A foodie guide to Kos

What to eat in Kos: The local products

Tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, pulses of all kinds, grapes, melons, watermelons, peaches… the list goes on. Whatever comes to mind when you think of the famed Mediterranean diet, you’ll find it on the menu in Kos. But there are some foods and local products that are worth highlighting because they are characteristic of Kos.

Take honey, for example. Beekeeping is a trade that can be traced back to antiquity on Kos and it’s fair to assume that the bees of 2,000 years ago fed on thyme and other wild herbs, giving the same special flavour to their honey as that which will sweeten your holidays in Kos today. Indeed, honey is found on every breakfast table on the island and is used in all sorts of local dishes, much of it coming from apiaries around Kefalos and Antimahia, the two biggest honey-producing areas. If you really want to dig deep, there is a honey factory (called Melissa … Greek for bee) on the road to Kefalos, which has been run by the same family for more than a century. As well as picking up a jar of organic honey, you can learn more about the history of beekeeping on Kos and be introduced to other beeswax products like royal jelly and soaps.

Even more characteristic of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil and olive groves are found all over Kos. You’ll enjoy the distinctive taste of Kos’ olive oil in just about every meal and can easily pick up a bottle to take home with you. But why not take the experience a step further by visiting an olive oil factory and learning about the modern and traditional cold press techniques. The third-generation Hatzipetrou Olive Oil Factory near Marmari beach has machinery used by the family’s ancestors and sells a collection of olive oil-related products like pastes and jams as well as extra-virgin olive oil and jarred olives. Likewise, the Papadimitriou family has an olive oil factory you can visit in Zipari, where can learn more about Kos’ liquid gold.

Your third classic local product from Kos is posas or krasotiri, a soft cheese made from goat’s or sheep’s milk with a characteristic red skin and subtle taste that comes from the residue of the boiled red grape skins in which the cheese matures. There are plenty of other cheeses produced on Kos (strong and spicy feta, smooth and creamy mizithra and anthotiro and many others) but krasotiri (which translates as wine cheese) is the only one on the island to be awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the EU.

And your final treat is what Greeks refer to as a ‘spoon sweet’, fruit or vegetables preserved in an unctuous sugar syrup and enjoyed with Greek yogurt literally whenever you get the urge. There are spoon sweets made from pears, grapes, figs, cherries, oranges … you name it. Even aubergines! But on Kos the most characteristic spoon sweet is glyko tomataki (sweet little tomato). It’s a delicacy made in households and by confectioners in July and August when the characteristically long and thin variety of tomato known locally as vergaki (pomodoro) comes into season. Preparing it is an art form, involving cinnamon, vanilla, almonds and lemon juice, a big pot and a lot of love.

What to drink in Kos: Wines and refreshments

They’ve been making wine on Kos since the days of Hippocrates, who recommended a glass or two as part of a healthy and balanced diet. That said, today’s vineyards (found mostly on the limestone-rich lower slopes of Mt Dikeos) are fairly recent additions to the Kos foodie map. Ktima Arkani offers a selection of wine tastings and a vineyard tour and comes with the bonus of views towards the islands of Kalymnos and Pserimos) and at Hatzinikolaou Winery (closer to Kos town and also offering wine tasting and vineyard tours), you’ll learn about the founder’s pioneering efforts to revive a nearly extinct local grape variety known as Mavrothyliko (Black Lady). Since 2008, it has been awarded Protected Geographical Indication status. Alternatively, you can just pop into vineyards (such as Volcania Winery near Kefalos) and pick up a bottle. All of Kos’ vineyards will have grape varieties you’ll be familiar with … Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc etc as well as Greek favourites like Assyrtiko and Malagouzia.

And lastly, a couple of thirst-quenching tips that are as unexpected as they are refreshing. You can’t get more traditional than either the drink or the setting of the first one, as you head to a kafeneion (coffee house) in a Kos village and order yourself a kanelada. It’s a soft drink that zings with cinnamon and clinks with ice cubes that’s perfect for a cooling stop while you’re exploring Kos’ villages. And your second tip is aloe vera juice … yes, you read right! Aloe Vera is cultivated on Kos to make cosmetics and marmalades and – when mixed with fresh orange and pomegranate juice – another cooling summer drink sold in delis.

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