Best Places to Eat in Kimolos: Restaurants & Local Food
The best places to eat in Kimolos range from traditional café-tavernas in Chorio to coastal restaurants around Psathi, Aliki and Kalamitsi.
Local food is an enjoyable part of exploring the island. Ladenia, made with dough, tomato, onion and olive oil, is the best-known speciality, while cheese pies and locally produced cheeses provide more flavours to discover.
Choosing restaurants around the day’s activities keeps meals relaxed. Lunch near Aliki or Kalamitsi fits naturally into a beach outing, while dinner in Chorio can follow a walk through the village and its historic Kastro.
This guide brings together five restaurants, alongside local dishes to seek out and practical advice for eating around the island.
Where to Eat in Kimolos at a Glance
| Restaurant | Location | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Kali Kardia “Bohoris” | Chorio | Traditional Greek cooking and a café-taverna setting |
| Meltemi | Chorio area | Contemporary Kimolian cooking and village views |
| Sardis / Beba’s Restaurant | Aliki | Local dishes and seafood near the beach |
| To Kyma tis Psathis | Psathi | A coastal meal near the port |
| Taverna Kalamitsi | Kalamitsi | A taverna stop during a southern beach outing |
Menus and opening arrangements vary through the season. Confirm directly before making a special journey, especially outside summer.
1. Kali Kardia “Bohoris”, Chorio
Kali Kardia, also known as Bohoris, is a restaurant and traditional café on the main street of Chorio.
Its emphasis is on Greek cooked food and recipes passed through generations. The setting makes it a useful option for visitors who want to include a meal in their village exploration.
Rather than choosing entirely from familiar grilled dishes, ask what the kitchen has prepared that day. A selection of starters followed by a cooked main can provide a varied meal without over-ordering.
The café identity is also part of its character. Visitors should expect a place connected with village life rather than a formal dining experience.
Best for: Traditional food while spending time in Chorio.
Practical tip: Ask about daily dishes and confirm kitchen hours separately from café opening.
2. Meltemi, Chorio Area
Meltemi offers a more contemporary approach to Kimolian cooking.
Its setting provides views towards Chorio, making it worth considering for visitors who want a different style of evening meal from a conventional taverna.
The outlook is over the settlement rather than a guaranteed sea panorama. Guests seeking a particular table should ask when reserving, since not every seat necessarily provides the same view.
Menus change, so visitors should check the current selection and discuss dietary requirements before ordering.
The restaurant’s approach also makes it suitable for travellers interested in seeing how local ingredients can be used beyond traditional preparations.
Best for: A more contemporary dinner with views towards Chorio.
Practical tip: Check the walking route from your accommodation, particularly if returning after dark.
3. Sardis / Beba’s Restaurant, Aliki
Sardis is at Aliki Beach and also uses the name Beba’s Restaurant on its website.
The menu combines Greek cooked dishes, Kimolian specialities and seafood. Published offerings include ladenia, tyrenia, local cheeses, fish soup and seafood pasta.
This variety makes it worth considering for groups who do not all want the same style of meal. A beach visit can be followed by lunch without returning to Chorio.
Availability should still guide the order. Ask which local dishes have been prepared and what fish or seafood is offered that day.
Lobster pasta and whole fish require particular attention to portion size and pricing.
Best for: Combining local food and seafood with a day around Aliki.
Practical tip: Confirm the total cost before ordering seafood sold by weight.
4. To Kyma tis Psathis, Psathi
To Kyma tis Psathis, also listed as Bochorakia, is beside the coast at Psathi.
Its location makes it an option for visitors staying around the port or spending time near the waterfront. Seafood and Mediterranean cooking feature in its restaurant listings.
The setting is part of the appeal, but the current menu and prices should guide the decision. Ask about available dishes rather than relying on an older description of the kitchen.
Visitors planning a meal around ferry travel should leave a comfortable margin. A restaurant near the harbour is not a guarantee of finishing in time for boarding.
Best for: A coastal meal around Psathi.
Practical tip: Clarify prices and serving sizes before ordering a shared seafood dish.
5. Taverna Kalamitsi, Kalamitsi
Taverna Kalamitsi provides a dining option around the southern beach area of the same name.
It is useful for visitors who prefer to organise lunch near their chosen beach rather than travel back to the main village.
The taverna setting suits a straightforward meal during a coastal outing. Look at the current menu and ask about cooked dishes, fish and vegetable options available that day.
Kalamitsi includes both sandy and pebbly beach sections, so a meal can be combined with time exploring the immediate shoreline.
Opening outside the main summer period should be checked directly.
Best for: A meal during a day around Kalamitsi and the southern coast.
Practical tip: Confirm service hours before relying on it as the outing’s only food stop.
What Local Food Should You Try in Kimolos?
Ladenia
Ladenia is Kimolos’s best-known speciality.
It is made with a bread-like dough topped with tomato, onion and olive oil. Its appeal lies in the combination of simple ingredients and the baked base.
A bakery stop is a convenient way to try it while walking through Chorio. Some restaurants also offer their own versions.
Ask when a fresh batch will be ready rather than assume it is available throughout the day.
Tyrenia
Tyrenia, also written as tirenia, is a cheese-filled pie associated with the island.
It provides an alternative to ladenia and is worth asking about in bakeries or restaurants serving local food.
Recipes and sizes vary. Check the cheese and other ingredients when dietary requirements matter.
Local Cheeses
Manoura and xyno are among the cheeses associated with Kimolos.
They may appear in salads, pies or separate cheese dishes. Asking which cheese is used can reveal more about a meal than ordering from a general description alone.
Visitors avoiding dairy should check vegetable dishes as well as obvious cheese preparations.
Capers and Seasonal Produce
Capers, vegetables and herbs contribute to the island’s food.
Ask what is seasonal and which products come from Kimolos. A restaurant’s island location does not establish the origin of every ingredient.
Sharing salads and vegetable dishes can provide variety alongside fish or a cooked main.
Fish and Seafood
Coastal restaurants offer opportunities to order fish and seafood when available.
Ask whether a dish uses fresh or frozen seafood if that distinction matters, and clarify how larger fish are priced.
Availability can change with conditions and supply. A flexible order is usually more practical than arriving expecting a particular catch.
Which Area Is Best for Eating Out?
Chorio
Chorio works well for visitors who want dinner after exploring the village.
Kali Kardia and Meltemi provide different styles of meal. The choice can depend on the current menu, preferred atmosphere and walking route.
Psathi
Psathi is convenient for visitors staying near the port.
To Kyma provides a coastal option here, but ferry movements and departure plans should be considered separately from dining.
Aliki and Kalamitsi
These southern areas suit visitors combining a meal with beach time.
Sardis and Taverna Kalamitsi can reduce the need to move elsewhere during the day, provided their opening arrangements have been confirmed.
Practical Tips for Eating in Kimolos
- Ask about daily cooking: Traditional dishes may be made in limited quantities.
- Check seasonal opening: Online listings can remain visible when businesses are closed.
- Reserve when needed: This is useful for groups, particular tables and busy evenings.
- Clarify seafood prices: Establish portion size or weight before ordering.
- Discuss dietary requirements: Pies, sauces and vegetable dishes can contain dairy, eggs or meat.
- Plan the return: Check transport before staying late outside your accommodation’s area.
A varied stay could include a traditional meal in Chorio, a bakery visit for ladenia and a relaxed lunch around the southern beaches.
