Worth Visiting around North Corfu Yes I do have my favourites. We were concerned about our daughters going off on their own to enjoy the night life, what parent would not be, but the last thing the Greek people want is any youngster getting very drunk or into trouble. I am now concerned though that some 'clubs' are open until after 4am, serving 15 year olds and under and use every ploy available, like free shots (drinks), to get youngsters inside. This was confined to Sidari but it seems to have spread to Melitsa. You won't see many young Greek girls drinking in these places, they are not allowed to. The problem is once one bar starts something the rest follow like cattle. No bar that gives free shots to children will intentionally be on this site. Let me know please. What to look for - Tavernas Real Greek food and not tourist Greek food. Greek food like Greek mums cook is not easy to find. Yes you can by frozen Mousaka in tinfoil boxes. (Tastes pretty good to me) Have a look at the size of the menu, can they REALLY cook all that fresh every day. Greek tavernas are places people meet, eat, drink and talk. Belly dancers, cheap look alike booze, cheap cola on tap are not Greek tavernas. These places are tourist traps. What to look for - Poolside Snack Bars I have seen pools where you could hardly see the bottom. It takes a lot of time and expensive chemicals to keep a pool clean. If the water is clear and sparkles you can be pretty sure it is safe. Do not expect to eat a high class Greek or English meal. The one exception is 'THE ENGLISH BREAKFAST'. To me the quality of this item says a lot about the snack bar you are in. As the years have gone by bacon and sausages have become more like ours in the UK. Some still serve frankfurters and tiny bacon floating in cold oil. Don't be frightened by Greek food names. Mousaka is almost cottage pie and stiffado is beef stew with tomatoes, etc. I'll be hung for saying that. Have a look at the recipe page. If you find anywhere that is just that bit special please let me know. There are a few bars / tavernas that serve cheap booze, etc below. They have been added only because the items stated are good and I have been asked to include them by email several times. One or two tavernas are offering something special not on the menu and then charging double what it is worth. If you are tempted by one of these 'offers' check the price first. One last point. It is very difficult to decide which tavernas and bars to have listed. If I get good email about a place it is in, if I get several bad it is out. I do check the new ones when I am there but it takes time. Please email me if you have any complaints about the places suggested. Tavernas, clubs and bars do change managers and staff and it is impossible to re-visit every one each year. It would be fun trying to though. Local Wine We were not wine drinkers, we are now. Some of the local Greek plonk (sorry Demitri) is very nice. Very cheap when served with your meal. (Completely different taste to that country that thinks it is the wine and food centre of the world.) Just my opinion of course. Sidari Mimosa Hotel I am going to break my rule about advertising but under the circumstances I feel that the Hotel Mimosa deserves a special mention. Very few places on Corfu cater for invalids and those that are not a sprightly as they were. The Mimosa and the new Mimosa Markos have lifts and ramps, etc. They are run by two Englishmen who really do care. For details please see the 'Useful Links and Telephone No's Page. The Italian Quote from Jerry. Would entirely recommend the 'Italian' owned by Hilary (English) and her Italian husband. We went there twice, the food was superb both times. Several very good emails about the Italian like 'excellent cuisene' and 'highly recommend'. Athena Restaurant I have had so many email lately about this restaurant that I have to include it although I have never tried it out. I hope that it lives up to the praise that I have recieved like 'the bon fillet is smashing'. Green Haven Quote from Jes. Green Haven situated in the little village of Agios Ioannis ( Far - far end of Sidari Beach towards Corfu Town, turn right). Plenty of room for children to run about, tasty food and very pleasant service. Friday night there are Greek dancers. Please say you heard about Stamatis on the Internet, it would make him very happy. Midas Jewellery Shop After visiting a few other Greek Gold shops (re - replacement wedding ring) and getting totally confused by the high pressure Greek sales girls it was such a relief to get help and advice from Debbie. The English valuation when I got home was double what I