The best restaurants Kos

This friendly and warm tavern is always full. We come here for its family atmosphere, the service is always pleasant despite the crowds, the good homemade dishes, typical of traditional Greek cuisine and not necessarily found elsewhere: stifado, pastitsio, moussaka are in the spotlight, in other words dishes that we will reserve for the evening to avoid the digestive club at noon. Everything is delicious, the mezzedes to share are simple but fresh.

The story of Broadway is the story of a man, Kostas, who left Kos in the 1970s to try his luck as a chef in Manhattan restaurants. In the 1990s, he decided to return to his native island: he founded Broadway, at the junction of American and Greek cuisine. From his experience, he withdraws this fusion, which is both creative and accessible. Since then, he has given his place in the kitchen to the younger generation, who offer a tasty, refined but uninhibited and inspired menu. It's one of Kos' best tables.

This traditional tavern promises a pleasant break under the beautiful pergola that shades the courtyard. The cuisine offers classic dishes that are genuinely fresh, unlike many of the touristy restaurants in the area. The menu is limited but tasty, and you can sample some fine local wines. As this is a very popular address, it's best to book in the evening, especially in high season. Opt for the tables on the street to watch the world go by, or for the inner courtyard if you're looking for a little peace and quiet. Good value for money.

The Avli restaurant is a small oasis set in the courtyard of an old house: one appreciates the setting, above all. It offers very good Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, at very reasonable prices, hence the rush that can explode in high season: we recommend booking in the early evening. Otherwise, it's better to get there late to escape the well-informed crowd. Try a traditional dish, such as lamb stamnas, cooked for several hours in the oven. Take a look at the long list of wines to taste Greek grape varieties.

It's certainly one of the oldest restaurants in Kos town, and it's easy to see why it's still in business: a pleasant terrace, old-fashioned decor, music from the 1920s and, above all, good traditional cuisine, which is maintained year after year. Indulge in the house tsipouro with anchovies, kavourdisti (fried pork) and other tasty dishes. It's all about taking your time, and relaxing, as the tavern's name suggests, "Jamais le dimanche" if translated into French!

This restaurant, run by the same family for decades, is a must if you want to discover the community and gastronomy of the Turks of the Dodecanese (see Religion section at the start of this guide). The menu features Turkish-Greek specialties that will delight you after or before your visit to the nearby Asclépéion. Everything is delicious, especially the stuffed zucchini flowers and the yoghurt vegetables. As for meat, the kebabs are famous. Another stall, on the other side of the street, also sells good ice creams and oriental pastries.

Ampavris is one of the best tavernas in Kos. Located close to the town center, it's set on the road leading to the Asclepion, which, although busy, doesn't get in the way of enjoying a good meal. The family who run the restaurant are always ready to recommend the dish of the day. Try the lahano dolmades (cabbage stuffed with rice, minced meat and herbs), otherwise the stewed or grilled meats(souvlaki) are delicious. We appreciate the warm and attentive service, which is not necessarily very common in high season in Kos.

This fish tavern is pleasantly situated on the seafront, almost with its feet in the water. It's a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, who come for its reasonable prices, ideal location and fresh produce. We recommend the small fried fish, atherina, to be shared as a mezze with a nice cold beer to recover from the day's sightseeing, before tackling the more substantial dishes. Given the busy season, service can be a little slow.

Even before entering the area, we linger in front of the two-storey, century-old building, which has been nicely restored. This is undoubtedly the most pleasant tavern on Ioannou Theologou Square with, fortunately, a kitchen to match. The wine list - more than 120 - is stunning. The cuisine is simply refined, offering all the classics of Greek cuisine. In summer, the garden is lovely. Reservation recommended, as the place is very popular in this quiet and less touristic corner of Kos-ville.

This fish ouzerie and tavern is perfectly located in the small port of Mastihari: ideal for a meal before boarding for Kalymnos. Tourist in appearance, the establishment is also visited by locals who enjoy the delicious fresh fish dishes. Be careful, however, to ask if they were caught in the open sea or if they come from the fish farms of Kalymnos. And, as always, select the animal in the kitchen before confirming prices. These are reasonable.

