Feast in Arkadia: the Ardamis Family Restaurant

The Arkadian region of Greece between Sparta and Tripoli is a rich agricultural area. Local farmers produce apples, cherries, olive oil, honey, walnuts, chestnuts, cheeses, and great wines. Villages make hilopites (a small squared pasta great in soups, stews and sauces). We were in for a feast when we stopped at the roadside restaurant and taverna called Ardamis, named for its proprieters Alikisti and Evangeli Ardamis, good friends of of our guide John and and his wife Eleni Fotopoulos. The restaurant is on the Sparta-Tripoli road and all food is organic, much of it home grown in gardens in back of the restaurant complete with their own butchery. They make their own cheese and the menu is diverse and delicious. The desserts are unique and the family also sells local products in a small store next to the kitchen.

We were greeted like family and seated at several large tables in this family-style restaurant that from the outside looks like a rest stop restaurant in the middle of nowhere but is situated in a lush Greek agricultural region.. Eleni and children, who were at their summer home in Argos, joined us for a wonderful meal. 

​​Alkisti made a wonderful dessert, called Sultana, which was new to me. The recipe is in one of the pictures and can be found translated at the right!

At the gift shop we puchased nuts, snacks, Greek coffee and wine.