paid. Bournis We found a taverna 3 days into our holiday on Long Beach called "Bournis" and had our evening meals there the remainder of our holiday! We had a three course meal with coffee for 2000 drachma. Diamond & Scorpion Quote from Trefor Our favourite restaurant ( we eat there at least 5 times per week) is the Diamond and our favourite bar is the Scorpian both at the North end of town. Also Costas at the Scorpian bar across the road runs an excellent bar (yes as you stated with Sky Sports on three televisions) ((what fun)) Dolis - Crossroads at Eastern end of Sidari From 'Cowboy' :- A take away or sit down snack bar open almost all hours. The Greeks use it ( and I did ). The slouvaki ( kebabs) are very good. ((I agree)) Often very busy but when things slow down Doris likes a Sprite with wine and a chat. Romano's - Evangelia's Taverna. Quote from Karen (thanks). 27/07/00 The restaurant Romano/Evagelina is now up at Zafiris apartments near the Canal De Amour.They have turned the old reception area into a restaurant and Evangelina and her two sons are working there. Lovely setting in the evening and food excellent - excellent pizzas and spaghetti dishes and superb Greek cooking. Instead of rather ropy bread you get warm pitta bread which bears no resemblance to the stuff we get here in taste or appearance! Quote from Jo and Laura My friend and I have just returned a week ago from a brilliant holiday in Sidari. Looking back to this page there are a few places I would like to mention. Aqualand is a must and the Grand Tour, ive heard was excellent!!! Horse riding was interesting and can be booked at Sellas Travel for 5000drs, good way to see the country side!!!!!! and highly recommended. Boat trips are nice especially to the smaller islands!!! 1)Theo's and Billy's A brilliant cocktail bar with kareoke and fab music 2)Pizzeria Valencia (i think is its name) Very tasty and large pizzas for a very reasonable price. Litsa'a Place At the end of Sidari 70 meters past the turn off for Melitsa and Peroulades on the right hand side is a very small taverna. The tea is the best in Sidari according to my wife. They are nice, friendly people. The landlady speaks perfect English and her husband smiles a lot (2001 - and has learned a little English. Garden Restaurant A huge breakfast with plum tomatoes, English bacon, sausage, mushrooms and beans. Followed by a seperate plate of fried bread, toast and marmelade. You also get free access to the Internet for 15 minutes. The price was 1400 Dr ( not cheap but sounds good value.) Another says Bollero's is huge and very good value. All inclusive with fruit juice or coffee. Margarita's The best restaurant we have found now is Margarita's at the far end of Sidari. We went there last year and had most of our meals there. The owners are Nikosand Athena. He does a very good Mezzi, and excellent Lobster (which you do have to order - a spiny lobster - it's not Cray fish) and bon fillet steak not to be mistaken for the cheaper option on the front of the menu, although even that is good . You can see the chef cooking in the kitchen. The service is excellent and they are very proud of their cuisine (he even does his own 'chips' in oil and herbs - excellent) and its justly deserved. Blue Horizon Quote from Chris :- I would like to ask you to include one more taverna amongst those you mention for being 'special': the Blue Horizon. This is situated on the road from Sidari to Roda on the right just after the mini- market Zoom (which is on the left). A steep slope from the road leads to a flight of steps, with the Blue Horizon at the top. From here there are marvellous views over the Bay of Sidari, especially good at sunset. The food was excellent and the prices among the cheapest we came across. Not a 'fast food' outlet, and you have to be prepared for meals to arrive one by one rather than all together but certainly worth the wait! We liked the place so much that we enjoyed several meals there during our two week holiday. Quote from Krista:- I did find a lovely restaurant called 'Venetia's, its a lovely, well priced Italian that serves the best food that I ate whilst there. I also found (I did a lot of searching) a gorgeous little bar by the main supermarket (opposite the BP garage) called 'Kouros Bar' owned by a lovely British lady and a Greek man. The drinks are cheap and well done. Would also recommend this supermarket for incredibly cheap booze, huge bottles of Archers which are normally about £9-12 were only 2000 dr. Quote from Sheree :- Olympic Taverna This is the 4th email I have had about this lively holiday taverna. Julia, (mum) Jenni and Joe liked it a lot. Especially the food