Arekia — Where Kalamaki Actually Eats

There is a rule that applies in most Greek beach resorts: the best food is never on the seafront. The seafront restaurants have the view and the foot traffic; the restaurants that locals use are one or two streets back, in locations that require a deliberate choice to visit. Arekia is that restaurant for Kalamaki.

You find it on the inland road that runs parallel to the beach, behind the small church. There’s no view of the sea. The terrace faces the street, which on a warm evening means watching local life — delivery bikes, families walking, the occasional stray cat who knows the schedule. The atmosphere is entirely un-staged. This is just dinner.

What Makes It Work

The grill is the centrepiece of the Arekia kitchen. A proper charcoal grill, running from service start to finish, managed by the owner’s son who has been doing this since his early teens and who has the instinct for heat and timing that only repetition produces.

Paidakia — lamb chops, young and tender, grilled hard over charcoal until the fat chars and the interior is still pink. They arrive four at a time with a squeeze of lemon, chips, and a quarter of fresh bread. Order two portions between two people and add a salad.

Moussaka — this is the version that moussaka should be: layers of minced lamb, aubergine, and béchamel that’s thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into it. Made in the morning, rested, served at the right temperature. Not the cafeteria slab of the tourist strip.

Greek salad — barrel feta, not the pre-packaged kind. Tomatoes that taste like July. Kalamata olives. Enough olive oil. Order it as a starter because it arrives first and you’ll want it straight away.

Loukoumades — fried dough balls drizzled with thyme honey and a dusting of cinnamon. The dessert menu is minimal, but loukoumades made to order are reason enough. They arrive hot, light, and entirely unreasonable.

The Crowd

At 19:30, Arekia is families with children finishing early. By 21:00, it’s Greek families on their proper dining schedule — extended groups, multiple generations, bottles of wine being ordered by the litre, no one in any particular hurry. The owner, Kyrios Nikos, moves between tables with the ease of someone who has been doing this for decades, which he has.

What It Costs

Dinner for two — a shared salad, two mains, bread, and a half litre of house wine — runs €35-50. By Kalamaki standards this is fair value for quality this consistent. By any standard it’s a good evening.