Greece - Korina Miller [422]
MIDRANGE & TOP END
Old Town
To Megiston (Map; 22410 29127; Sopokelous; mains €8-15; year-round) This family-run taverna whips up amazing food, including a country-style Greek salad, swordfish and specialities from Kastellorizo. The desserts are mouth-watering and the service is exceptionally friendly.
Mandala (Map; 22410 38119; Sofokleos 38; mains €8-15; lunch Sun & dinner daily winter; lunch & dinner daily summer) Lively and popular, the hip Mandala dishes up creative cuisine, such as chèvre-and-fig starters, salmon pasta or Moroccan chicken. The eatery offers excellent service, a well-stocked bar and frequent live music make it that much more of a treat.
Nireas (Map; 22410 31741; Sofokleous 45-47; mains €8-16) The fish will taste just as good whether you dine outside under a canopy of greenery or inside in the classy yellow rooms. Seared or sesame-encrusted tuna, steamed mussels with garlic and white wine – the list seems endless. Popular with families for lunch, Nireas opens onto a quiet square. To find it, just follow your nose.
Hatzikelis (Map; 22410 27215; Alhadef 9; mains €9-16) With a high-beamed ceiling and heavy velvet curtains, Hatzikelis is a step back in time. Popular with local families, it’s well known for shellfish. Look for mussels, scallops with garlic butter and kefalotyri (sheep’s-milk cheese), fresh clams or sea-urchin roe. The menu is in Greek only but the helpful waiters speak English.
New Town
To Meltemi (Map; 22410 30480; cnr Plateia Kountourioti & Rodou; mains €7-15) With traditional music and open sea views, Meltemi occupies a prime spot just north of Mandraki harbour. Grills and fish are locally revered and the creative salads are fantastic: try the Meltemi, with rocket, apple, walnut, pine nuts and dried fruit.
Drinking & Entertainment
Rhodes Town is brimming with cool places to hang out in the evening. Bars and watering holes are stylish and atmospheric – great places to mingle with the locals and unwind after a hard day of lounging on the beach.
OLD TOWN
The majority of the nightlife happens around Platonos and Ippokratous squares. Also check out Mandala (above) for live local music on Sundays and some evenings.
Rogmitou Chronou (Map; 22410 25202; www.rogmitouxronou.gr; Plateia Arionos; 10pm-5am; ) With lots of stonework and heavy wood, the Music Cafe spreads over two floors. Downstairs has a cosy, medieval feel to it and live acoustic music on Mondays, while upstairs has a hint of the ’50s with red bar stools and live rock bands on Fridays. The rest of the week sees various DJs; check the on-line events listing.
Apenadi (Map; 22410 21055; Evripidou 13-15) Step into the set for Arabian Nights and sink into some colourful cushions, strewn beneath exquisite chandeliers. And let’s not forget the funky music, mezes, cocktails and friendly service.
Cafe Chantant (Map; 22410 32277; Dimokratou 3; midnight-early) Locals sit at long wooden tables, drinking ouzo or beer and listening to live, traditional music. It’s dark in here and you won’t find snacks and nibbles, but the atmosphere is palpable and the band is lively. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
NEW TOWN
Locals hang out along the bar-lined I Dragoum, while the tourist haunts are found along Akti Miaouli, Orfanidou and Griva.
Methexi Cafe (Map; 22410 33440; 29 Oktovriou, cnr Griva) This colonial-style mansion is filled with black-and-white photos and stacks of magazines. The comfortable, homey feeling draws a relaxed young crowd who come for live Greek music or to drink beer on the terrace.
Christo’s Garden (Map; Griva; 10pm-late) Prop yourself up at the grotto-style bar surrounded by lush greenery, seemingly worlds away from the city. Traditional buildings surround the inner courtyard where you can have a relaxed drink amongst the fairy lights.
Sound & Light Show (Map; 22410 21922; www.hellenicfestival.gr; admission €7) Squeezing many centuries of history into a show with lights, voices and music, the Sound & Light Show is something you’ll either love or hate. Shows take place from