Taverna Ampeli
Tzitzifies, Zipari village (8km/5 miles from Kos town). Off the beach road 1km (1/2 mile) east of Tingaki
Cuisines: European, Greek
About
This is as close as you come in Kos to authentic Greek home cooking. Facing the sea and ensconced in its own vineyard, Ampeli is delightful even before you taste the food. The interior is unusually tasteful, with high-beamed ceilings, and the outside setting is even better. The dolmades rate with the best in Greece. Other excellent specialties are pliogouri (gruel), giouvetsi (casserole), and revithokefteves (meatballs). Even the fried potatoes set a new standard. The house retsina is unusually sweet, almost like a sherry; the house white wine, made from the grapes before your eyes, is dry and light and quite pleasing -- the red, however, is less memorable. If you're here on Saturday or midday on Sunday, the Easter-style goat, baked overnight in a low oven, is not to be missed.
