Steal My Food Itinerary: 3 Days in Sifnos, Greece

The white grouper aguachile with coriander pesto and spicy salsa at Omega3. | Nat Belkov It felt like everyone I know traveled to Greece this summer. Friends chose Zakynthos, Crete, Naxos, Ikaria. I opted for Sifnos, one of the Cyclades’ most celebrated food destinations but still, thankfully, relatively under the radar internationally. Greece’s culinary culture can’t be grasped fully on any one island; across the Aegean, distinct growing conditions and cooking traditions have produced individual cuisines entirely their own. Sifnos just happens to have a particularly delicious reputation.  Our trip landed in the middle of August — peak tourist season in the Mediterranean — but it never felt cramped. And now that summer has come to a close, what crowds there were have thinned and temperatures are more forgiving, yet peak-season produce is still finding its way into dishes across the island. So now is an even better time to experience Sifnos. Getting there means starting in Athens, where ferries come in and out of the port of Piraeus from all across the Aegean and Ionian seas. The 2.5 to 3-hour trip from Athens to Sifnos is a thrill — worthy of a few Dramamine tablets if you’re prone to seasickness — with incredible views of the islands you pass along the way. The Aegean really is a different shade of blue; it’s tempting to gaze into it from the deck the whole way. When I travel, my priority is getting a real feel for a place. Given the choice between a beach club with lounge chairs or a rocky cove hiding a strip of sand, I’ll happily rock scramble towards the latter. An olive grove, a local cheesemaker? I’m there. I’ll shell out for a pricey tasting menu, too, but only if it’s thoughtfully rooted in its surroundings. Otherwise, I don’t need the pomp and circumstance. I’d rather idle away an afternoon fumbling through my practically nonexistent Greek at a local taverna over taramasalata and charcoal-grilled prawns. Turns out, Sifnos was the perfect fit. Day 1 Ferry Snacks: Yorgos Souvlaki Get to Piraeus with an hour or so to spare before your ferry boards and slip into Yorgos Souvlaki to provision. This is a special shop, really nothing more than a grill behind a counter perched on the corner of a side street that happens to be one of the last places serving bifteki-style souvlaki in pita the old-school way: without tzatziki. Around 1970, the tangy yogurt sauce, along with the addition of fries, became a ubiquitous accompaniment to the street snack. Here, the grilled beef patties and the pillowy pita warmed by their juices come with nothing more than a bit of fresh tomato, slivered onions, and a scattering of parsley. Order two per person. Dinner: Loggia Wine Bar After a few hours at sea, you’ll dock at your 28-square mile destination, and it’s best to make your way to the little village of Kastro. Lodging is limited to a handful of Airbnbs and a hotel or two, but staying here means you can park the car and forget about it, exploring this special corner of the island, which was once Sifnos’s ancient capital, on foot. Head to Loggia Wine Bar — literally the side of a cliff with amphitheater-style seating carved into it. Settle into the island over potatoes roasted on charcoal and paired with tarama aioli, or panzanella tossed not with hunks of bread but crumbled Sifnian anise cookies. Pair that with something you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else — like an unfiltered red made from old-vine Mouchtaro grapes grown at high altitude in the Geraneia Mountains — from the extensive bottle list. Day 2 Breakfast: Diporto Shop Wake to the sounds of crashing waves and the chitter of coastal falcons and head up into the tiny streets of Kastro to Diporto Shop, a beloved cafe that feels more like you’ve ambled into a family member’s kitchen. Grab a table in the shade and order a freddo cappuccino — Greece’s answer (and a better one) to an iced latte with cold foam. You’ll likely be served by one of the owners’ young sons, who can balance a tray full of coffees better than I ever could. Opt for the yogurt and fruit bowl. Crowned with heaps of sunflower seeds, dates, sliced apricots and banana, it’s certainly enough to sustain a hike down to the Church of the Seven Martyrs afterwards. Lunch: Ammoudia Head north to the village of Cheronissos. Between the rocky hills on either side where goats roam and graze, find a patch of sand or smooth rock and set up for the day. When you get hungry, it’s just a few steps to Ammoudia — exactly what you might picture if I told you to imagine a taverna on the edge of the beach in a tiny fishing village: wooden tables and chairs planted directly into the sand, close to the water’s edge. Order the revithada, a soul-soothing Sifnian speciality of stewed chickpeas in olive oil with onion and herbs. Families traditionally make revithada on Saturday before bringing their prepared pot to a communal oven where it will cook through the night ahead of the Sunday meal. Luckily, at Ammoudia