Part of the eastern Cyclades, Sifnos flourished in ancient years, especially in the 6th century BC, due to the gold and silver mines and the rock quarries that were located on the island. There are many speculations on the origin of its name, among them one that supports that its name comes from the Greek adjective “sifnos” that means “empty” and refers to the mines’ underground tunnels, but there’s also a myth that supports that the name came from the son of the Attic hero Sounios, who was called Sifnos.
Today, it is known for its crystal-clear waters, its all-white traditional villages with the quaint alleys, its pottery workshops, the poets who come from there, such as Gryparis, Rampagas and Provelengios, as well as its amazing cuisine. Birthplace of Nikolaos Tselemedes, in whose honour the Cycladic Gastronomy Festival is organized every September on the island, it’s home to unique restaurants that make a strong mark on the culinary scene of the Aegean and Greece in general. We travelled to Sifnos and recommend three such restaurants that offer a complete dining and entertainment experience.
Cantina
Built on the rock of Seralia beach, the old scenic village cantina maintains its traditional appearance and, today, contains the gastronomic treasure of the amazing chef Giorgos Samoilis. Cantina restaurant overlooks the crystal-clear waters and the Cycladic houses of the famous Kastro, offering unforgettable moments of relaxation and enjoyment. The hospitality is unique, and the food is simply divine.
Giorgos, one of the owners and executive chef, together with head chef Lydia Ioannidou and chef Konstantina Kasparidou, creates a memorable culinary feast in a small, open kitchen where at least five people work at any given time without making the slightest noise. “Our aim is to provide quality and delicious food and also to ensure that the restaurant has a positive influence on society, the environment and the promotion of the island,” George tells us. The excellent ingredients –fish, vegetables, meat– mainly come from Sifnos, while some products are sourced from other select islands. Following a “zero waste” philosophy, the restaurant uses all parts of the animal, such as the tongue and cheeks, making special mezze, while the fish guts are used to make garum, an ancient sauce that is used as a flavour enhancer in many of the kitchen’s recipes.
Also, to avoid the use of plastic, the restaurant has installed a filtration system that enriches the water with trace minerals, making it more balanced and tastier, and offers it to guests free of charge. Thus, with excellent ingredients, high-level techniques and years of knowledge and experience, the kitchen wizards have created an imaginative rustic gourmet menu with familiar, authentically Greek flavours that includes fresh, delicious appetizers and amazing main dishes with meat and seafood. The availability of raw materials changes frequently and with it, the dishes change almost daily, always maintaining their deliciousness, creativity, and amazing textures. One of Cantina’s epic delicacies is the marinated fish – longfin tuna, mullet, or other available fish– with Greek salad juice, fermented tomato and cucumber, homemade vinegar, oregano, samphire, pursley, and limited production organic olive oil from Antiparos. Being an amazing version of Greek ceviche, it is served with toasted sourdough bread, making the “traditional” bread dip unavoidable. The smoked aubergine with herbs and pickles is amazing, as is the chickpea panisse, the fava bean crepe with wild greens, xynomyzithra, smoked beetroots and caper leaves, the grilled calamari in a cast iron skillet and the braised sauteed mutton with couscous from Limnos and Sifnos manouri. The desserts are equally remarkable and creative, like the famous ice cream bread with burnt butter and jam. The wine list with labels from the Greek and international vineyard embraces the meal brilliantly. Cantina restaurant, one of the best in the Cyclades, has a distinct identity and is undoubtedly a must while staying in Sifnos and an excellent reason in its own right to visit the island.
Address: Seralia Beach, Kastro, Sifnos
Telephone: + 30 22840 35395
Website: cantinasifnos.gr
Instagram: cantina_sifnos
Bostani Bar & Restaurant
The elegant Verina Astra Hotel in Poulati, Sifnos, is home to Bostani, a bistronomy restaurant with excellent cuisine using great techniques, with an environment that epitomizes elegant and relaxed luxury. Built within a heavenly garden with tasteful plants, rustic architecture, and chic décor with earthy colours, Bostani overlooks the Aegean Sea offering unparalleled, panoramic views of the endless blue sea and of the Cycladic sky. The predominant elements of stone and natural wood are masterfully intertwined and make references to the nature and trails of Sifnos which harmoniously link its beautiful villages. Below the restaurant there is a garden that supplies it with vegetables and herbs.
