Ex Steno

Ex Steno sits in Apollonia, the hilltop capital of Sifnos, and has accumulated over 569 Google reviews with a 4.4-star average — a rating that carries real weight on an island with a serious food reputation. The taverna operates from 11am through to the early hours, making it one of the longer-running kitchens in the village on any given day of the week.

Sifnos has been known for its culinary tradition longer than most Greek islands. The island produced Nicolas Tselementes, widely considered the father of modern Greek cuisine, and locals take food seriously in a way that visitors notice quickly. Ex Steno fits into that context as a place focused on classic Greek cooking rather than tourist-facing novelty.

The address places it squarely in Apollonia, the commercial and social center of the island, surrounded by the narrow pedestrian lanes, whitewashed walls, and low-slung archways that define the Cycladic capital.

What to Expect

Ex Steno is categorized primarily as a gyro restaurant alongside its broader taverna identity, which means the menu likely anchors on rotisserie-cooked meat alongside the kinds of dishes — roasted meats, legume-based stews, grilled fish and vegetables — that Sifnian cooking has always revolved around. Sifnos is particularly associated with chickpea soup (revithia), slow-cooked lamb or goat, and dishes prepared in the traditional clay pot style known as mastelo. While no menu is confirmed in the available data, a traditional taverna in this setting will almost certainly reflect those local flavors.

The opening hours run from 11:00am to 1:00am Monday through Friday, and until 2:00am on Saturdays and Sundays. That schedule covers lunch, a long afternoon break period when the kitchen stays available, dinner service, and a late-night wind-down — a pattern common to tavernas that serve both locals and tourists at different rhythms. The later Saturday and Sunday closing reflects the island's weekend pace, when visitors tend to stay out longer.

The setting in Apollonia means you're in a walking village. The lanes around the central square are pedestrian-only, and Ex Steno sits within that compact urban fabric. Seating is likely a mix of indoor and outdoor — typical for Cycladic tavernas — though specific layout details are not confirmed.

With 569 reviews and a 4.4 average, the consistency of the kitchen appears to be a strong point. That volume of feedback, gathered over time, suggests a steady flow of guests rather than a flash-in-the-pan seasonal spot.

How to Get There

Apollonia is the main hub of Sifnos and is connected to all other settlements by the island's bus network, which runs regularly from Kamares port (the ferry arrival point) up to the capital. The journey from Kamares to Apollonia takes roughly 15 minutes by bus and costs a few euros. Buses also connect Apollonia to Artemonas, Kastro, Platis Gialos, and Vathi.

If you're driving or riding a scooter, parking is available at the edges of Apollonia since the central lanes are pedestrian. Leave the vehicle at one of the designated lots near the entrance to the village and walk in — it takes less than five minutes on foot from most parking areas to the center.

For those based in Artemonas, the adjacent village immediately north of Apollonia, it's a short walk downhill into the capital. Kastro, the medieval hilltop village, is about a 10-minute drive or a 30-minute walk. Taxis are available on the island; the local taxi service can be arranged through accommodation or by asking at the port.

The coordinates for Ex Steno are 36.9743297, 24.7244853, which place it in the Apollonia center. Dropping that pin in Google Maps before you arrive is the simplest way to navigate the lanes.

Best Time to Visit

Sifnos has a genuine year-round restaurant culture, but the main visitor season runs from late May through September, peaking in July and August. During peak season, popular tavernas in Apollonia can fill quickly in the evening, particularly between 8pm and 10pm when Greek dinner service is in full swing.

Arriving at lunch — between noon and 2pm — is typically less crowded than the dinner rush. If you want a quieter dinner, heading in just after 7pm or after 10pm tends to give you more breathing room, especially on weekdays.

The late-night hours (until 1–2am) suggest the kitchen or at least light service continues well into the evening, so there's no need to rush a meal if you're already seated.

Shouldering the season — late May to mid-June, or September into early October — you'll find Apollonia operating at a more relaxed pace with full kitchens and shorter waits. October in particular is popular with hikers using the island's trail network, and the tavernas stay busy through the month.

Avoid arriving during the midday heat in August without a reservation or a plan. Apollonia's pedestrian center gets warm, and tables under shade fill up first.

Tips for Visiting

• Call ahead for reservations, especially in July and August. The phone number is +30 2284 033037. Even a call the morning of your planned visit can help secure a table during high season.
• Arrive with an appetite for local specialties. Sifnos is one of the few Cycladic islands with a defined culinary identity — if the kitchen offers revithia (chickpea soup), mastelo (slow-cooked meat in clay), or loukoumades (honey fritters), try them.
• The late hours are real. If you're staying nearby and not in a rush, arriving at 9:30 or 10pm for dinner is perfectly normal on Sifnos, and the kitchen will still be active.
• Parking logistics matter. Don't try to drive into central Apollonia. Leave your vehicle at the periphery and walk — the lanes are not wide enough for cars, and you'll lose more time looking for non-existent parking than the walk takes.
• Combine with a walk around Apollonia. The village has a good concentration of shops, a small square with cafes, and access to the footpath toward Artemonas. A pre-dinner walk through the lanes is a reasonable way to build appetite.
• Check the gyro offering. The place_types tag confirms a gyro component to the menu, which is unusual for a traditional Cycladic taverna and may make Ex Steno one of the more versatile spots in Apollonia for a quick lunch versus a longer evening meal.
• Weekend nights run later. Saturday and Sunday closing is 2am rather than 1am. If you're celebrating or simply on island time, the extra hour matters.
• No website is currently available. For current menu details or any seasonal changes, a direct phone call or a walk-in inquiry is the most reliable method.

What to Order

No confirmed menu is available in the research for Ex Steno, so specific dish recommendations cannot be made. What can be said with confidence is the culinary context: Sifnos has an unusually strong food tradition for a small Cycladic island, and traditional tavernas here generally offer slow-cooked dishes that reflect that heritage.

Chickpea-based dishes are a staple on the island — revithia, the slow-cooked chickpea soup traditionally made in wood-fired ovens overnight, is the most iconic. Lamb and goat preparations, often braised or roasted, appear across Sifnian menus. Grilled meat and pork gyro are common across the island and clearly part of Ex Steno's offering given how it appears in Google's category data.

For drinks, Sifnos does not have a major wine-producing tradition, so you'll typically find a range of Greek wines from other regions alongside locally available spirits. Ouzo or tsipouro served with small plates before a main meal is a reasonable way to approach the early part of a long taverna evening.

If you're visiting at lunch, a gyro or grilled plate with a salad is the practical choice. For dinner, it's worth asking the kitchen what has been made that day — the best traditional Greek kitchens orient their menu around what was prepared fresh, and the daily specials are usually the strongest option.