Corfu Food and Wine

One of the joys of being on holiday is eating out! On Corfu you have a selection of international cuisine - Italian, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, French and of course Greek.

Be sure to try the delicious Greek dishes on offer at many of the local Corfu tavernas and restaurants.

Start with a selection of 'mezes' including:

• Calamari
• Alias (olives)
• Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves)
• Taramosalata (fish roe dip)
• Tzatziki (yogurt, garlic and cucumber dip)
• Saganaki (cheese fried in olive oil)
• Feta cheese
• Keftedes (meat balls)
• Bourekakia (meat pies)
• Manitaria (mushrooms)
• Pickled vegetables
• Spanokeftedes (spinach balls)
• Melitzanosalata (eggplant dip)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a main meal try one of the traditional Greek dishes:

• Moussaka - Minced lamb with an aubergine (eggplant) topping, baked in the oven.
• Kleftiko - Lamb cooked with garlic and herbs.
• Souvlaki - Greek name for a shish kebab - cubes of lamb or pork, cooked on a skewer over a barbecue.
• Sofrito - Veal cooked with white wine, olive oil, garlic, onion and vinegar.
• Stifado - A veal stew with tomatoes and red wine.
• Greek salad - tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, olives and olive oil.
• Gyros - a Greek 'doner kebab' - meat cooked on a rotating grill.
• Pastitsada - layered pasta with meat and tomato filling, bechamel sauce and cheese on top.
• Arnaki Psito - roast lamb.

 

Many Corfu tavernas will have fresh fish and lobster on the menu too. Try marides (whitebait), calamari, bianco (casserole of fish in garlic, pepper and lemon juice), bourdetto (small fish baked in the oven in a sauce of oil, garlic, tomato and red pepper), xsifhia (swordfish, tomato and onion kebab).

For dessert, have the Baklava (filo pastry soaked in honey) or giaourti kai meli (yoghurt with honey).

And to drink... Ouzo is a good appetizer. It is nearly 50% alcohol (with a strong aniseed flavour) so drink sparingly!

Corfu wines include Santa Domenica (light white or red), Liapaditiko (white wine from Liapedes area), Theotoki Roppa and retsina (white wine with pine resin). Many tavernas sell wine by the jug.

And then there are the spirits of Metaxa (brandy) and Raki.

Another speciality of Corfu is "Kumquat", a liqueur made from kumquats. Ginger beer is also on the menu.

The Greek beer is Mythos. There are also plenty of international beers on sale in Corfu.

Many Greek tavernas feature live music and Greek dancing - some with the traditional plate smashing! They are a great night out.