Agalas Village Taverna — The Highest Table in Zakynthos
Agalas sits in the hills of the Agalas plateau on the west side of the island, higher than any resort and cooler than any beach. The village has maybe 200 permanent residents, a Byzantine church with a carved iconostasis, and a small main square where the taverna has operated since the 1970s. Coming here requires intention and a car with decent brakes on the descent back down.
Why Go
The food is a secondary reason, though a real one. The primary reason is to see this part of Zakynthos — the agricultural interior, the stone-walled fields, the pines and junipers on the hillsides, the views back towards the coast from the plateau edge. It’s a completely different island from the one you’re staying in.
The Food
The kitchen cooks the food of the Greek highland village: heavy, warming, and deeply practical.
Roast goat — the whole reason to call ahead. Goat from a local herd, marinated with garlic, rosemary, and lemon, roasted in the village’s communal wood-fired oven with potatoes and vegetables. When available, it’s the best meat dish in this part of the island — more flavour than lamb, more texture than pork, and specific to this environment.
Fasolada — the Greek national soup: white beans, tomato, carrot, onion, celery, and a generous amount of olive oil, simmered for hours. It’s peasant food in the right sense: filling, honest, and nutritious. Order it in autumn.
Horta — boiled wild greens, dressed with olive oil and lemon. The greens vary by season; in spring it might be dandelion or chicory, in summer purslane or amaranth. Simple and good with bread and cheese alongside.
Thyme honey — the hills around Agalas produce some of the best thyme honey in the Ionian. The taverna sources it directly from local beekeepers. Buy a jar; it’s one of the few genuinely local souvenirs you can eat.
The Drive
The road to Agalas from the west coast passes through Kiliomeno and Agios Leon. Allow 30 minutes from the south resort belt. The views on the way up justify the trip independently.
