To Rantevou Tis Alykis "Kafe - Snack Bar"

To Rantevou Tis Alykis — also known locally as "Sinantisi" (meaning "the meeting place") — is a café and snack bar positioned near the Alyki salt flats on Kimolos, one of the quieter corners of the Cyclades. It operates out of a stone building beside the 17th-century Church of Agios Georgios in the Parathyria area, and it has been a gathering point on this island for generations: the building first functioned as a kafeneio run by the current owners' great-grandfather.

With a 4.8 rating from over 320 Google reviews, this is not simply the most convenient stop near the salt flats — it's one of the most consistently well-regarded spots on the island. The hours are long (8:30 AM through to 3:30 AM every day of the week), which makes it useful at almost any point in your day, whether you want a Greek coffee at breakfast or a glass of tsipouro late in the evening.

The menu spans a wide range: handmade pies, salads, mezedes of sausage, meatballs, octopus and anchovy, homemade sweets, and a full coffee and drinks selection from frappe to espresso. Spirits — tsipouro, ouzo, raki, rakomelo, and local wine — are served with proper meze. It's the kind of place where a summer afternoon game of tavli can stretch into the evening without anyone noticing.

What to Expect

The physical space reflects the building's age well. Stone walls, a small interior sala, a terrace (pezoulia) with views toward the surrounding landscape, and what the owners describe as a "secret little alley" running alongside — a narrow shaded passage that stays cool even in peak July heat. In the evenings, the crowd spills onto the terrace and into the lane, which gives the place an informal, communal feel that is typical of island kafeneio culture but increasingly rare in tourist-oriented Cycladic villages.

Breakfast here leans toward local flavor: the morning spread includes handmade pies and sweets alongside juices and the full range of Greek and international coffees. By midday the kitchen pivots to light plates — salads, mezedes — that pair with cold beer or a carafe of wine. After dark the tone shifts again toward drinks-led socializing, with raki, rakomelo, and oinos (wine) accompanied by snacks and occasional live music.

The service style matches the setting: relaxed, unhurried, and rooted in the island hospitality tradition. You are not going to be rushed. The stone building stays noticeably cooler than the open street in summer, which makes the interior sala a practical choice on the hottest afternoons.

The overall atmosphere is that of a working kafeneio that has been updated without losing its character — Greek coffee and frappe sit on the same menu as cold brew and herbal teas, and tsipouro with meze coexists with craft beer. That range makes it accessible to different kinds of visitors without feeling designed for any particular demographic.

How to Get There

The café sits near the Alyki salt flats on the southwestern side of Kimolos, in the Parathyria area. If you are coming from Kimolos Chora (the main village), head southwest along the road that runs toward Alyki — the salt flat basin is a visible landmark, and the stone building beside the small church of Agios Georgios is hard to miss once you are in the area.

Kimolos is a small island and most of it is navigable on foot or by scooter. There is no formal public bus network connecting all corners of the island, so a rental scooter, ATV, or car is the most practical option for reaching the Alyki area independently. The road from the Psathi port to Parathyria is driveable and takes around 10 minutes by vehicle.

Parking near the café is informal and limited, as is common in rural Cycladic settings. Arrive early in peak season if you are driving. The area around Alyki is also accessible by bicycle for those who do not mind a climb on the return leg.

Best Time to Visit

The café is open year-round based on the hours listed, though Kimolos receives significantly fewer visitors outside the July–September window and some businesses reduce operations in shoulder months. If you are visiting in spring or autumn, it is worth calling ahead (+30 2287 051801) to confirm.

In summer, the peak crowd arrives in the evenings, when the terrace and alley fill up with a mix of locals and visitors. For a quieter experience, mornings from opening until around 10:30 AM are consistently calm — good for a coffee and a pie before heading to the nearby beaches.

Midday in July and August can be intensely hot near the salt flats, but the stone interior of the café provides real relief. The afternoon tsipouro-and-tavli crowd typically peaks between 3 PM and 6 PM. If you want to experience the evening social atmosphere, arrive after 9 PM.

The Alyki area itself is most dramatic in late afternoon light, when the salt flat surface catches the sun. Pairing a walk around the flats with a stop at Sinantisi on the way back is a natural combination.

Tips for Visiting

• Call ahead in the off-season. The café lists year-round hours, but Kimolos is a small island and schedules can shift outside summer. A quick call to +30 2287 051801 takes 30 seconds and saves a wasted trip.
• Order the meze spread if you are drinking. Tsipouro and ouzo are served here with proper accompaniments — octopus, anchovy, sausage, meatballs. This is not bar snacks; it is a proper light meal if you order broadly.
• Try the handmade pies in the morning. The kitchen makes its own pies and sweets, and they tend to go earlier in the day. By mid-afternoon the selection may be reduced.
• Bring cash. Card acceptance is not confirmed for this café. On small Cycladic islands, cash is always a safe backup, particularly at traditional kafeneios.
• The alley seating is the best seat in the house in peak summer. The narrow shaded passage beside the building stays significantly cooler than the open terrace and has a distinct atmosphere worth experiencing.
• Combine with the Alyki salt flats. The flat basin is directly adjacent and worth a short walk before or after your stop. Early morning light on the salt crust is particularly photogenic.
• Don't expect fast service in the evening. The pace here is deliberately slow during the evening social hours. Order early if you need to catch transport.
• Rakomelo is worth ordering once. This honey-and-raki combination is a Cycladic specialty and the café does it well — particularly pleasant on a cooler evening.

What to Order

The menu at To Rantevou Tis Alykis covers a wider range than the "café-snack bar" label suggests. A few standouts worth knowing about:

For breakfast: The handmade pies — tyropita (cheese), spanakopita (spinach), or whatever the kitchen has made that morning — are the strongest argument for arriving before 10 AM. These are made on-site, not pre-packaged. Pair with a Greek coffee or a fresh juice.

For a midday stop: A simple salad alongside a cold beer or glass of local wine is the practical choice in the heat. The mezedes plates — particularly the octopus and the anchovy (gavros) — are worth ordering if you want something more substantial.

For an afternoon session: Tsipouro or ouzo with a mixed meze plate is the classic choice and the one the café does best. Order a round of meze alongside your first drink; the kitchen will keep refilling the spirit as long as you are eating.

For the evening: Rakomelo (raki with honey, served warm), local wine, or cold beer. The homemade sweets make a reasonable ending to the evening if you want something sweet before heading back.

The coffee range covers all the standard Greek options (ellinikos, frappe, freddo espresso, freddo cappuccino) as well as filter and hot drinks — so whatever your coffee preference, it is covered.