Sinantisi

Sinantisi occupies a handsome stone building in Kimolos village — the main settlement known locally as Chorio — directly next to the 17th-century church of Agios Georgios. The building itself has been a kafeneio for generations: it first opened as a coffee house run by the great-grandfather of the current owners, and the family has kept that thread intact while updating what ends up in the glass and on the plate.

With a rating of 4.8 from over 320 Google reviews, it stands out as one of the most consistently praised spots on an island that already sets a high bar for hospitality. The hours — 8:30 in the morning until 3:30 the following morning, every day of the week — tell you something about its role in village life. This is not a place that closes between meals; it shifts register across the day, from morning coffee to afternoon tsipouro to late-night company.

The physical layout adds to its appeal. There is a compact indoor room, a raised terrace (pezoulia) that catches the shade, and a narrow lane running alongside — described by regulars as a cool, slightly secretive little alley where tables spill out on summer evenings. It is the kind of spot that works equally well for a solo espresso at nine in the morning and a long table of friends sharing octopus and raki at midnight.

What to Expect

Sinantisi presents itself as a traditional kafeneio in the best sense: rooted in the habits of the village, but not frozen in them. The morning offering is a proper breakfast with local touches — handmade pies, fresh juices, and both Greek coffee and frappé alongside the full range of espresso-based drinks.

As the day moves into the afternoon, the kitchen shifts toward mezedes: small dishes of loukaniko (sausage), keftedakia (fried meatballs), octopus, and marinated anchovies (gavros). These are designed to accompany tsipouro or ouzo in the Greek tradition, where the spirit and the snack arrive together rather than separately. Salads are on the menu as well, making it a workable lunch stop if you want something light without committing to a full taverna meal.

By evening, Sinantisi becomes a social hub. Raki, rakomelo (honey-spiced raki), oinomelo, beer, and wine are served, often alongside music. The pezoulia and the alley fill up as the night progresses. Backgammon — tavli — is part of the afternoon culture here, as it is in kafeneios across Greece, and the owners appear to encourage it.

The stone interior is small and has the feel of a room that has absorbed decades of conversation. Seating outside is the preference in warm months, and given the location beside a 17th-century church on a quiet Cycladic lane, the setting earns its reputation without any embellishment.

How to Get There

Sinantisi is in Kimolos village (Chorio), the island's main settlement, roughly 1.5 kilometres from Psathi port. If you arrive by ferry at Psathi, the walk uphill to the village takes around 20 minutes on a paved road, or a few minutes by taxi. There is no dedicated parking immediately in front — the village lanes are narrow — but cars can be left at the edge of Chorio near the main square. Look for the church of Agios Georgios; Sinantisi is right beside it.

Kimolos is a small island and the village is compact, so once you are in Chorio you will find Sinantisi without difficulty. No bus schedule is needed for getting there from within the village.

Best Time to Visit

Sinantisi is open year-round and the hours rarely change, which makes it a reliable anchor across all seasons. In summer (July and August), Kimolos receives a meaningful increase in visitors — mostly Greeks from nearby Milos and Athenians who prefer a quieter alternative to the busier Cyclades. Evenings at Sinantisi during this period fill up, and the outdoor terrace and alley come into their own.

Spring and early autumn are quieter on the island overall. The kafeneio serves as a meeting point for locals throughout the off-season, so arriving outside peak summer means a more relaxed pace and a better chance of conversation with islanders. The afternoon tsipouro-and-mezedes hour is a particular pleasure in September and October, when the heat has eased but the days are still long.

Morning visits work well at any time of year for breakfast and coffee before heading to the island's beaches.

Tips for Visiting

• Order the tsipouro with mezedes. This is how the locals use the place in the afternoon, and the combination of spirit and small bites — octopus, anchovies, meatballs — is worth sitting with for an hour rather than rushing.
• Try the handmade pies for breakfast. The morning menu has local character; it's not a generic hotel-style spread. Arrive by 10:00 if you want the full selection before the lunchtime shift.
• Bring cash as a backup. Kimolos is a small island and some smaller establishments have intermittent card connectivity — check on arrival.
• The alley seating is worth asking for on summer evenings. The narrow lane beside the building is cooler than the main terrace and has a distinct atmosphere once the night crowd gathers.
• The phone number is +30 2287 051801. For a table on a busy August evening, a quick call ahead makes sense.
• Pace yourself with the spirits. Rakomelo (honey raki) goes down easily; the measures at Greek kafeneios are typically generous.
• Combine with a look at Agios Georgios church next door. The church dates to the 17th century and is worth a brief visit if it is open — it adds context to the age of the building Sinantisi occupies.
• Kimolos village is worth exploring on foot before or after. The Kastro (medieval fortified village) is a short walk from Sinantisi and gives a strong sense of the island's history.

What to Order

The menu at Sinantisi spans the full arc of a Greek kafeneio day. In the morning, Greek coffee (ellinikos) or frappé are the defaults, but espresso-based drinks are available. The breakfast selection includes handmade pies and sweets with local inflections — worth trying before heading to the beach.

For mezedes, the kitchen produces loukaniko (village sausage), keftedakia (small fried meatballs), octopus, and gavros (marinated anchovies). These are small plates calibrated for sharing, and ordering two or three alongside tsipouro or ouzo is the intended format.

In the evening, the spirits list expands to include raki, rakomelo, oinomelo (wine-honey blend), local beer, and wine. The atmosphere shifts toward lingering rather than eating, but the mezedes remain available.

For non-drinkers or lighter visits, salads, juices, and soft drinks fill the gap throughout the day.

History and Context

The building that houses Sinantisi has been a kafeneio since at least the early 20th century, when the great-grandfather of the current owners first operated it as a coffee house for the village. In Greek island life, the kafeneio has historically been the social infrastructure of a community — the place where news moved, arguments were settled, and the rhythms of work and rest were marked. Kimolos, which has remained one of the least developed Cycladic islands, has preserved this culture more intact than many of its neighbours.

The location beside the church of Agios Georgios — built in the 17th century — places Sinantisi at the older heart of Chorio. The village itself developed around a fortified Kastro, portions of which are still inhabited, and the lanes around the church are among the oldest in continuous use on the island. The current owners describe the place as a new-old shop: physically rooted in its original building and social function, but updated in its coffee and food offer to reflect how Greek café culture has evolved.

This continuity of place and ownership across generations is not unusual in the smaller Cycladic islands, but it is increasingly rare in more touristic destinations. At Sinantisi, the family connection to the building gives the hospitality a particular quality — something closer to being welcomed into a house than being served in a venue.