Do you choose your destination because you want to see somewhere new or on the comforting familiarity of being having been before? For the amount of max sun hours and min rainfall per day? Do you decide based on price, ease of getting there or because it just looked so damn inviting on Insta? There’s a zillion reasons for why we pick our next destination and for me a key part is the availability of good food (inserts lol emoji here) -nearly always!
The Greek Islands are for me are have always been a go to for a quick week in between holiday. Greece not only delivers on delicious dining but also ticks the box for sun, beautiful scenery with so much to see, wonderful people and there’s somewhere for every budget.
Rhodes in particular is a place I am lured back to year on year and I think by now I’ve travelled every inch of the Island. I’ve seen all the Island’s main attractions and beauty spots, sunk my toes in the sand of all the beaches and found some secret spots too. Like a small family wine grower with a little shop to taste and buy his wares way up in the mountains. That was perhaps also the best sunset spot too -looking out to Turkey in the distance.
Still it continues to enchant and on my most recent visit I found yet more eateries with one in particular in Pefkos standing out; Tsambikos. On a steep hill on the main road from Pefkos to Lindos is a family run bakery and cafe -all the locals flock here daily. Round the side a ramp takes you to the restaurant owned by the same family. This rooftop level is super smart and modern with glass and oak panelling and guests are greeted so warmly. But the first thing you notice is the view as Tsambikos has panoramic views looking out across the whole of Pefkos, towards Lindos and the sea beyond.
We booked a table (advised) that took perfect advantage of said view! It was such a romantic and special way to spend an evening and when the menu is delivered the experience carries on. A wonderfully diverse selection displayed visually on ipad -choose and order directly to the kitchen or with the waiters -mostly family, who will passionately give opinion on “what’s good tonight!”
In fact is was good, so good we booked again for the end of our break and both meals were just as good, the service even better on the second visit as they were genuinely happy that we loved it enough to go back. The first visit we went all out -I had the seafood special platter and Mr Mc had the steak which he says was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The seafood consisted of mussels, squid, grilled octopus, seabass and king prawns and all were wonderfully fresh and cooked by a chef who obviously knows how to ‘do fish’.
The second visit saw Mr Mc quite predictably (the steak had been so good) continue down the meat line with a mixed grill of sorts and I this time I opted for Carbonara. Again each delivered on flavour, the pasta dish rivalling some really great Italian haunts I’ve been to in the past for sure!
There’s also the accompaniments and appetizers brought to the table with the menus; the bloody mary soup was delish! Onto desserts which are hard to resist and even if you think you have no room left at all -they”ll tempt you to try and it’s worth it. These are made and served more traditionally and less ‘out there’ than the mains -well they are a bakery! Find anything from cheesecake to baklava all done incredibly well.
So throw in the views and a good bottle or two of blush anything (other wines are available) and you’re guaranteed to have yourself a super evening!
Tsambikos have just recently announced their opening for the summer season; posting awe inspiring pics of that view on their social pages -I just had to remind myself of my nights there and sharing with you is the best way to do so.
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