In 2004, chef Tasos Bacharidis, captivated by the black sand of Perivolos Beach and Santorini’s cosmopolitan atmosphere, opened his own restaurant there, Seaside. Over the years, Santorini changed due the pressures of overtourism, so last year he decided to open a new chapter on another island. The team he had built over the years at Seaside was running like clockwork, giving him the freedom to spend a few days away from the restaurant. Besides, he had always dreamed of creating his own contemporary Greek taverna.

His search for the right location eventually led him to Paxos, and more specifically to the islet of Mongonissi, at the southernmost tip of the island. There, in a sheltered bay, he found the ideal setting for Karavokyris. The former trattoria that occupied the site, which served only pizza and cocktails, was completely transformed into a gastronomic destination. Guests arriving by sea can moor their yachts and boats right in front of the tables and take their seats. The maritime décor is simple and effective, with lighthouse-shaped lanterns and reed roofing providing shade from the sun.

As soon as it opened, around mid-May, the bay was transformed from a neglected, unremarkable spot – with little around it beyond a small accommodation property – into an essential stop for those sailing the Ionian. When we visited in early September, Mongonissi Bay was dotted with vessels anchored offshore, from large catamarans to small boats and RIBs. 

Finding good-quality ingredients was Tasos’s biggest challenge, given that Paxos produces little besides olive oil. “I source groupers from local fishermen, as there are plenty in the area, but the rest comes from the Aegean, particularly Santorini. Vegetables come from regular suppliers in Athens and, if something unexpected comes up, from Corfu,” he says as he serves us mussels stifado topped with crumbled feta. 

With Karavokyris, he wanted to take a different approach to seafood, while incorporating plenty of dishes inspired by traditional Greek cuisine. The menu includes raw fish, seafood pasta and a small selection of high-quality meat dishes, making it quite different from the offering at Seaside.

Shrimp-filled dolmadakia are served with fennel cream, while baby squid comes fried, breaded, or paired with spinach rice and tsalafouti cheese. Other dishes include king scallop fricassee, smoked octopus with bean-soup purée and pickled onion, and cuttlefish served with lemon risotto. 

“I really like this recipe. We use half of the red porgy – the other half is used for carpaccio and ceviche – and serve it with tomato rice, topped with tomato paste,” he explains just as the dish in question arrives at the table. There is also always the option of grilled fish selected from the restaurant’s display case.

The contrast between Paxos and Santorini is striking. Paxos is a small Ionian island that attracts a steady flow of day-trippers arriving by sea, along with retirees from Scandinavia and England. Santorini, by contrast, has become one of Greece’s most internationally recognizable destinations, its identity increasingly shaped by tourism and the pressures that come with it. “Things have certainly changed on Santorini, but the picture presented to the outside world is often distorted, especially when it comes to those of us who run businesses there. What struck me about Paxos is that our customers treat us with courtesy and a smile, rather than with the widespread suspicion you encounter on Santorini,” he explains as I glance over the wine list. Concise and carefully selected, it has a strong Santorini presence alongside a few international selections. It is designed to complement the food rather than overwhelm it with an extensive selection, while prices remain reasonable.

At sunset, Tasos brings out dessert with the Greek coffees. It sits somewhere between a fruit compote and a traditional Greek spoon sweet: apricots and cherries cooked together with rose geranium, grape juice and fruit sugar. It feels perfectly suited to the moment – just like Tasos and Karavokyris. The right man in the right place.

Originally published in Greek at gastronomos.gr.