The open kitchen, headed by renowned chef Nikos Thomas (Simul), becomes one with the restaurant. Head chef Martha Zika and her team rely on top quality Greek and international products and offer an amazing creative journey through the flavours of Sifnos, the Aegean and the Mediterranean. “We use many techniques and ingredients, but we don’t want to bore our guests with all the details,” says Giannis Arvanitis, the restaurant’s manager and the hotel’s F&B manager, adding “we focus our attention on raw materials, and the aesthetics of our dishes, as the customers’ first contact with the food is visual, and, of course, on the maximum possible tastiness of our cuisine.” The excellent menu, with its cool raw and cold dishes, the amazing appetizers and the juicy hot ones, features delicious dishes, including strawberry tomato with Greek salad juice, Armenian cucumber and stamnotiri cheese with Chios mastic, beef carpaccio with kumquat, mustard seed and pickled radish, nduja and smoked herring eggs, squid with white beans, chutney with local sausage and fermented leeks, Sifnos chickpea stew with beef marrow and crayfish, as well as goat stew with artichoke, asparagus and salted egg yolk with sumac. The desserts are traditional but particularly creative, including the mango rice pudding with the scattered puffy rice on the velvety cream, and the choco pops and tapioca biscuit. The cocktails, such as the Pornstar Martini with vodka, chili, passion fruit and herbs, created by Tasos Korakis, are truly amazing and are the perfect way to start the Bostani experience. Greek and international labels of remarkable wines accompany the meal amazingly. Aiming at the relaxation and pleasure of its guests, Bostani places no time limit on how long a guest can remain at the table. With stunning surroundings, great hospitality, and amazing views, Bostani offers an exquisite bistronomy experience with truly delicious food on the tranquil island of Sifnos.
Address: Verina Astra Hotel, Poulati, Sifnos
Telephone: + 30 698 172 3727
Website: verinahotelsifnos.com/bostani-bar-restaurant/
Instagram: bostanibarandrestaurant
NÓS
Inside the elegant NÓS Hotel & Villas in Faros, Sifnos you’ll find the homonymous restaurant. Its name comes from the way the locals pronounce the island, cutting the name in half (Sif-NÓS). It also refers both to the Latin pronoun “we”, expressing the hotel’s philosophy of seeking a connection between its guests, and to Homer’s “NÓStimon imar”, the desired day of Odysseus’ return home, thus emphasizing the kitchen’s focus on local ingredients and familiar flavours of Greece. With the stone and Cycladic white that blend harmoniously, with the spaces and corridors that resemble cobbled streets and with the opening around the restaurant and the huge swimming pool that resembles a village square, NÓS gives the feeling of a small island within Sifnos, while the beautiful view of the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea, the bright sky and the houses of Faros create a very relaxing, pleasant setting. The stunning environment is complemented by the excellent cuisine of the famous chef Athinagoras Kostakos (Nóema, Scorpios, Loco).
As with other projects of the chef in Greece and abroad, his close collaborator Nikitas Pirgis and head chef Gerasimos Mitrakis who executes the menu with mastery, stand by his side. “Our cuisine is based on the excellent ingredients of the Cyclades, but with the passage of time it will acquire a more Sifnian character, with more ingredients and traditional recipes from the island. We want to have a steady, fixed menu that serves as a kind of story telling for Sifnos,” says Athinagoras. The extensive list includes fresh raw dishes, amazing appetizers, fresh salads, and well-cooked main courses with juicy meats and fresh fish and seafood. Among the menu’s delicious dishes are the sea bream carpaccio with fresh sea urchin and basil gremolata, the white tarama with smoked sardine eggs, the local goat cheese spread with hot Cretan pepper that is mixed at the table allowing guests to choose how hot they want it, the spanakopita salad with all the ingredients of a traditional spanakopita (spinach pie) served with honey and lemon oil, the lobster giouvetsi with fresh tomato, bisque and garlic oil, and the beef cheeks pasticcio with cheese bechamel, truffle oil, cheese ravioli and beef sauce. The desserts end the meal on a sweet note. For the wines they have created their own wine cellar with quality bottles from the Greek and international vineyards. With professional service, delicious food, and a warm environment, NÓS is a tasty oasis in Sifnos.
Address: NÓS Hotel & Villas, Faros, Sifnos
Telephone: + 30 22840 28957
Website: stayatnos.com/restaurant/
Instagram: stayatnos
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