Syros is a quiet island that doesn’t get the same buzz as Santorini or Mykonos. Nevertheless it’s a Cycladic pioneer for its art contributions.
The Apollon Theater is a must-visit, constructed in the 19th century as a smaller version of La Scala in Milan. Also the Hermoupolis Heritage Museum is worth a wander through its sepia-toned spaces.
Arhontariki Restaurants Syros
Despite being smaller than its larger Cycladic cousins, Syros offers the same charm, atmosphere and history – but without the crowds. It’s also home to a handful of great restaurants and an abundance of activities, including excellent beaches and a lively nightlife scene.
Getting to Syros is easy, with multiple ferry options each day to and from Piraeus in under two hours. The island’s main town, Ermoupolis, is an excellent place to start, with its elegant buildings, restaurants and bars. There are also a couple of museums and an amazing church, the Dormition of the Virgin, which features one of El Greco’s earliest works.
A stroll around Ermoupolis will reveal its distinct Venetian style, which sets it apart from other Cycladic islands. Look out for the paved streets with marble pavers, and boutique shops featuring elegant window displays. You can also find a number of well-preserved old buildings, such as the Apollon Theater and a church with some of the most breathtaking views on the island.
Most of Syros’ restaurants are traditional Greek taverns, with only a few offering international cuisine. Located in the pretty lane of Heropoulis, Stin Ithaki tou Ai is a good choice for fresh, tasty dishes, and its beautiful ambiance, with bougainvillea covering walls and pergolas.
Another great option is Allou Giallou, which has a superb location on Kini Beach. Its cuisine is influenced by traditional Greek flavors, but the chef puts his own spin on things. The restaurant is popular with locals, and the menu includes some excellent meat dishes and fresh seafood.
The best time to visit Syros is between June and October, when the weather is warm and sunny. The rest of the year, however, the island is still a busy, active destination with plenty to see and do.
Syros is the perfect place for culture vultures, with a theater, opera and dance center, as well as an annual film festival. It is also home to an impressive collection of archaeological finds, including jewelry, pottery and statues dating back as far as 2700 BC. In addition, the island has some beautiful churches, such as the monastery of Saint Nikolaos in Kini and the Church of Saint George at Ermoupolis.
Avant Garden Restaurant
Avant Garden is the latest in a series of vegan restaurants from New York-based Overthrow Hospitality. It serves up a menu of New American vegan tapas in two magical settings. The first, inspired by an enchanted forest, features chandeliers and eye-catching decorations. The second, designed by Hollywood set designer Andrew Nowling, is more minimalist. The restaurant also has a menu that changes frequently to make the most of seasonal ingredients.
The food is surprisingly innovative and incredibly tasty. The menu is divided into toasts, cold and hot dishes, and features a mix of flavors from all over the world. The dishes are beautifully plated and taste as good as they look. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They will answer any questions you may have about the menu and the ingredients used in the dish.
Unlike other vegan restaurants, Avant Garden focuses on vegetable-forward dishes that celebrate the endemic flavors of different vegetables. It’s a fine dining experience that will please everyone, regardless of their diet. The menu is complemented by natural wines and creative cocktails.
James Beard Award nominee Ravi DeRossi is the chef and founder of Overthrow Hospitality, which has been credited with reimagining plant-based cuisine. The company’s mission is to bring people together through delicious food that is both healthy and ethical. DeRossi’s restaurants include NYC favorites Cadence, Soda Club, Eterea, Lady Bird and Avant Garden. He has plans to open more vegan restaurants in the future.
In the heart of Brooklyn, Avant Garden brings vegan fine dining to a whole new level. The space is a cozy 28-seater with a unique atmosphere and an open kitchen that overlooks the entire dining room. Patrons can choose to sit at the bar, on wood tables or a bench. The best seats are the ones facing the kitchen, as they offer an intimate dining experience and a glimpse of the action.
Located in the East Village, Avant Garden is an adventurous vegan restaurant that is not only inventive but also delicious. Their upscale menu has received rave reviews from foodies and journalists alike, including the New York Times, Time Out, Eater and The Infatuation. The restaurant is a must-visit for anyone looking to try something new and exciting.
Hygge Restaurant
Hygge Restaurant is a great place to grab a drink and hang out with friends. Its atmosphere is very inviting, and the food is delicious. Its menu includes sandwiches, burgers, and other snacks. Its prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.
The esoteric name Hygge, a Danish word for “getting cozy with friends,” may be hard to pronounce, but this noisy new brewpub is easy to love. Co-owner and brewer Tom Baker’s quirky, well-crafted drafts are a joy to sample, including a luscious doppelbock (Exaggerator), a potent sticke altbier (Germantown Sticke), and an amber Scottish ale with a whiff of smoke. The surprisingly eclectic menu is anchored by build-your-own boards of ever-changing seasonal bites.
Chef Chris Galbraith is clearly ambitious, and many of the dishes deliver, especially the roasted radishes with crab dip; kofta skewers with coconut shrimp and smoked-mushroom hummus; fresh Kennebec potato frites “hooked up” with crispy onions, house-smoked brisket, and melty raclette cheese sauce; and mushroom fundido. Some of the other plates were less successful, though. A pan-seared mahi mahi over basil-greened farro risotto was tasty enough, and a culotte cut of Wagyu steak with peppercorn-dusted king oyster mushrooms over snappy rabe and super-creamy mashed potatoes was also good.
The bar is lively, but not so loud that you can’t carry on a conversation over the 98-decibel roar of the crowd and the clattering of plates and glasses. The cocktail list has a few standouts, from a mojitolike wit to subtly fruited twists on whiskey classics. A handful of wines are on tap, and there are a few simple but fun and different draft cocktails.
Bar Hygge is a welcome addition to an area that’s bristling with new culinary energy. Its black-on-white brick cafe doors flung wide to the 1700 block of Fairmount Avenue bring commercial vitality closer to Broad Street than in recent years, drawing up to 300 people on busy weekend nights into this series of boisterous rooms artfully hodgepodged together from reclaimed materials. And it’s just as much a beer-lounge as a restaurant, with seven house drafts ranging from deeply malted styles to a robust, complexly roasty coffee stout.
Kouzina Restaurant
Souvlaki GR Kouzine is a family-owned Greek restaurant that prides itself on the experience and authentic food. Their menu is full of recipes that have been passed down through generations. They have a variety of items to choose from including baked lamb shank, spanakopita and chargrilled souvlaki with pork or chicken. The atmosphere is clean and inviting with tables and booths made of wood. There is also a transparent water wall and blue suspended lights to compliment the white and blue theme.
Located in a nondescript business park in Columbia, the bright blue glow of Xenia Greek Kouzina will take you by surprise. The lighting, a reflection of the marine-colored furnishings inside, will transport you to a Greek island. The menu is a combination of modern Greek cuisine with some culinary inventiveness.
The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They are always ready to answer any questions and provide recommendations. The food is always fresh and delicious, especially the saganaki which is one of the most popular dishes.
The ambience is very nice and the service is great. It’s a great place for a date night or to have a group dinner with friends. It’s a little pricey but worth it. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.