This taverna overlooking Tigaki beach has been established for over 25 years. You'll be able to dine on a rather successful cuisine, offering the great classics of Greek gastronomy - including a good lamb kleftiko - with more international options, notably Thai following the chef's successive stays in Thailand. Vegetarians will be delighted by the à la carte selection, with no meat or fish. This establishment is also renowned for its copious breakfasts, often prepared for Northern European tourists in mind, but well worth the effort.

This tavern located set back from the seaside is renowned by the locals for its mezzedes of the sea and its fresh fish. We come here with family or friends to remake the world around many small dishes of octopus, sardines or fish caught the same day. To accompany them, you will find great Greek classics such as fava, mashed split peas or zucchini fritters. And, as always for fresh fish, go choose your animal with the waiter and ask for confirmation of the price before ordering.

Certainly, Dikeos does not offer a view of the sunset and the sea, unlike other tables in the small village of Zia. However, we recommend this option rather than its competitors for the quality of the products used in the kitchen and for the kindness of the family who are in charge. Everything is prepared homemade, the old-fashioned way, and at very reasonable prices. Meat grills and vegetable dishes are the best choice: in this mountain village, the sea is not the main source of fresh produce.

An address like no other! Lost in the heights and ruins of Palio Pyli, this small tavern offers an enchanting setting and exceptional charm. From the few tables set up outside, you can see the rocky outcrop topped by the ancient castle and, beyond, the plain stretching down to the sea, with the island of Kalymnos in the distance. The café serves breakfast, including a very good yoghurt with local honey, and also serves as a taverna with more substantial dishes. Ideal for recovering from the climb to the castle.

This tavern, a little set back from the beach, offers a pleasant wooded terrace, opening onto fields and orchards. We come here for its generous menu of simple and homemade dishes, prepared as much as possible from the products of the vegetable garden. The mint and dill tomato balls are very good. Unfortunately, this address is sometimes a little victim of its success in high season: you will have to be patient because the servers can be overwhelmed and the service slowed down. No hurry, so take your time!

This immaculate establishment, which plays the design card and tries its hand at design, is located on the waterfront in Kos-ville. A little pretentious, this restaurant specializes in seafood dishes: mezzedes of seafood and fresh fish are in the spotlight. Very well prepared, they are a little more expensive than the average: you will also pay for the frame, installed on the pleasant shaded terrace that opens onto the sea. It is a classic of Kos-ville: very popular, it fills up quickly, especially for dinner. We advise you to book in high season.

This quiet taverna in the tiny village of Asomatos is perhaps one of the best on Kos. We love the tranquil setting, the old building with its high wooden ceilings, the golden rays of the sun at the end of the day, the shady, serene terrace, the stove by which we tell ourselves we'll be back to warm up in winter... and the authentic, tasty cuisine, which changes with the seasons. The kind of address we'd like to see more of on the island of Kos... Go ahead, but be discreet!

In the abandoned village of Haihoutes, on the slopes of Mount Dikaios, this small kafeneio brings the surrounding ruins back to life. It is in this unique landscape, far from the tourist crowds of beaches, that you will find a little of the island's historic heart. It remains, despite everything, and clings to these little tables where you have coffee in silence, where you share an ouzo with a laugh, where you enjoy delicious and fresh mezzedes, where you listen to endless sessions of rebetiko under the stars and where you forget the night by joining the dance.

Historic restaurant, this tavern is located in a house dating back to 1933, restored since. Nearby you can admire the ruins of a beautiful archeological site. Lunch is a pleasant break under flowered trees. The menu is varied and the dishes are of high quality, the place is popular with both the premises and tourists.

This pleasant taverna is ideally located on the north coast of the "dolphin's tail", on the small beach and anchorage of Limnionas. To reach it, leave the main road at around Camel Beach or arrive from the plateau of Kefalos, the upper town. The solitary landscapes you pass through offer 360° views of the Aegean. At the end of the road, this small restaurant specializes in seafood and fish, which are very cheap here. Very pleasant for a break in the shade during the day, or to enjoy the sunset in the evening.