Tomata Corfiot Cuisine Restaurant — Restaurant in Municipality of Southern Corfu

Καλησπέρα

Dear Mr. Thomas ,

I appreciate your response. It seems you made assumptions about us without knowing our background. My husband was born and spent his childhood in Lefkimmi and Kavos. He left for Thessaloniki at 18 for his studies, where we met and lived together for 15 years. I have been in Thessaloniki since childhood, so it’s not impossible that we might know someone from there. My husband is a well-liked person who often runs into people he knows from his childhood. When he entered your restaurant and said, “Let’s see who I know here,” it was a light-hearted comment, not a request for special treatment. We indeed asked some of your clients about your restaurant, and they praised it highly, mentioning that reservations were not necessary and that we would find a spot. One of these clients, whom you respect and admire, gave you some of the great reviews on the internet. Additionally, my husband’s sister, who works nearby in a tourist shop renting out yachts and coastal services, recommended your place to us. She has been sending people to your restaurant all summer, insisting it’s a must visit spot.We did not mention this when we arrived because we did not seek special treatment. If we had wanted preferential treatment, we would have told you that we were sent by someone who regularly fills your restaurant with customers. As someone who has managed some of the best establishments in Greece, serving everyone from prime ministers to everyday people with the same respect, I understand the importance of treating all guests equally. Even when dealing with individuals who may not have the best manners, it is our duty to welcome them without irony or judgment. We did not cross any lines or behave rudely, so I don’t believe we deserved a lesson in ethics and behavior. My husband, who you referred to as “rude” for not saying good evening, felt very hurt by your comment. Ironically, he was the only one who immediately forgave and forgot the incident. I, on the other hand, believe in addressing such matters directly. We are not much different in age, and with 20 years of experience in customer service, I expect professionals to handle situations with more tact. Your responses seem to expose a defensive attitude rather than resolving the issue. For Greek readers, your replies might come across as someone trying to assert their authority rather than showing genuine hospitality. While I won’t be returning to your restaurant, I am certain my husband and his family will, as they are more forgiving and embody the true spirit of Greek hospitality and kindness. Unlike them, I find it difficult to overlook such professional missteps. I also want to comment your team one last time …congrats .I understand finally why your restaurant is so successful. It couldn’t be otherwise with such an impeccable team from Thessaloniki. Only people from Thessaloniki could bring a restaurant to the top in terms of food quality! I really don’t want to continue this...

After reading the 100% positive reviews we decided we would try and see if the restaurant could keep up with the expectations we now had.

Wow!!!

Not only did Tomata meet our expectations, they were far exceeded.

Everyone in this place has perfect attention to detail. From the first moment we walked inside, we were greeted by one of the staff members who guided us to our table and immediately served cold water as a refreshment to accommodate us. But here is the details. The glasses were spotless. The bottle was proper glass instead of cheap plastic. The waiter poured our first glass, asked if the water temperature was ok and if there was anything else he could get us while we wait for the main server to come and explain the menu and specials to us. That first impression set the bar high for the rest of the night and again Tomata did not disappoint. There was some specials lined up which were elaborately highlighted for us and with every word you could tell there was a massive sense of pride in each product on and off the menu.

We decided to go for Tomatokeftedes as a starter, classic corfiot dishes Sofrito and Pastitsada as main courses and finished our meal with a special dessert consisting of chocolate ganache, strawberry sorbet and fresh strawberries. Pictures of our dishes are included.

The only small amount of criticism i will allow myself here is that the sofrito is served with a parmigian risotto. Unfortunately the components were served in a pasta plate allowing the gravy of the Sofrito to dilute the Risotto and disabling me from tasting the components separately. But that is honestly not much of a criticism at all, more like a suggestion to the manager. Everything was extremely delicious.

As we are both not huge on wines i cannot speak to the selection here. I had a double helping of margaritas as it is one of my favorite cocktails and most often after the first i will switch to beer because a lot of times it is made with some pre mix, cheap tequila and never saw a single lime. Not here. Fresh made in plain sight and no skimping on the jose cuervo either. Probably the best margarita available in Kavos.

To conclude this long review let me say that the 5 star rating is deserved and the minor difference between this and the 4.x ratings other establishments have does not accurately represent how much of an actual difference there is between Tomata and other restaurants.

Honestly i am already sick of all the dishes being served with french fries as a cheap filler and greek cuisine being presented as so limited by whatever else is available here in Kavos.

TL:DR Yes! You want to eat...

When we ran across Tomata during our way-too-short stay on Corfu (and in Kavos in particular), we had already tried the local fare in some places, but between clubs and bars we didn't expect to find this gem.

Everything is on point at Tomata, from the food, the chill atmosphere, to the attention to detail, to the perfect level of attention you get from the staff (i.e. you won't feel abandoned, but chances are you won't be asked for feedback mid-bite either) - the timing is impeccable.

The food, we found, is outstanding both on a technical level (the execution was flawless), and content-wise - Tomata's take on traditional dishes literally made two wannabe foodies like my wife and I smile. The elevated seemingly simple roe salad is a thing of beauty - and I have yet to understand how it was made THAT light and smooth. The green risotto and the house version of bourdeto were cooked to perfection, and their taste and texture were excellent.

We ultimately decided to try the dessert as well (to think we almost missed this!), and while my better half got something very kumquat-y and meringue-based (very good in itself), I was treated to what I can call the evening's revelation - the Tomata's version of the portokalopita. Our host did let us know a bit of story behind this dessert, it being an old family recipe and all, but neither that, nor the fact that I had had this seemingly simple cake before did nothing to really prepare me for this one. I can only call the texture, taste, and flavor of their version one way, and that is 'utterly addictive'. Obviously, we had to return the next evening as well, to end our stay on Corfu on a bittersweet note, as flavorful as the caramelized orange rinds on the cake.

As an ending thought, I have to thank the owner, mr. Pandis. The experience here was the last sign we needed that we're supposed to return to the island as soon...