were fed customers scraps by the owner. Nice touch....

People who called in here mainly appeared to be walkers.

Favorite Dish: Well, as we only had the shrimp saganaki, we can't really comment. The saganaki really was excellent though, with peppers and also quite spicey. I got the faint flavour of ouzo, I think, which added a little something to the already delicious dish.I think the food was €4.5 but have no idea the price of the wine or bread, only that the total bill was €8.5. Extremely good value, as the meal was enough for both of us.

I would definitely recommend this place, great food and stupendous views.

Address: Petri, Lesvos.

Comparison: about average

Directions: Take the winding road from the Petra bypass up to Petri. The taverna is the first you see.

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Pericles: Great Atmosphere

It took some finding, did Pericles Taverna! It is actually on the second road to the castle from the Eftalou road. We actually overshot the place as the sign was rather entwined with shrubbery.

There is a pleasant outdoor seating area in the garden where the lovely cats make themselves known but the night we ate here, the wind really got up and we had to move indoors.

It's a fairly small place and I am led to believe that a lot of the produce comes from the garden here. This was typical Greece, anything that had a price against it was available. We opted for some type of broad beans (which I thoroughly enjoyed as they are my favourite veg.) Philip had squid which unfortunately was some of the toughest we had ever encountered but still, we ate it. Nick chose soutsoukakia which were good. When we went indoors we sat next to a Dutch couple who we found interesting and the whole family from Pericles were there. This meant we took lots of photos and I have hopefully sent them via email to them!

Favorite Dish: The squid was definitely not the best dish. €6.
The braod beans were good at €4 and the soutsoukakia was €6. The red wine was €4 a half kilo.
Coke €1.5.

Address: O Periklis, Molyvos, Lesvos

Comparison: about average

Directions: Take the second road to the castle, enroute to Eftalou. Al;ong here on the left. Set amongst greenery so difficult to spot!

Phone: 0253 71813

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Gyros Corner: And Yet More Gyros....

Gyros Corner is the owner of Friends newest venture. It is situated on the cobbled agora street, with bench like seats looking out over the wonderful sea/town view.

We ate here at least twice, enjoying the gyros in pita as well as having the gyros plate at €6.50 and chicken souvlaki in pita bread, €2.30. All delicious and it makes my mouth water writing about it!

The one down side was service was SLOW!! This man didn't seem able to multi-task but it was no great problem as we were never in any hurry.

There are a couple of beautiful posing cats that come and sit on the wall next to you. Oh, they were so friendly!

Favorite Dish: Gyros!!!

Address: Gyros Corner, Molyvos, Lesvos.

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: On the main cobbled street, just as you start to decend back towards the main road.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Fast Food

Friends: Authentic Gyros

Our first night in Molyvos anbd we knew where we were heading for our first meal! I had been told about "Friends" gyros place and I couldn't wait for my first taste of the year of gyros.

I was not disappointed, absolutely delicious!The lightly oiled pittas were full of gyros meat, tzadziki, tomatoes, chips, onion and parsley. Our host explained his were so good because he did not deep fry the pita which is what some establishments do(I can't actually say I ever recall eating one where the pita has been deep fried, but who knows?)

We got into conversation and he told us he had lived in America, Oz, and Africa and had just opened his second gyros place in Molyvos (more of that later!) He also said he was busier in winter when there wasn't all the competition from the seasonal restaurants, as he is open all year and offers a take away service.

The one down side is that this place is on the main road and there are only two small tables precariously balanced outside and a couple inside.

Favorite Dish: Gyros souvlaki, of course!
€2.30 gyros souvlaki.
Half kilo red wine:€4

Address: Friends, Molyvos, Lesvos.

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: Walk along main road into Molyvos. Friends is on the right, shortly after a bank.

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Fast Food