I recently ventured to a foodie paradise in the Cyclades islands - Sifnos.
Full transparency. I haven’t been to Greece in a very long time. In fact, not for 20 years. A whirlwind culmination of kids, restaurants, and life happening far too quickly.
That 20-year gap may have hidden more treasures than originally thought.
With fully grown adults for children, and (slightly) more free time on our hands, it was time to return to Greece.
Aiming to go in the off season, we pencilled a week in May in the diary and got researching. I wanted untapped landscape, real food, Greek culture and a sense of place.
Boy, did we get that.
A young, passionate, foodie friend of mine - Lauren Smith - who travels far and wide, told me about an island called Sifnos. She has a brilliant knowledge of all things food, people and culture, so this was an opinion I trusted.
She is also a great hairdresser! Find her @laurenburgesssmith over on Instagram.
Hearing her talk of velvet smooth hummus, creamy whipped taramasalata, and goats curd salads, I was ready to jump on a plane. She added that Sifnos was an island full of creatives and foodie minds alike. It sounded right up my alley – flights swiftly booked.
Now, getting there is a little complex. Others would say an adventure. That depends on your personal viewpoint.
We flew from London Heathrow -> Athens. Taxi to Piraeus port and stayed the night at a simple hotel. Some – like my adventurous friend Lauren - get the late flight and bed down at the airport for the first ferry. Those days are behind me, that’s for sure.
We boarded the 6.30am fast ferry, stopping at Serifos, ending up in Sifnos after a two and a half hour crossing. I really felt that I had left all my headaches in Piraeus as the ferry disembarked. A pleasant journey – quick, simple and no fuss.
On arrival, we hired a cheap, simple car for the week to be able to explore the island. A good move.
We opted to stay in Faros, a small fishing village and harbour. It had all the essentials; food, beaches, lovely people and great routes for running.
Home for the week was a little boat house on the beach, linked here. A simple, one bed place in an area I highly recommend. Whilst booking our getaway, I realised how travelling two people down (no kids) brought to light new options and price differences…amazing that.
The house turned out to be a fantastic place to stay, a perfect base for the week. It was modest, but the location right on the sea was just extraordinary. A great start to my cultural immersion into Greece after 20 years away.
An exceptional bakery called Betty’s sat on our doorstep, part of the restaurant Pelicanos, which is also part of Cantina - more on that industrious lot later x
Our little boat house sat on the sea, so in the afternoon we did the obvious - we swam. Great to be back in the beautifully turquoise Greek waters.
Lunchtime. Conveniently, our apartment backed onto a small taverna called Angie’s. We got stuck into fava bean dip, grilled sardines, Greek salad with local cheese (not feta) and of course taramasalata. Sifnos’ local cheese is Xinomizithra, often replacing feta in the Greek salads of local tavernas.
That meal was extraordinary. Way beyond my expectations. It was so good we had to go back to be sure. Not just once, but four times.
It turns out that the fava beans in the dip had been cooked in olive oil as a confit. They are then added to fried onion and finished with capers. Served warm and overlooking the sea… hello! Absolute bliss.
That night we dined at Pelicanos. Excellent bar and cocktails. Lovely grilled wild seabass.
I trusted the sommelier and she went with a chilled Greek red - we drank Markovitis, nice and light. Really delicious and landing somewhere between a Nebbiolo and Pinot. Wonderfully balanced, with its savoury tomato and olive notes.
What grows together and all that.
Dining at Cantina was a special highlight from our time on Sifnos. I’ve heard a lot about this place, and it delivered in spades.
Hard to find. Hard to get to. Even harder for the team to get produce too - they use a mule!
Dinner was 80 odd euros and worth every penny. In fact, I would pay just that for the view. Lovely people, great wines, and a real immersion into Greece!
This is modern Michelin-level dining. Cantina had a real sense of place, the sort of establishment people travel to from far and wide to eat at. I can absolutely see why – Bravo.
We also dined at Omega3.
Different to Cantina, but no less charming.
Located on a beach, the set-up is rather like my Upstairs. High tables, small plates and a dedicated wine programme. Obviously, our view outside is Clapham Old Town, not the Aegean Sea.
The cooking was excellent. Snapper crudo, squid cacio e pepe, raw prawns in tomato dressing, John Dory in saffron sauce - you get the idea. A balance of modern and well-thought dishes, with brilliantly sourced ingredients.
Our chocolate dessert resembled Dougal from The Magic Roundabout (pictured below), which got a laugh.
Great team and a wonderfully relaxed setting.
One day, we drove to Kástro and parked at the entrance to the ancient village. Had a wander, enjoyed the views and the beautiful old houses. We took the trail to the small church of Epta Martyres (Church of the Seven Martyrs), where we sat alone on a rock over the sea - a real highlight for us, feeling completely disconnected from back home, living in the moment.
If you like running, this is a great trail to explore.
Another highlight of staying in Faros was having Chrysopigi Taverna on our doorstep. It is the taverna on the beach, close to the church of Chrysopigi (Monastery of Panagia Chrissopigi) . You must try their Caper Salad and the traditional Sifnos Chickpea Soup. The squid cooked in wine was also terrific.
For our whole time on the island, we only ate one lunch that wasn’t truly excellent – but that is not to say it wasn’t still good. For a week in a place, you’ve never been too - I’ll take that!
My love affair with Greece has well and truly been rekindled. The seas are beautiful, clear, and brimming with fresh fish. The people are as lovely as ever, and the food!
I can only speak for Sifnos - but the food is on a whole other level to what I experienced when I ventured over as a 20-year-old man.
Greece and its islands are romantic, beautiful, hot and balmy. The journey is significant enough to feel like you are truly away, and the people have such wonderful hospitality and charm.
For me, the food was a real highlight, and I hope I’ve shone light on a destination you may not have been familiar with. I also hope this encourages you to book your own flights, to fall in love with Sifnos as I have.
Enjoy,
Adam x
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After 20 years of Trinity in the making, this 2-in-1 book - Trinity: The Cookbook and Trinity Repertoire - is a culmination of my life’s work and everything that has made Trinity.
Happy cooking
Adam x
To add to your wonderful article try Kelari in Peto Petali for fantastic Greek cooking and also O φελος, in Ano Petali . Recently opened and really creative food. And easier to get a booking there than for your new restaurant Rosina ( we have tried!).
Also don’t forget the amazing pottery in Sifnos. There are still 16 potteries left in the island my favourite being Lembesis in Artmenonas .
Good luck with your new restaurant 😁
I love Sifnos !!