What to do and where to eat in Corfu, Greece - International Travel

by Simon Bajada

Sep 15, 2020

Photographer and cookbook author Simon Bajada is completely taken by island life - its pace, its people and its food - in Greece's northwest. From traditional dishes to flower-honey ales, there's plenty to sample and sip in Corfu. Dive right in.

Wild strawberries, bunches of freshly picked chamomile, mountain greens and fresh cucumbers, grown into unidentifiable shapes, are just some of the products showcasing Corfu’s fertile soil at the outdoor street market. Within minutes of arriving on the island, I find myself standing in the market, in front of a dozen varieties of olives, from kalamata to chalkidiki and koroneiki. The stall holder is insisting I choose which ones to sample. In my view, a city’s market is the best indicator for what kind of grazing will occur over the course of my visit, and from what I see, I’m excited!

Flying in to Corfu, you get some idea of its geography, mountainous in the north, and flatter and perhaps more arid in the south. It’s mainly in the south, in places like Kavos, that have drawn millions of tourists over the years, with many on package tours. But as I’m about to discover, particularly for food lovers, the wealth of experience lies up the coast and in the rugged hills that make up the top third of the island.

Straddling the old town walls, which appear thicker than cars, the outdoor markets have an infectious atmosphere. My enthusiasm towards the vendor’s produce is reciprocated, resulting in broken English conversations that comically fade, due to a misunderstanding rather than a lack of willingness to chat.

Banter is rife between stall holders on this hot summer’s day, and if there is any hangover from Greece’s economic woes still clouding locals’ minds it’s not evident here. There’s a sense of unity and pride for their produce. It there’s a plus to what has happened it’s this, the focus on home-grown produce instead of importing expensive products. In a way, for many, it’s prompted a trip back in time to a culture of bartering and self-sustenance. People have looked more closely into their own backyards, seeking knowledge and recipes from elders to make best use of the island’s ‘fruits’. All over the island you will find people making their own syrups, jams, yoghurts and cheeses, and neighbours share with neighbours.

The fact that this Greek outpost is situated north gives it its relatively lush fauna compared to the rest of Greece. The following day in the mountains, a world away from the bustling old town centre, the nuns of Pantokrator Abbey tell me “things grow exceptionally well here” as we sip on chilled lemonade made

from the very trees surrounding us. As part of their convent they grow olives and sell the oil and soap.

Walking from the market, the first stop is Taverna Rouvas where a prepared buffet of sorts is lunged at by huge spoons and ladles to fill the plates of many who stop by for a ‘workers’ lunch’. The spread is full of Corfiot classics: pastitsio (spiced lamb pasta bake), psarosoupa (fish soup), and fish bianco (delicately cooked fish in onion, lemon, garlic and herb sauce). Despite the midday heat beating down, these surprisingly heavy dishes are so alluring and the restaurant owners so generous, I’m privileged to try them all.

Meandering deeper into the old town, speeding scooters fly by and children play hide-and-seek, scrambling into the endless supply of nooks these streets provide. I happen upon an idyllic square in the Jewish quarter where beautiful rustic table settings spill out of the Taverna Pergola. Here, local families and tourists alike snack on share plates with cured meats, spanakokeftedes (spinach balls), soutzoukakia (meatballs in ragu), kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), and souvlaki (pork kebabs). Staff are friendly, with one veteran waiter unaware of his impressive thick Australian accent developed after living in Sydney for many years. They insist on ending the graze with ouzo for all… of course!

Grilled bream Corfu

A mosey along the Spianada, Corfu’s seaside esplanade, has been suggested but now is a must, given the food consumed! Built by the French, this pedestrian-friendly green walkway was a predecessor to Paris’ Rue de Rivoli. I pass the striking Venetian fortress that juts out off the coast and arrive in the old port where welcomed cooler, salty air rushes in off the Ionian sea.

Marina’s Tavern is last on my list. Yes there are tables out front, but entering the dining room, which features a huge ornate sideboard of glassware and spirits, and then the kitchen, it feels more like I’m at Marina’s home. The food in the kitchen only compounds this notion that Marina serves home-style cooking made with a lot of love. A huge casserole of plush capsicums stuffed with rice sits on the windowsill and there is a pot of seafood rice with mussels ready to be portioned and served.

After a taste of what Corfu town has to offer it’s time to head north. Snaking out of Corfu is one road where stunning small coastal villages intermittently pop up around bends. Namely Kouloura and Kalami. In the latter, you will find The White House Taverna, put on the map by the intriguing Durrell family who once occupied it as their home. A popular English television series about the family was made here.

Corfu2

Before winding up to the hills, I make a stop in sleepy Kassiopi Bay where crystal-clear water laps a shore of smooth stones, and a dozen or so boats anchor the shallows. I’m here to visit Nicolas Bakery, known for breads, pastries and spanakopita of the highest quality. A quick tour behind the scenes and it’s evident that over the decades very little has changed in how this place produces its tasty offerings.

The destination for dinner is Old Perithia, Corfu’s oldest village, dating back to the 14th century, nestled in the hills behind Kassiopi. After a scenic winding ascent, I arrive as the sun sets, and in the meadows surrounding the village, bees buzz around sweet-smelling wildflowers contrasted by the long shadows… it’s simply beautiful. Once home to around 1200 people, many of the buildings are in ruin and now only a handful of families remain. Of these is Kosta and Marina who have converted Kosta’s father’s kafeneion (coffee shop) into Capricorn Taverna. The ingredients do all the talking here; flare, attentive waiters and white linen are irrelevant when the mountain lamb with wild asparagus and thyme tastes this good. I can still savour the taste today.

Cured and smoked meats Corfu

The remainder of my time on the island is spent visiting small producers in the top third of Corfu, between Kalami and majestic Paleokastritsa Bay. I find a beer maker who includes flower honey in the production of his ale: a bee farmer, who between his private lot up the hill and his backyard, tends to 120 hives; a young couple who make feta; a small family-run butcher curing and smoking its own meats, and the nuns up in the mountain making their own olive oil. It’s evident this island holds a bounty of incredible produce just waiting to be discovered by those willing to head a little off the beaten track.

My appreciation for Corfiot cuisine is confounded on the night I fly out. At the airport of all places! The terminal is surprisingly quiet. I visit an empty restaurant upstairs, where I seemingly take a chance, and order a slice of moussaka from the display cabinet. After careful reheating it’s placed in front of me by a lady whose appearance and disposition is akin to the friendliest grandmother you’ve ever known. The portion melts under the slice of my knife, and it’s perfectly seasoned and spiced. I enjoy what is likely the best moussaka I’ve ever eaten. Handing back my plate, I tell her this, and there’s little convincing needed when she responds, “I know dear, come back and visit us soon.”

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