Plakostroto

Plakostroto sits in the small settlement of San Michalis, deep in the northern upland area of Syros known as Ano Meria, well past the whitewashed lanes of Ano Syros. It is a family-run taverna with a broad terrace looking out over the Aegean, and it has been a fixture for locals and a reliable find for visitors for more than seventeen years. Since January 2018 it has operated under new management, with a full renovation that kept the cooking style intact while freshening the space.

The address places it on Kykladon street in Ermoupoli municipality, but the actual experience is closer to a remote Cycladic farmhouse than anything you would associate with the island's neoclassical capital. Getting there requires a short drive north from Ano Syros along a narrow road with several bends — about fifteen minutes once you clear the upper town. The remoteness is part of the point: this is a place for people who want the quieter, more rural side of Syros rather than its better-known harbor-front cafés.

With a 4.6 rating drawn from more than 1,470 Google reviews, Plakostroto has earned a consistent reputation rather than a single season of hype. The food is rooted in the herbs and aromatics grown in the Ano Meria area, and the menu runs through dishes that take real cooking time — things slow-cooked in clay pots or wrapped in parchment.

What to Expect

The terrace is the main draw before you even look at a menu. Tables face west, which means the late-afternoon sun drops directly over the Aegean in front of you. If you arrive before the kitchen gets busy, you can choose a position specifically for the sunset angle — earlier tables fill that spot.

The cooking is traditional Greek with a strong local character. Courgette fritters (kolokythokeftedes) are a recurring recommendation in visitor accounts, made with herbs from the surrounding hillside. Sun-dried tomato fried in batter and served with cold yogurt is an unusual preparation that appears regularly on the menu. Aubergine cooked in a clay pot (melitzana sto pilino) follows the slow-baked style typical of Cycladic cooking. For heavier plates, the kid goat wrapped in parchment (katsikaki stin ladokolka) and pork braised with fennel in wine are the dishes that come up most often in what regular visitors recommend.

The setting is casual rather than formal — stone-paved surfaces (the name Plakostroto literally means cobblestone or flagstone pavement), simple furnishings, and a pace that suits long lunches or early dinners. Service is characteristically direct in the way of a working family taverna rather than a tourist-focused establishment.

The hours run from 2:30 PM to 9:00 PM every day of the week, which makes this a lunch-into-early-dinner venue rather than a late-night spot. Plan accordingly — there is no late sitting.

How to Get There

The most practical way to reach Plakostroto is by car or scooter. From Ermoupoli, take the road north toward Ano Syros, pass through the upper town, and continue on the narrow road signposted for San Michalis. The drive takes roughly fifteen minutes from Ano Syros and covers several tight bends; the road is manageable but requires attention. Parking near the taverna is limited to roadside space — arrive a few minutes early if you want to park close.

There is a local bus service on Syros connecting Ermoupoli with some northern settlements, but the schedule to San Michalis is infrequent and not well-suited to timing a meal. A taxi from Ermoupoli is a practical alternative if you don't have a vehicle, and the ride is short enough that the cost is reasonable. Ask the taverna to call a taxi for your return if needed — they can be reached at +30 697 398 0248.

For those on foot or cycling, the road from Ano Syros to San Michalis is steep and exposed, not a walk most visitors would attempt in summer heat.

Best Time to Visit

Plakostroto is open year-round on a daily schedule, which is notable for a taverna this far from the main town. In summer, the most sought-after time is the hour before sunset — arriving by 7:00 PM secures a terrace table with full evening light. In July and August, the taverna is busy with both islanders and visitors; a booking by phone or email is sensible for weekends.

Spring and autumn are excellent times to visit. The surrounding hillsides are greener, the air is cooler, and the kitchen operates at a more relaxed pace. Syros sees milder weather than many Cycladic islands, partly because it sits slightly north and is not as exposed to the full force of the meltemi wind, though the northern part of the island where San Michalis sits does catch a breeze.

Winter visits are possible — the taverna stays open through the colder months, which is unusual and makes it a destination for Syros residents who want a weekend drive and a proper meal away from Ermoupoli.

Tips for Visiting

• Book ahead for summer weekends. Call +30 697 398 0248 or email [email protected] to reserve a terrace table, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings in July and August.
• Arrive before sunset. The western-facing terrace delivers its best light in the hour before the sun drops — getting there by 7:00–7:30 PM in summer means you eat as the sky changes.
• Drive or arrange a taxi. The road to San Michalis is not suitable for walking in summer heat, and the bus schedule from Ermoupoli is infrequent. A rental car or scooter gives you full flexibility.
• Order the slow-cooked dishes. The kid goat in parchment and the pork in clay pot take longer to prepare; if the kitchen is busy, these are worth the wait and not the kind of thing to rush.
• Try the sun-dried tomato starter. The fried sun-dried tomato with batter and yogurt is specific to this kitchen and not something you'll find on every Cycladic menu — it's worth ordering even if it sounds simple.
• Check the website before visiting out of season. The official site at plakostroto.com is the best place to confirm any schedule changes in shoulder season or during local holidays.
• The name is literal. Plakostroto means flagstone pavement — the stone-paved terrace and interior are part of the character of the place, not a renovation detail.
• Combine with Ano Syros. The drive up through Ano Syros on the way to San Michalis is worth slowing down for. The Catholic upper town has its own lanes and views, and you can stop before continuing north to the taverna.

What to Order

The kitchen at Plakostroto draws on the herbs and aromatics grown in the Ano Meria hills, and most of the dishes that have built its reputation are ones that don't travel well to tourist-facing restaurants — they require good local ingredients and unhurried preparation.

Starters and vegetables: The courgette fritters are consistently cited as a benchmark — light, herby, and made with courgette rather than filled with filler. The sun-dried tomato fried in batter with cold yogurt is an unusual preparation worth ordering as a first taste of what the kitchen does with simple produce. Aubergine in a clay pot is the slower, more deeply flavoured version of the dish you find across Greece.

Main plates: Kid goat in parchment is the dish most associated with this kitchen — slow-cooked, juicy, and carrying the flavour of the herbs it's been resting with. Pork and veal cooked together in a covered pot (gastra) is a traditional Sunday-style preparation. The wine-braised pork with fennel is specifically mentioned by food writers who have covered Syros tavernas, and the fennel is sourced locally.

Drink: Local Cycladic wines are the natural match. The taverna's own house wine selection tends to reflect what's available from nearby producers in the Cyclades.