The Ionian Islands are not just a feast of natural beauty for the eyes but offer a delicious feast of local dishes and produce. From olive oil to honey, local food producers and growers have farmed these islands for centuries. Today, both residents and visitors can enjoy exploring the local markets, visiting speciality shops and dining out in tavernas and restaurants that offer traditional Ionian dishes and Greek cooking with an Italian influence from centuries of Venetian rule.
Ionian’s sunny climate and ancient history influence food today
Agriculture across the Ionian Islands is a consistent thread; the combination of fertile soil, the topgraphy and a warm sunny climate allow a large variety of produce to be grown and cultivated. Some of the best olive oil, honey with its distinctive flavour, plump figs, many vegetables, along with lamb, beef and fresh fish, handmade cheese and fruit liqueurs and local wines are all produced on the islands.
What’s on the local menu?
Food produced and created on the islands offers an unforgettable gastronomic experience and will have you coming back for seconds! Traditional and renowned local dishes include:
- Bourdetto – a scorpion fish cooked in a rich red spicy tomato sauce
- Pastitsada – a pasta dish served with braised beef, pork or chicken in a cinnamon tomato flavoured sauce
- Sofrito – slow-cooked veal with a herby garlic white wine sauce
- Savoro – a signature dish using freshly fried fish, quality vinegar, wine and herbs
- Bianco – is a traditional Corfu fish recipe served in a garlic, lemon sauce with potatoes and black pepper
- Sofigadoura - from Zakynthos is chopped lamb’s liver passed through a straw and baked
Several of the islands produce food that is unique to them a village; in Lefkada the village of Eglouvi is famed for its unusual lentils and also a pork charcuterie called Noumboulo, originating from the Venetians, the dry aired salami is cured with sea salt and spices, then marinated in wine.
Across the Ionian Islands generations of local cheese makers have been making delicious cheeses - Kefalotyri, Graviera, Prentza, Latotyri from Zakynthos.
Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy trying pasteli bars flavoured with sesame seed and honey, puddings from Kefalonia such as Pastokydono and Mandoles, pudding of Cephalonia.
Locally harvested kumquats are widely used across the Ionian in marmalades, jams, puddings and liqueurs and a raisin called Stafida is full of sweet flavour.
For the Ionian larder and wine cellar
Honey
Produced by dedicated expert beekeepers throughout the Ionian Islands, their honey is excellent in quality and packed with delicate flavour, helped by the perfect climate.
Herbs
Since ancient times herbs have been foraged from steep hillsides across the Ionian Islands, used for medicinal purposes and cooking by drying them naturally without any chemical processing.
Olive Oil
Olive trees are prevalent across the Ionian Islands, thriving in the soil and climate. The production of olive oil locally is extra virgin and renowned for its purity and quality, widely used in the Mediterranean diet and a healthy staple for all islanders.
Wine and Beer
Increasingly local wines have been developed under the favorable climaticvconditions, with mild winter and dry hot summer that encourage vines to produce robust, rich grape varieties. Several of the Ionian Islands produce their own wines such as Kefalonia’s Robola, Moschato and Mavrodafni, Augustiatis and Gustolidi from Zakynthos, Corfu’s distinctive Kakotrygis and Petrokoritho as well as its ginger beer, Tsitimbira, and Vardea and Vertzamo produced on Lefkada.
