Sifnos, the gastronomic Greek island (3): lunch at Omega 3 and Loggia wine bar in Kastro
Day two began with an early morning swim, then we headed off to Platis (sometimes ‘Ptalys’) Giallos, where we had a reservation at one of the Island’s leading restaurants, Omega 3. Platys Giallos is a much bigger bay than Cheronisoss, and there are quite a few restaurants here. But it still has charm.
And Omega 3 is a top location, with tables looking out to the bay. It took a while for them to find our reservation, and in the process they read out the other bookings – one was for Marina O’Loughlin. If the famed food critic, who for a long time was the only restaurant critic to be truly anonymous, was in Sifnos, we knew we were on the right tracks. A bit of sleuthing fed us with the information that she was on the island to write an article for Noble Rot. Yes, we were definitely in the right place.
Omega 3 was founded by Giorgio Samoilis, who now focuses much of his attention on his second restaurant, Cantina. He’s one of the people who have put Sifnos on the gastronomic map, and also has a third restaurant called Pelicanos.
Looking out to the sea, we ate and drank well here. This is modern Greek, done well, and they had a wine list that, while not quite being top notch, had a few good bottles on it. We drank this:
Sarris Lygia Orange Wine 2024 Cephalonia, Greece
13% alcohol. Full gold in colour this has lovely structure and weight with orange peel and marmalade notes as well as night citrus, pear and pith notes. Fresh, well balanced and showing good structure, this is truly gastronomic with good acid. 94/100
After lunch, a swim in the bay. Then back in the car and off to our second night’s destination, the hilltop village of Kastro. Our stunning accommodation had a terrace that looked across to the village, which was 10 minutes walk away. This was to be our home for two nights, and this proved to be a good decision.
We’d been given a recommendation for a wine bar called Loggia. Actually, several people had recommended this place. So after a while spent wandering through the hilly streets (time well spent) we came out of a doorway to find stairs leading down to where Loggia was setting up.
Now this is a location: each evening, just before 7 pm, the tables are set up alongside the walls looking down to the sea through a small canyon. Facing where the sun is about to set. Everyone wants to be here for the golden hour, and a queue was already forming even before the set-up was finished. Fortunately we had an in (we’d met co-owner Noda in Pharoah, Athens a few nights before), and snagged one of the coveted tables, where we dined flanked by influencers looking to get that perfect shot of them sipping orange wine with the backdrop of the setting sun. You need to book for Loggia, unless you are arriving after sundown.
The food was excellent, and the wine list inspiring. We chatted to co-owner Nikos and sommelier Bertram, and they tasted a few fun things with us. It’s a challenge when you run the most popular joint in town, and you have an amazing wine list, but relatively few guests are interested in exploring it. But they do a great job here. We went back the following evening, after our dinner.
Santameriana Sant’Or Skin Contact 2024 PGI Peloponnese, Greece
Biodynamic, skin-fermented in amphora. Full golden colour. This is bright and tangy and alive with apricot, mandarin, orange peel and lime. There’s a subtle fennel not, as well as some apple skin. There’s a bit of grippy structure too. Lovely stuff. 95/100
Tetramythos Laurier Noir ‘natur’ 2023 Aigialea, Peloponnese, Greece
Mavrodaphne is the variety here. This is so crunchy and nicely tannic, but it’s not at all heavy. Bright blackcurrant, blackberries and black cherry with some thyme and mint in the background. There’s depth and structure, too. I’d have said an unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon blind, but better. 94/100
Pulàti Savatiano 2023 PGI Cyclades, Greece
This is one of the few wines from Sifnos, and it comes from a small vineyard behind Kastro. Aged in Amphora, and made by Karamolegos in Santorini (it’s a collaboration wine with Loggia). This is balanced, fresh and a bit salty with lovely lemony fruit. Crisp and really nicely balanced. Brisk and tense with lovely balance. 93/100
Fùa Assyrtiko 2023 PGI Cyclades, Greece
Another Loggia x Karamolegos colab. It comes from two vineyards in Sifnos. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, 9 months on lees. So taut and mineral with a pithy edge to the lime and lemon fruit. Stony and precise with a brightness and focus. This is really nuanced and focused. 93/100
Tetramythos natur Volitsa 2023 PGI Peloponnese, Greece
This is a grape variety that Tetramythos found via a shepherd. Sappy with great energy. Light and peppery with some green hints. Such freshness and focus with cherry and raspberry. White pepper and plum. So lovely. Peppery and mineral. 95
Xydakis Microwinery Mavrotragano 2023 Cyclades, Greece
Giorgos Xydakis, a dentist, has a really interesting natural wine project based on Mykonos, where he’s focusing on small plots of largely indigenous grapes in Mykonos and other Cycladian islands. This is powerful and focused. Rich blackberry and cherry fruit with some plum and spice. Nicely savoury but also with lovely fruit. A bold wine. 93/100
Xydakis Micowinery guru g.x. 2017 Cyclades, Greece
14% alcohol. From Tinos, this is wine made from Syrah and Kountara grapes, harvested 21 September and dried in the sun for 15 days, with 40% weight loss. Bold, rich, tarry and spicy. Thyme and tar with nice spicy density and notes of treacle and tar. Brilliant. 93/100
Oenos Mittos Dissektos 2024 Greece
Lighter red, made from Xynomavro. Supple and juicy with cherry and raspberry fruit. Sappy and light this is a brilliant lighter style red. Such energy. Playful, served in a litre bottle. 93/100
SIFNOS GASTRO JOURNEY
- 1 INTRODUCTION
- 2 CHERINOSSOS AND FISH TAVERN FYSOSS
- 3 PLATYS GIALOS AND OMEGA 3; KASTRO AND LOGGIA
- 4 KASTRO AND CANTINA, LOGGIA REPRISE
- 5 CHRYSOPIGI TAVERN; FAROS; VAHTI BAY AND MANOLIS
- 6 VAHTI BAY AND TSIKALI; KEREMOS AND PARALIA BEACH BAR AND AGYRIS
- 7 BACK TO CHERINOSSOS; SIFNOS STONEWARE
