Eat Like a Local in Corfu

No foodie trip to Corfu would be complete without a meal at O Foros. The first taverna to open in the once-abandoned village of Old Perithia (Ano Perithia) , this local gem – which came to global attention in 2007 when TV chef Rick Stein featured it in the BBC series, Mediterranean Escapes - offers a taste of true Corfiot cuisine. 

Located in a corner of an ancient square and boasting a vine-covered terrace, O Foros is postcard pretty. It is owned and run by husband-and-wife team Thomas and Vaso Siriotis. Thomas (who has lived all his life in the village of Loutses, which you pass through on the journey up to Old Perithia), is a perfect host and loves to sit and talk with his guests. He also illustrates the menus by hand. Vaso is the cook, preparing classic Corfiot dishes from local, seasonal ingredients, including honey from their own bees. Must-try dishes include Tsigari (stewed seasonal wild greens in oil); peppers stuffed with feta cheese; rabbit Stifado (stew); Bourdetto (fish in spiced tomato sauce) and, of course, the roasted vegetable casserole, Briam which was the featured dish when Rick Stein was in town.

Old Perithia

Records date the village of Perithia to the 14th century, but it is believed that it was first inhabited hundreds of years earlier, possibly even as far back as 700 BC. Its hidden, hillside location was chosen so that the inhabitants would escape the attention of passing pirates. Once the richest village on the island, Perithia was abandoned in the 1960s when the arrival of tourism in Corfu saw its residents leaving to find work on the coast. 

In recent decades, many of the descendants of those families have returned to reclaim their land and properties, breathing new life into this beautiful, heritage-protected village. As you stroll along the cobbled streets with their mix crumbling buildings, recently renovated properties and many churches, it is easy to imagine you have stepped back in time to a quieter age. 
 

Come with with us to enjoy a Corfiot feast and experience an extraordinary village as part of our Culinary & Cultural Odyssey in October 2026.