Ταβέρνα Αύρα — Restaurant in Municipality of Kalamata

It was too hot to go to all those high rated restaurants and tavernas in the center of the city, so we decided to eat at the beach. Actually, the place was on the beach, just a few meters from the water. So it was not a bad setup and it was for sure cooler than most places in the city. The place had all the typical food you would find in a place that is oriented towards tourists. There was a good variety although the fish selection was limited. The portions were large enough for both younger and older patrons, and most of the plates were tasty enough. The service was OK and the people were helpful and polite. The prices were on the expensive side for such food, and my main issue was with the cost of the Talagani (it is tasteful cheese that you should try but it was really pricey). All in all, our experience was what you would expect in a tourist oriented place. Nothing exceptional but good enough for a dinner...

Taverna Avra is the best family-run restaurant along the beach. Iannis, Tonia and his family are very gentle and hospital. The fish is always super fresh and all the ingredients comes directly from the local farmers. The Greek salad (κορεάτικη) is the best I've ever tried. You can ask to Giorgia or Karolos what the are the main dishes of the day, since every day they have something special to offer! Γίγαντες are absolutely a must-to-try. The place is so quiet and relaxing and the view is breath-taking. There is a huge parking spot nearby, just 50 meters from the restaurant. They are very cheap, but the quality is well above the average of Kalamata. Try it and you will experience the best Greek kitchen of...

My friend and I had a wonderful seafood meal at Taverna Avra last night. Tables and chairs beachside, with views across the sea, to the moutain and back towards Kalamata town. It’s a family business and Carlos was so helpful and kind, delighting in our enjoyment of the food. The gigantes (giant beans) were some of the best I’ve eaten in Greece, the salad was fresh and flavoursome and the sardines, calamari and anchovies were fresh, fresh, fresh! The view is priceless but the food was very reasonably priced. Thanks Carlos - I’ll see you...