If you’re a day tripper visiting Aegina, here are the best places to eat. From grilled sardines and fresh seafood to ouzo and good old-fashioned coffee shops.
In the main town, Kappos Etsi is a top choice for contemporary gourmet fare. Try baked octopus and their signature “kappos etsi pie”. No-frills fish taverns like Pelaisos and Skotadis are also solid options.
1. Kappos Etsi
In the summer the tavern is full of diners eating outside in the attractive courtyard with climbing plants and urns. In the winter Kappos Etsi is more quiet and it is a lovely place to sit with a book and enjoy a drink or light meal. The tavern serves breakfast choices, snacks and a limited menu of Greek dishes, pasta, pizza and salads.
It has been in existence since 2009 and was relocated in a stone listed building right in the centre of the island. Chef Dimitris Kappos is committed to taking guests on unique and delicious tours of Greek creative cuisine. He uses traditional flavors given a fresher look and creates gastronomic combinations for all tastes.
The restaurant has a cool atmosphere and is located close to the Archaeological Museum of Aegina. They serve a variety of dishes from Greek and Mediterranean cuisines including tasty pesto pasta, grilled octopus and Greek salads. They also have a good wine list and you can try some of their homemade pastries too.
You will find it on the left hand side of the main street in the centre of Aegina and is a charming little tavern. It is a family run business with an emphasis on offering visitors the best of Greek cuisine. The tavern is famous for its special treats and the friendly and warm staff make you feel at home from the moment you step in.
If you are in the area and looking for some food to eat on Aegina then it is worth stopping by and trying their savoury pancakes with fillings such as meat, cheese or spinach. They are absolutely amazing and they serve them with a side of yogurt or honey.
Aegina was a retreat for many of Greece’s prodigious writers and artists including Nikos Kazantzakis, the author of Zorba the Greek and Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseus Elytis. Tap into the island’s artistic side with a visit to the former studio of sculptor Christos Kapralos. Admire his fluid pieces that encapsulate some of the most potent themes in Greek culture including the tragedy of war and the maternal bond.
2. Pelaisos
If you’re seeking a laid-back place to grab some lunch, head to the seaside town of Pelaisos. Here, you’ll find a charming restaurant called Avli that offers a limited menu of Greek dishes and Italian crunchy pizzas, tasteful pastas, and fresh salads. You can also order your food and drink to go. The restaurant is a cozy, welcoming space that’s surrounded by climbing plants and urns.
Despite being so close to Athens, Aegina has a distinct gastronomy tradition of its own. There are fish taverns and traditional tavernas all over the island, serving local delicacies that are worth trying.
On the south side of Aegina, you’ll find a lovely fishing village with a beautiful beach. This is a popular spot for tourists, so it can get crowded here. But it’s a great spot to take in the view of the harbor as it gets doused in golden light and the boats bob up and down in the water.
If you want to try some seafood, there is the lovely seafood taverna O Skotadis. It started out as a coffeeshop back in 1945 and since then, it’s evolved into a nice little taverna without changing its simplicity. Here, you can enjoy a variety of mezedes to start and the grilled or fried katsoula fish (cleaver wrasse) for your main course. Then, finish off with some ouzo!
After a day of sunbathing on the beaches (try sandy Marathonas, which has comfy loungers under shady eucalyptus trees) or sightseeing, it’s time for some drinks and snacks. Aegina’s bars are a lot of fun and many have outdoor seating where you can relax with your drink and people watch.
If you’re a fan of sweets, don’t leave the island without sampling some of its famous PDO-awarded pistachios. The pistachios here are different than the ones you’ll find in your supermarket; they’re much lighter and sweeter. You can have your pistachios fresh and with their skins on, or roasted and salted. You can also find pistachio ice cream at one of the island’s oldest pastry shops. This is an irresistible treat.
3. Geladakis
Located on the waterfront in the heart of Aegina, this restaurant offers a wide variety of Mediterranean cuisine. Enjoy your favorite Greek dishes with fresh ingredients and a creative twist in the atmosphere of a family tavern.
There are plenty of restaurants to explore in Aegina. Some focus on modern Greek gastronomy such as Kappos Etsi and Dromaki, while others serve traditional dishes. Taverna O Takis, located in the village of Alones, is a popular choice among locals for its mouthwatering tastes (Greek traditional dishes). Other great places to try include Nontas, which is a family-run tavern that serves seafood and fish from local fishermen in Perdika. Kriton Gefsis is a music meze and raki restaurant near the center of Aegina that also gets great reviews.
If you’re searching for an alternative to the bustling crowds and hip hotels of other Saronic islands, Aegina is where you want to be. The second largest of the Saronic gulf’s islands, Aegina is a little more laid-back but boasts all the usual things to do and see, including some spectacularly beautiful beaches and delicious restaurants.
After a long day of sand and sea, sit back with a cocktail at Inn on the Beach, an elegant seafront favourite with comfy loungers dotted among shady eucalyptus trees. Its sunset views relax the mind and body, especially as you sip your drink and watch the sun sink into the water.
At the pier, the family-run Panta Rei is open early in the morning to prepare breakfast choices and snacks. The menu has a variety of Greek dishes, pasta, salads and pizza as well as sandwiches and burgers. The interior is a pretty courtyard with climbing plants and urns, making it a nice place to dine.
This cosy tavern in the port of Aegina is just a short stroll from Temple of Apollo. It also provides easy access to Aegina Waterfront and Kolona Beach. Guests are also just a short walk from Ekklisia Isodia Theotokou Church.
4. Skotadis
After a long day on the beach (try sandy Marathonas, with its comfy loungers and shady eucalyptus trees) or in town sightseeing, head to the Temple of Aphaia for knockout views. It’s also worth visiting for the ruins alone, with twenty-four of its thirty-four Doric pillars still intact.
Then, head back to Aegina Town and sample the seafood at Skotadis. It started life as a kafeneio, with owner Stelios occupying a privileged position right by the city’s fish market, where small fishing boats crowd the jetty at dawn bringing nets overflowing with the day’s catch. As the business evolved into an ouzeri, the kitchen adopted gastronomic concerns that resulted in seafood dishes the likes of which few restaurants can rival. Perfectly boiled octopus served with semolina fufu and fava, the velvety skordalia dip that accompanies grilled octopus or fried cod and the legendary seafood orzo are all excellent.
Of course, this being Aegina, there are tavernas where the meat is king and there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in paidakia – lamb chops with roast potatoes – or kotopoulo – baked pasta dish with minced beef and onions. But if you want to understand how Aegina’s cuisine came about, choose a family-run spot away from the tourist traps.
One of the best is O Skotadis, which opened as a coffeeshop in 1945 and retained its simplicity over the decades. Now it’s a restaurant that only serves dinner, and on just three evenings a week. The name refers to the fact that Ioannis Alifantis used to open before dawn to prepare warm fish soup and coffee for the local fishermen.
This old-school taverna is one of the island’s most beloved, with Vagelis the third generation to run this cozy spot on Aegina’s bustling harbor strip. The garden is a delight in summer, scented with jasmine and honeysuckle. Inside, the dining room is a cozy retreat, where you can try expertly prepared taverna classics such as eggplant in garlic sauce or zucchini croquettes. Then it’s on to the fish, which is served by the kilo and includes grilled sardines as well as sea bass and mullet. The very drinkable retsina wine is also served here, and the venue has long been enjoyed by the island’s renowned artistic community.