Kos’ Specialties that will Give your Taste Buds a Surprise!

On the island of Kos, there are many things to see and do, and equally many new flavors to explore! The basics of Greek and Mediterranean diet, are incorporated in the local cuisine, with some distinctive products being the protagonists in the kitchen, such as extra virgin olive oil, feta cheese, seasonal fruits and vegetables, thyme honey, herbs, and wine!

Besides the famous "kanelada", a trademark traditional beverage of Kos made of cinnamon, clove, and aromatic herbs, you will also find many other distinctive tastes on the island. One of them is "possia cheese", or "krasotyri", a protected with designation of origin (PDO) cheese, which is stored and matured in red wine for extra taste and color, adding a unique flair in traditional recipes. 

For pasta lovers, "pitaridia" and "pasa makarouna" are two delicious dishes that will make you hungry for more. Pitaridia, are handmade pasta that resembles lasagna in shape and is usually cooked in beef broth that gives them an intense "meaty" flavor. Pasa makarouna is a mouthwatering dish, very similar to the famous Greek Pastitsio, made of pasta, minced meat, cheese, and béchamel sauce.

As far as desserts are concerned, Kos will not disappoint! "Maergia" is a traditional sweet with thyme honey, "Katimeria" sweet pies made with mizithra cheese, fried in a pan, and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Of course, we could not leave out the most famous traditional dessert of Kos, the "tomato spoon sweet", a delicious recipe made from sweet cherry tomatoes that is definitely worth trying out!

During your stay in Kos and Diamond Collection Hotels, you should relish the local dishes to take in the gastronomic culture of the island. Almost every restaurant on the island serves them, including our hotels' restaurants, where our Chefs have drawn inspiration from these traditional recipes, adding a creative flair to them, to create an unprecedented menu for our guests!