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Traditionally, Corfiots tend to eat their main meal at midday, with simpler food in the evening. Though meat is eaten much more frequently these days, meals at home feature casseroles bulked out with lots of vegetables, such as the winter favorite fassoulada, a thick bean soup. Unless they cater to the local lunchtime trade, tavernas tend not to serve these home-style dishes, but prefer generic Greek dishes like moussaka and stifado (beef or rabbit cooked in a spicy sauce with small onions), plus the great Sunday-lunch and holiday dishes of the island, pastitsada (beef or rooster in a spicy tomato sauce served with pasta) and sofrito (beef casserole with garlic and parsley), or the third great dish of Corfiot cooking, bourdetto (fish cooked in paprika, sometimes curry-hot). In the island's resorts, tavernas will also offer grills (such as pork chops and steaks), plus omelets and (invariably frozen) pizzas. Your main courses should be preceded by a variety of dips and small salads, and perhaps some keftedes (meatballs), which you all share.
Corfiot restaurants usually take the form of psistaria, or grillrooms, where all the meat is cooked on charcoal. Most of these places also run a takeaway service, so you'll eat in the company of neighborhood families waiting in line for souvlaki, whole spit-roasted chicken, or lamb chops. The most economical choice here is pita: a wrap enclosing meat, french fries, salad, tzatziki, and sauce. Desserts are not a strong suit on Corfu, although many love karidopitta—walnut cake drenched in syrup. Locals head to a zacharoplasteio (patisserie) for a creamy cake, some baklava or galaktoboureko (custard pie). In summer, the last port of call is the gelatopoleio (ice-cream parlor). Corfu produces wines mainly from Skopelitiko and Kakotrigis grapes, all drinkable and many excellent. Most tavernas have their own house wine, served in carafes or jugs, and usually this is a good choice. Bottled water can be bought everywhere—Corfu's salty tap water is not one of its pleasures. Kali oreksi! (Bon appetit!)
Both local and international dishes are on the menu at this long-established and casually elegant restaurant on the Liston arcade. Start with a plate of steamed mussels or a salad, then move on to hearty Greek and Corfiot classics. Spicy bourdetto (fish stewed with hot red pepper) and braised lamb shanks in red wine are usually on the menu. Drinks and sweets are served from midnight to 2 am.
Everyone—not just sailors—will appreciate the spectacular location of this classy restaurant, tucked under the northern wall of the Venetian-era Old Fortress beside the yacht club harbor. The food is Greek but offers twists on traditional concepts, such as a cheese pie topped with honey, in a dish straight out of ancient times. Dishes from all over Greece include Santorini-style fava dip and a salad featuring local nouboulo ham (made from pork loin in a style similar to prosciutto) and the Greek version of ricotta.
This famous taverna (touristy but very quaint) in the charming hill village of Kinopiastes has been in business since 1936 and is still run by the same family. The fixed-price menu includes all the food and wine. It begins with an endless series of small meze plates, followed by a main course (usually spit-roasted lamb), and concludes with a selection of local and exotic fruits and desserts. Toward the end of the meal, the live music and Greek dancing begin; patrons are encouraged to join in. The floor show does not take place every night, so ask about the schedule when you call to book. The famous clientele have included Jimmy Carter, Anthony Quinn, and Jane Fonda.
Avli specializes in mezedes, so you order a selection of these small dishes for sharing rather than your own main course. The young proprietors, Vasilis (front of house) and Christos (chef) source ingredients locally whenever possible and combine them in inventive and innovative ways, such as with the pork fillet, which comes accompanied by a sauce made from Corfu-grown kumquats. Standard local classics include tsigarelli (refried greens in a spicy-hot sauce), marinated anchovies, and zucchini fritters, while delicious pies change daily according to what's available.
Blessed with a startlingly wonderful location by a wave-lapped jetty in the little waterfront Faliraki area north of the Old Fortress, En Plo offers everything from snacks and pizzas to a full meal. Enjoy mezedes, a big variety of salads, and interesting pastas.
A local favorite for lunch in town is located near San Rocco Square in the center of Corfu's commercial district. It caters particularly to residents—many of them discerning civil servants and lawyers from local offices—who savor the chef's tasty and filling traditional dishes of the day, like fried fish with garlic sauce. They might also include pastitsio (baked ground meat and pasta layered with béchamel) or the rabbit stifado (stewed with onions, tomato, and spices). You might encounter seasonal favourites such as briam, a delicious meld of summer vegetables cooked in oil.
Sitting in the "V" formed by the two streets in the village of Kato Korakiana, this taverna is where locals come to dine on wonderfully prepared local dishes. It's a good place to order several small plates and share a variety of tastes, like gigantes (giant beans stewed with tomato) or pork croquettes in cranberry sauce. Other dishes worth a try are the meatballs, grilled pork souvlaki, or one of the steaks with a classic sauce. The taverna offers two house wines: a blend of Cabernet and Merlot; or one of Agioritiko and Chardonnay. On summer weekends it is best to make a reservation, as the premises are not large.
Set at a tree-shaded crossroads in the depths of the countryside, Tristrato was formerly an old wayhouse and still retains many of the building's original features. It now functions as a contemporary Greek gastropub where the proprietor brings you a variety of whatever they've got cooking, generally a choice between meat or fish mezes with salads and dips. The food is Greek in concept but features some original tastes. The location at the head of two valleys means there's always a cool breeze for pleasant summer eating.
The stunning view from this restaurant overlooking the cliff-enclosed bay at Paleokastrisa will make you want to linger. The menu offers a bit of everything, though lobster with linguine id the signature house dish. If this is too pricey, try a nice Greek salad or moussaka instead.
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