Gastronomy – VisitNafpaktia

Traditional dishes and products

Nafpaktia is a place blessed by nature. Its fertile fields, plains, pastures, orchards and olive groves give the inhabitants and visitors a wealth of goods. This is where the gastronomic tradition of the area is based, which will satisfy even the most demanding palates!

Whether it’s fresh seafood or delicious traditional local meat recipes, accompanied by savory and sweet pies, good wineor local tsipouro, visitors have many delicious options to choose from. There are dozens of ouzeri, taverns, restaurants and cafés throughout the city and around the region, which adequately satisfy all culinary desires. Do not hesitate to try the spoon sweets, with the traditional “karydaki” (walnut) being the most popular.

Chestnuts, mushrooms, honey and other products, are enjoyed all year everywhere in the mountainous region of Nafpaktia. Locals celebrate their traditional products with local festivals dedicated to them throughout the year.

In Ano Chora and Ag. Demetrios Platanou, in mid-October, there is the chestnut and tsipouro festival, where you can experience the distillation of tsipouro, and the roasting of chestnuts while local delicacies such as pies and boiled goat are offered to guests.

In Kryoneria, there is the honey festival, featuring delicious sweets. In Terpsithea, every August they celebrate the “xefloudisia” corn festival and in Kentriki they have the mushroom festival.

Discover Nafpaktia’s world of flavors and aromas, and learn about the culinary customs of the region!

Mountain teas and herbs

Many wild herbs with beneficial properties grow freely on the wooded slopes of the region. The most known teas in the area are the mountain tea, which is the most popular one, chamomile tea and tilio tea.

Aromatic plants

A characteristic product of the area is the aromatic herbs that grow abundant in Nafpaktia. Oregano, rosemary, thyme and lemon balm are just some of them. They will make your food taste better, while you can also take advantage of their therapeutic properties!

Livestock farming and hunting

The livestock farming tradition of the region is preserved unchanged and remains rich over the years while it is celebrated with feasts in various mountain villages of the region. Delicacies such as roast lamb, kokoretsi, kontosouvli, kosmari, the famous sausages etc. are savored by residents and visitors alike. For the most demanding tastes, you will find fine game dishes, such as wild boar, roe deers, blackbirds, etc. around the region.

Olives and olive oil

Nafpaktia is known for its olive production from ancient years. Two olive varieties are grown in the beautiful olive groves of the area: The Koroneiki olive variety which gives excellent olive oil and the large, sub-round, table olives of Agrinio.

Dairy – cheese products

If you love dairy products get ready to taste some of the most delicious ones! In Nafpaktos you will find delicious cheeses, such as feta cheese, graviera, kefalograviera, kefalotyri, soft chalafouti or katiki cheese, as well as yogurt and premium quality butter.

Pasta

Two of the most characteristic and beloved products of the region are trahana and egg noodles pasta. Both are prepared in the traditional way and will take your recipes to the next level!

Honey - Royal jelly - honeycomb

The abundant fir trees on slopes of the mountains around Nafpaktos form the ideal environment for one of the best and most expensive honey varieties, fir honey. Furthermore, excellent royal jelly, a miraculous food and delicious honey comb are also produced and sold in the area.

Fish

The unique Corinthian gulf is famous - among other things - for its very delicious and fine fish. There are many varieties of fish, such as kefaloi, sea bass, sea breams, zargoi, and more available fresh, but don't hesitate to try them salted as well!

Chestnuts

On the green slopes of the area there are many chestnut trees, with their valuable crop abundant to be enjoyed by its inhabitants. Chestnut trees have been grown systematically in villages for centuries, while wild chestnut trees are hidden among the fir trees that dominate the slopes. Their velvety fruits are cooked in a variety of ways and constitute a traditional food of the region.

Spoon sweets & marmalades

Housewives and cooperatives make unique spoon sweets from the fruits and nuts abundant in the region, that truly delight those who try them out. One of the most famous spoon sweets is based on fresh gathered walnuts and it’s called “karydaki”.

Tsipouro

The area is also famous for its tsipouro. A pomace distilate, aromatic and strong, the tsipouro of Nafpaktos is a perfect match for the local delicacies and highlights the area’s gastronomy.

Malagouzia wine

The famous fragrant grape variety malagouzia flourishes in the area. The variety comes from Spain, and in particular from the region of Malaga, from which it was named after. The climatic conditions of the region have favored the growth of the variety which has been well-accustomed to the environment and has given an excellent quality wine, with a white-yellow color and a special fruity flavor.