Taverna To Kanoni — Mountain Cooking in Volimes

The village of Volimes sits in the northern hills of Zakynthos, where most visitors stop briefly on the way to the Navagio viewpoint or the Blue Caves before heading back to the coast. This is a mistake. Volimes is worth at least a lunch, and To Kanoni is the reason.

The taverna sits back from the main square on a side street marked, if you’re lucky, by a hand-painted sign that may or may not be visible behind the oleander. Inside, there are eight tables, a ceiling fan that has been running since approximately 1985, and a small chalkboard near the kitchen door that lists what’s available today.

The Cooking

This is village food in the most literal sense — whatever grows here, raised here, cooked here. The owner, Kyria Eleftheria, is in her sixties and has been running the kitchen since her mother handed it over. She makes the bread each morning, slow-cooks the stifado from before sunrise, and finishes the work before lunch service starts. There are no evenings.

Beef stifado is the signature. The recipe is ancient and unmodified: beef braised for three hours with pearl onions, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, and enough bay leaves that the whole room smells of them. The meat falls apart. The sauce is dense and sweet-sharp. It comes with crusty bread and a small salad.

Lamb kleftiko appears on certain days — sealed in foil with garlic, lemon, and oregano, slow-roasted until the bones slide out clean. When it’s available, get it.

Wild greens (horta) — whatever was gathered from the hillsides that morning — blanched and dressed with Volimes olive oil and lemon. Simple, seasonal, excellent.

The Scene

Expect to share the dining room with local farmers, the occasional tradesman from the village, and perhaps a family making the same discovery you just did. Conversation is not difficult despite the language barrier — Kyria Eleftheria will point at things and gesture, which communicates most of what’s needed.

When to Go

Arrive between noon and 13:30 for the full selection. By 14:30 the stifado will be gone, and Kyria Eleftheria will be washing up.

Practical Info

Best time to go: Noon–13:30 for the full menu. Stifado is gone by 14:00.
Typical spend: €10–14 per person including house wine.
Reservations: None needed — walk-in only. Closed Monday and November–March.
Getting here: In the village of Volimes, follow the side street from the main square — look for a hand-painted sign, possibly obscured by oleander. Worth the search.
Tip: Order the house wine immediately — it costs almost nothing and comes from a local vineyard.