and sparklers on the ice cream. In Sidari the Olympic restaurant put on a show by waiters at 9.15pm for Zorbas dance ending with swinging somersaults from the rafters, a quick break then 9.45pm with fire dancing and tables picked up in their teeth, again a break then another show at 10.15pm. Everything and everyone stopped as they were passing to see these shows. (I agree.) Calypso Star for trip to see underwater, sea lions, etc. good value, (see photo's). Night Clubs and Bars My daughters and their friends have recommended the following bars and clubs for teenagers. OO La La, Ceasars, Calypso, Faro's and Bolero's. I have never used any of these (except Bolero's to eat) as I don't want to bump into my daughters and friends. The last thing they want is to see me. Unless of course it is the end of the first night (morning) and they are totally legless and need somebody to hold the bucket. One was grasping the toilet, one was hanging over the end of the bed - green, another was looking vacant and calling upon the good Lord. The last one was on the floor between the beds. They always do it - never learn. Not like me of course. Quote from Cheryl Tequila Bar serves a brilliant Mexican whilst Athena, Oassis and the Margahrita steak house serve brilliant food!!! Quote from Caroline Symposia owned by Nikos and Effie - recommended. Perros bar - Megali Beach - Claudio - excellent food and facilities. El Greco oldest bar in Sidari also at the East end owned by an English couple Jenny and George. Traditional Greek food as well as English. Sunday lunch is excellent and lamb off the spit. Greek dancing Wed. and Sat. Melitsa The Rock One of the oldest tavernas in the area. Very good for sea food. The Rock is actually in The Canal De Amour area and has a lovely view out to sea. Internet Shop Just before the bridge over the 'river' ? there is an Internet shop on the right. Unfortunately the setup has a little way to go before the system is quite right. It can be rather slow as the PC there thinks it's part of a network and wonders off looking for it's mates. The cost is 2000Dr for half an hour (£4). The monthly charge for an Internet provider (ISP) in Greece is much higher than the UK. To my knowledge there are no free ISP's in Greece. Anna's 150 meters from the sea on the left there is a nice cheap little taverna. The food is good value for money especially if you have a family to feed. Dorella's Requested by Kamran About 10 minutes walk towards Peroulades from Melitsa. Dorella's is a small family run taverna that has a lovely atmosphere, good food and service and is often frequented by the locals in the evening. Please see 'The Long Walk'. Peroulades Just a walk through this lovely old Greek village. Few tavernas. Please drive carefully and slowly. A visit to the one or two shops is worth the time. Longas (Sunset) Beach Panorama About another kilometre and you come to Longas Beach and the large Panorama taverna and bar. Just walk to the end of the road leading to the cliffs. Panorama is a lovely spot at any time but with a drink in hand and watching the sun go down it is something very special to everyone with a soul who goes there. Try the Sunset Cocktail ( struth ) and say hello to George and Spiros, the sons of the owner. My wife myself and all the tourists, Greek included, highly recommend the hospitality and Greek food, etc. The owner is Dimitris. A nice quiet gentleman. The traditional taverna plays classical Greek music quietly and the bar music is 'modern'. Take your pick. Quote from Suzanne My boyfriend and I have just returned from our first holiday to Sidari last Wednesday. On your recommendation, we took a taxi to Sunset beach one evening and had a beautiful meal at the Panorama while watching an awesome sunset. I began to feel a bit chilly once the sun had set, but it was no problem as one the waiters very kindly searched inside the Taverna for a jumper and brought one out for me to wear for the rest of the evening. Quote from Stephen Panorama at Sunset Beach sets the standard for the rest to follow, fantastic food, friendly staff and what a view. Yannis's Taverna (The locals call it 'The Coffee Shop') Yes, he's a friend. A good one. Yannis has been working for years in the Canal De Amour area and slowly re-built his taverna. Now it is finished and of course he is very proud of it. He should be. His father worked on the cruise ships as a chef. He is good, very good. Everything over charcoal. The biggest indoor barbecue I have ever seen. This is a Greek taverna, so remember a few Greek words. You wont need them but ........ Please see 'The Long Walk' Acheravi. Faros Taverna This is a lovely little taverna right on the beach in Acheravi. It is run by Maria and her husband. The food is very good value for money and the atmosphere is very friendly. One point that always impresses me is the kitchen. Theirs is absolutely spotless. Not all are. Quote from Niel:- Chrisa Hotel The Chrisa Hotel is owned and run by the Vlachos family. Mother and father - Alleka and Lefteri are so welcoming and friendly that you'll soon feel like an old friend.Their son, Nico is a lively character who does most of the day to day running of the front end of the hotel. Daughter Harulla works alongside Nico in the bar and waiting on poolside. Nothing is too much trouble for any of the Vlachos family. It is surrounded by lemon trees and is situated about 6 - 7 minutes walk from the beach down a small side street. The bar is open as long as you like and serves substantial snacks throughout the day. St Stefanos. Quote from Steve I can highly recommend the Perros bar at Aghios Stephanos not just for a excellent English breakfast but also for an excellent varied evening meal menu. We stayed at different apartments last year ( 99 ) and used Perros almost every day, this was our first visit to Corfu and of course we have fallen in love with the island and this year we are going back and staying at Perros. Anybody wanting a good family English speaking place to stay won't go far wrong staying here. Quote from 'thompsond' ? Our favourite taverna was the 2 Star Asteria' which is near the 'tee' junction near Barras Hotel.The taverna was full every night from about 9pm. It was not the cheapest, but you could get a good 3 course meal for 4 for about 14-15,000 Dr. St Stefanos Travel Noula is a friend and has helped with this web site. I have never used her travel agency, apartments or cars and I have never even seen her taverna. All I can recommend is Noula herself. Open, honest and very hard working. If you are staying in St Stefanos or nearby call in and say hello. There is a link to her web site under 'Links to Useful Sites' and one on the front page to this site. Kassiopi Quote from Helen Kassiopi was wonderful. The best retaurants were the Three Borthers (harbour), Petroni along from the main square towards Kalimonas beach Quote from Andrew :- We can recommend one of the locals for a day boat trip his name is 'Christos' and can be found on his boat in the evenings in Kassiopi harbour. He is a most wonderful character and a day trip is well worth it. Hi have just returned from a fab holiday in Corfu. Stayed in Kassiopi. Recommend Michaelangelo Village Complex just outside the town, excellent Greek Night authentic dancers, costumes,food, very resonable price. For eating Your recommendation of Kassiopi Star was spot on. Also I would add The Three Brothers overlooking the harbour, good food, good service, cannot praise them enough. Janis on the corner of the street leading form the main square, bit more expensive,very good food, overlooks a small bay, fantastic sunsets. Loved the area, Kassiopi has enough for families, teens, twentysomethings and those of us who are in the life begins bracket. Ipsos Thanks Liz Favourite Bars - We had few. Our favourite, was our 'local' as we called it just down from our apartment in the Pyrgi end of Ipsos. We couldn't pronounce the name so we called it "Gregory's" after the wonderful owner. This is not a bar, bar so to speak but actually a cake shop selling alcohol. It is very popular with the local Greeks, who come for cakes to take-away or while away the hours with Ouso. After a warm day walking or sunbathing, going to Gregory's for a beer was the highlight of our day. The beer was cheap and was served with glasses straight out of the freezer, what more could you ask for in 90 degrees !!!!!! And, they do the best Cheesecake I have ever tasted, especially if you get a carry out and eat it on your balcony at 2.00am!!!!!!!! Another favourite was at the bottom of the street, Dino's. We had some great nights here especially watching Euro 2000. It is only a very small bar on the corner, with a restaurant across a path. We never tried the restaurant it was always busy, but looked wonderful. They do wonderful cocktails. Finally, the Old Tree. This bar is about one third way along the main road (from Pyrgi end), it is one of the livelier bars with louder music, but during the beginning of the season is a very nice place. There is of course nut sellers just outside for wonderful warm cashews or pistachios. Eating Out - Breakfast every morning 50 yards from our apartment in Pyrgi village at the 'Hairy Lemon' was great and set you up for the day. 1500 Dr for full English, orange juice and coffee. There are some