Meteora restaurants: where to eat in Kalambaka and Kastraki
After a day among the monasteries on the rocks, most visitors eat in Kalambaka or the small village of Kastraki. The local food is hearty and homely, built on meat, cheese and pies.
- Restaurants are in two places: the town of Kalambaka and the village of Kastraki, below the Meteora rocks.
- Local food is shaped by Vlach tradition: sausage with leek, pies, trout and baked cheeses.
- According to travel.gr, well-known places include Valia Calda and Meteora Restaurant in Kalambaka, and Ziogas and Meteoron Panorama in Kastraki.
Plan lunch or dinner in one of the villages after visiting the monasteries. There is no kosher food in Meteora, so kosher-keeping visitors should stock up in advance.
Where to eat in Meteora
The Meteora monasteries stand on high rocks with no restaurants beside them. Food is in two places below the rocks:
- Kalambaka: the larger town, with more restaurants, hotels and transport.
- Kastraki: a small village right under the rocks, with tavernas and striking views.
What to eat
According to travel.gr, the area's cooking is shaped by Vlach tradition, the cuisine of mountain shepherds. Some well-known dishes:
- Sausage with leek and grilled meats.
- Homemade pies, for example with cheese or greens.
- Trout from mountain streams.
- Baked cheeses, sometimes with walnuts.
- Desserts such as walnut pie (locally "spatula") and halva of Farsala.
Well-known restaurants
According to travel.gr's article (May 2023), some well-known places in the area:
| Restaurant | Location | What to order |
|---|---|---|
| Valia Calda | Kalambaka | Vlach dishes, trout, baked cheese with walnuts |
| Meteora Restaurant | Kalambaka | Family-run since 1925, moussaka and eggplant saganaki |
| Ziogas | Kastraki | Liver, sausage and walnut pie |
| Meteoron Panorama | Kastraki | Slow-cooked lamb and clay-pot beef |
| Efrosino | Kastraki | Grills and baked giant beans (gigantes) |
| Qastiro | Kastraki | Bistro |
Restaurants open and close, and hours change with the season. Check before you go, especially in winter.
Tips
- Vegetarians: there are always dishes like gigantes, eggplant, vegetable pies and Greek salad.
- Lunch: visit the monasteries in the morning and come down for lunch. Each monastery has a closing day, so check first.
- Kosher: there is no kosher food in the area. Kosher-keeping visitors should bring food, for example from Athens. Shabbat times are on our Shabbat times page.
More on Meteora
Kalambaka or Kastraki?
Kalambaka is handy if you arrive by train or bus, since the stations are there, and it has more restaurants and wider choice. Kastraki is smaller and sits right under the rocks, so its views are especially impressive, above all at sunset. The two are a few minutes' drive apart, so you can sleep in one and eat in the other.
FAQ
Where is best to eat in Meteora? In Kalambaka or the village of Kastraki. Kastraki has small tavernas with views of the rocks.
What is Meteora's local food? Dishes from Vlach cuisine: sausage with leek, pies, trout and baked cheeses, with walnut pie for dessert.
Is there kosher food in Meteora? No. There is no kosher restaurant in Meteora, so kosher-keeping visitors need to bring food.
Are there restaurants next to the monasteries? No. The restaurants are below, in Kalambaka and Kastraki, a few minutes' drive from the monasteries.
