You have three options for eating out in Gavalochori, and all are located at the edges of or just outside the main square. Although the atmosphere is different in each, they all will give you a taste of local Cretan food and hospitality. If you are staying in a place where you can cook your own food, the bakery (Piperakis Bakery) and two grocery stores (S. M. Fronimos Supermarket and Lourakis Mini Market) in the center of Gavalochori will supply you with all of the ingredients you need for delicious meals.
Arismari Taverna (arismari is an ancient word in the Cretan dialect for “rosemary”) consists of a cluster of quaint old buildings that surround a small square with a plane tree in the center. Arismari is run by Dionysia (Soula) Aggelaki and her husband Yiannis Kokoladonakis and is just a few steps from the main square. You’ll recognize it because of its inviting and colorful chairs and tables. The menu at Arismari largely features traditional Greek dishes, and on most days, there are special dishes cooking over coals in Minoan-style cooking pots. Whenever possible, Soula uses fresh produce in the dishes she serves from land that she and Yiannis own near close by. The drink menu at the taverna is quite extensive, making Arismari a perfect place for an afternoon beer, a cocktail, or a nightcap.
During the spring, summer, and fall, Arismari is open from 8:00 in the morning until 11:00 at night every day except Tuesdays. What months the taverna is open in the winter depends on the weather. It is likely to be closed between December and February, although it might be open on some weekends.
At the edge of the main square in Gavalochori (tucked behind the war memorial) is the Gavalianos Kafenes, but most people call it Monica’s Taverna because it is owned and operated by Monica van den Bosch. There’s a covered courtyard at the front where you can get coffee in the morning or a beer in the afternoon or evening (as many of the locals do), and through the building or courtyard to the back is a warm and inviting open space often festooned with sparkly lights and inhabited by a stray cat or bunny. Monica tries to use local products that are fresh and in season, and she tries to use ingredients and to cook in ways that are healthy. Her menu features traditional Greek foods, but it includes items that innovate on the traditional dishes.
Monica’s taverna is open from late March until the end of November, although it is closed on some Mondays. Open hours in the winter vary from year to year, so it is best to call first to see if the taverna is open (+30 6974 16 2507).
The Elpida Kafeneio/Mezedopoleio is located in the main square of Gavalochori, and it tends to be the center of activities there. You will see people sitting outside of and across from it, enjoying a coffee or a beer, playing games, or just talking. This kafeneio (a combination coffeeshop and pub) is owned by Manolis Lourakis, his wife Elpida Trikaki-Louraki, and their son Giorgos.
The kafeneio/mezedopoleio serves drinks such as coffee, beer, retsina, and raki and appetizers and mezes, but the owners plan to refresh and expand the menu. During the German occupation of Gavalochori between 1941 and 1945,the building was appropriated by the Germans for use as a German officers’ club, and inside, you can still see the large paintings by a German soldier depicting scenes from Germany.
Elpida is open daily all year round. Although it previously opened at 5:00 p.m. and closed when the last patrons left, it now opens it at 8:30 a.m., and the hours might be expanded even further in the future.
