Koan Foods You Must Try When You Visit Kos
When you visit Kos, you should try Koan foods to experience the authentic cuisine of the island. The local cuisine is primarily Greek and Mediterranean, counting on seasonal produce sourced locally. Fishing villages and seafront resorts serve fresh, catch-of-the-day fish and seafood, while, in the mountains, products derived from animal farming (goats, sheep, etc.) form the basis of the menu.
No matter where you are on the island, try the Koan foods. The gastronomy is not complex – “gourmet” avant-garde creations are rare. Instead, you will enjoy honest food like the Koan grandmothers cooked for ages. Most dishes are rooted in tradition and, because they are fixed from scratch, with locally sourced, mainly organic ingredients, the taste makes up for the lack of creativity. Resort restaurants plate these Koan foods to impress you, but the taste remains authentic. In tavernas, you enjoy a meal just like a local.
Must-try Koan foods on Kos
- Posa cheese – a traditional Koan food, it is goat’s cheese matured in red wine. Ask for it in restaurants, or buy it at the Kos Town Market. The posa cheese is used to make the traditional Katines cheese pies for the day of the Assumption.
- Pligouri with pork – a Koan dish made with bulgur simmered in pork broth and served either with boiled pork or with roasted pork and (occasionally) chickpeas. A nice recipe to try at home too.
- Pitaridia – a Koan food similar to lasagna and traditionally served at weddings or other festive events.
- Marmarites – traditional Koan pancakes baked on marble, then served with honey, or dipped in eggs and refried.
- Poylakia Asfendiana – delicious almond pastries.
- Sweet cherry tomatoes – simply cherry tomatoes, peeled and marinated in milk or lime juice, then stuffed with almonds and marinated in sugary water overnight. Then cooked and served hot.
Kos is also famous for its honey and wine. Visit the local markets to try the produce and enjoy the Greek breakfast featuring local foods at Achilles Main Restaurant at Astir Odysseus Kos Resort & Spa.