nice restaurants in Ipsos catering for all tastes from traditional Greek, Chinese, Kebab and burger bars. We found a wonderful restaurant in Pyrgi that had the most wonderful lamb cutlets and moussaka I have tasted. Roda. A very pretty little village near the sea shore. There are several small tavernas and bars that are good value. Thank's John D :- As you go down the main road into Roda you come to the "old" Roda village road. Down here is the Roda Park restaurant which has a sign saying it's the best restaurant in Roda and having been there I have to agree, good food and good value for money. The owner Costas and his English Partner Steve have created a place with the right atmosphere, it helps that they are both daft! they take time to get to know you and have fun with you or at your expense! My mate Dave once ordered tomato soup as he wasn't hungry and was served a bowl of water with a tomato floating in it, Costas comment? "what's the matter? too hot?", its things like that that makes you feel at home. Pool Bars in Roda worth visiting would be the Alexandros which is behind the Silver Beach hotel, run by Angelo who serves decent food, I liked his sausage and chips, the kids loved his pizzas though Spiros has a habit of serving every meal by saying "Your Moussaka sir" which does catch you out the first time! The look on Angelos face was a picture when we walked in, I never thought he would remember us after two years. As you enter Roda at the crossroads you pass the Roundabout Bar run by Vassilis and his English wife Melissa, its a nice place run by nice people, take the first turning on the right, about half a kilometre down this road you will come across the Theodoros Apts. and pool bar. The pool is open until midnight it seems and they have a few arcade games for the kids to play on which take a 100 Dr coin. A little further round from there is the Elizabeth Apts. and Kookaburra pool Bar which is run by Helen and Dimitri, the pool is shaped like Australia and they have a very nice barbecue on Saturday nights. Bars we visited were the Harbour Bar if there was a football match on, Drunken sailor (loud music & Sky sports) and the Five Roses which seemed to be showing the latest Hollywood blockbusters on video all the time. Quote from Emma. I totally agree with John D on the Roda Park. Also :- The Road Star on the sea front of the old village can also be highly recommended. Excellent food, friendly and charming staff and the most wonderful view. If you sit outside you can watch the sun setting and listen to the waves on the shore. Nothing was too much trouble. and as we were two young women travelling alone, they were protective and chivalrous. Quote from Kenny Hi, You asked, anyone who found good fish and chips in Corfu, to let you know. Well this is a thing I never eat at home as I prefer the healthier option, but, while I was in Roda, I was advised to try the cod, chips and mushy peas in Bernies Grill Room. This is by far the best fish and chips I have ever tasted...The batter was so crisp and the fish just melts in your mouth. I actually had this twice in the last week. The Lamb Chops and mint sauce are fantastic as well. For those people who miss their Sunday Roast while on holiday, Bernie does the 'Full Monty' Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes, Boiled Potatoes, Two Veg, and Gravy. Having eaten Greek the first week, in The Roda Park and Nicos, which is next door to the Roda Park, I decided to try Bernie's. Most people eating in there, wished they had found it earlier. Everyone raved about the Battered Cod and Chips...... Further Afield Aqualand - Ag Ioanis - central Corfu Ag Ioanis is situated level with Corfu Town about half way across the island. The cheapest way I believe to get there is a bus or coach to Gouvia (1000Dr) and then a taxi. A taxi from Sidari will cost about 9000Dr each way. Entry fee for the day is 7000Dr but after 3pm it is 3500Dr. Aqualand closes at 7pm. All a bit expensive. Good day out though. I suggest you check around, there may well be coach trips to Aqualand this year. Pick of the best I am going to stick my neck out here a very long way. The best taverna for Greek food, steaks, service and friendliness is at the Panorama taverna at Longas Beach. I also highly recommend the 'Sunset' cocktail, B52 and other mind blowing experiences George makes. Yannis's Taverna in Peroulades. This is real Greek hospitality. The omelettes (best I have ever tasted), lamb, keybabs, drinks, etc are all very good value. Error! Bookmark not defined. Lastly for a snack a chat and a really good cuppa try Litsa's Place just past the Sidari / Canal De Amour junction.