# Kefalonia Food and Wine: Robola, Meat Pie and More > Kefalonia food guide: kreatopita meat pie, aliada, tserepa, bourbourelia, mandoles and honey, plus Robola, Mavrodaphne and Muscat wines and where to taste them. URL: https://theauthenticgreece.com/kefalonia-food/ Last updated: 2026-10-20 --- Kefalonia food is hearty island cooking shaped by mountains, sheep and goats and centuries of Venetian rule. The dish to look for is kreatopita, the Kefalonian meat pie, followed by aliada (a pungent garlic and potato sauce), bourbourelia (a mixed bean and legume soup), slow-cooked village stews and sugar-glazed almonds called mandoles. To drink, order Robola, the crisp white wine grown on the slopes of Mount Ainos, which is one of three protected wines on the island alongside the sweet Mavrodaphne and Muscat of Kefalonia. ## Quick facts - **Signature dish:** kreatopita, a meat pie with rice, tomato and warm spices in handmade pastry. - **Signature wine:** Robola of Kefalonia, a dry white with protected designation of origin status since 1982. - **Other protected wines:** Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia (sweet red) and Muscat of Kefalonia (sweet white). - **Local products:** feta, myzithra and graviera cheeses, thyme honey, olive oil, mandoles. - **Best for wine:** the Omala valley and the slopes of Mount Ainos, plus wineries around Lixouri. ## What makes Kefalonian food different Kefalonia is the largest and most mountainous of the Ionian Islands, and its kitchen reflects that. Where Corfu’s cooking leans towards rich tomato sauces and Venetian pasta dishes, Kefalonia’s is built on meat, pies, pulses and wild greens, the food of shepherds and farmers. The Venetians, who ruled the island for centuries, left their mark in sweets, in some dish names and in the island’s taste for spices such as cinnamon and allspice in savoury food. If you have eaten your way through Corfu, our guide to [Corfu’s local dishes](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-food/) makes an interesting comparison. ## Dishes to try in Kefalonia ### Kreatopita (Kefalonian meat pie) This is the dish the island is known for across Greece. Recipes vary from village to village and family to family, but the filling is usually a mix of meats (lamb, goat, veal or pork, often more than one) cooked with rice, tomato, onion and spices such as cinnamon and allspice, sometimes with potato or a squeeze of lemon. It is baked in a sturdy, handmade pastry and served in generous squares. Traditionally it was a dish for Carnival and festive days, but many tavernas now serve it through the summer. ### Other pies Pies are central to Kefalonian cooking. Look out for bakaliaropita (salt cod pie), aginaropita (artichoke pie), tyropita made with local cheeses and hortopita filled with wild greens. In bakeries and village tavernas they are an easy, inexpensive lunch. ### Aliada and bakaliaros Aliada is Kefalonia’s version of skordalia, a strong garlic sauce made with potato or bread and olive oil, sometimes with almonds or walnuts. It is thicker and fiercer than most mainland versions. The classic partner is bakaliaros, battered and fried salt cod, eaten across Greece on 25 March and served in many Kefalonian tavernas year round. Aliada also goes with boiled greens and fried fish. ### Bourbourelia A thick soup of mixed beans, chickpeas, lentils and other pulses, finished with good olive oil. It is a winter and fasting dish and less often seen on summer menus, but ask in village tavernas and you may find it. ### Tserepa Named after the clay pot it is cooked in, tserepa is meat (often chicken, sometimes lamb or goat) marinated and slow-cooked with garlic, oregano, tomato, lemon and potatoes until falling apart. Some tavernas need it ordered in advance. ### Riganato and village stews Lamb or goat roasted with oregano and lemon, rabbit or octopus stifado with small onions, and other slow-cooked mageirefta (dishes of the day) are the backbone of inland taverna menus. Kefalonian rizoto, rice cooked with rooster or veal in tomato, is another home dish worth trying if you see it. ### Tsigaridia and savoro Tsigaridia are wild or garden greens sauteed in olive oil, often with onion and tomato, a simple side that shows off the island’s oil. Savoro is small fried fish preserved in a sweet and sour sauce of vinegar, rosemary, garlic and raisins, a method shared with other Ionian islands that keeps the fish for days. ## Cheese, honey and olive oil Sheep and goats graze much of Kefalonia’s rough mountain land, and the island has a strong cheese tradition. Feta is the main product, made by a number of local dairies, alongside myzithra (a soft whey cheese, sometimes aged and salted), graviera and kefalotyri for grating. Sheep’s milk yoghurt is excellent. Kefalonian honey is dark and aromatic, from wild thyme on the high slopes and from the black fir forests of Mount Ainos. Buy it directly from producers in the mountain villages or at local shops. The island also produces good extra virgin olive oil, from groves sheltered by the mountains. If you are walking on [Mount Ainos](https://theauthenticgreece.com/mount-ainos/), look for honey and herbs sold by roadside producers. ## Sweets: mandoles and more The most famous Kefalonian sweet is mandoles, whole almonds coated in a hard, glossy red sugar shell. They date back to the Venetian period, and the name comes from the Italian for almond. They make a good souvenir as they travel well. Other sweets include mandolato (a soft nougat with honey and egg white), pasteli (sesame and honey bars), pastokydono (quince paste) and ladopita, an olive oil cake soaked in light syrup. ## Kefalonia wine: Robola, Mavrodaphne and Muscat Kefalonia has three wines with protected designation of origin. The most important is **Robola of Kefalonia**, a dry white made from the Robola grape. Its PDO zone centres on the Omala valley and the limestone slopes of Mount Ainos, with vineyards from around 175 to 800 metres above sea level. The wines are crisp, lemony and mineral, and pair well with fish, pies and cheese. Much of the vineyard is dry-farmed and harvested by hand, and some old vines survived the phylloxera outbreak that devastated vineyards elsewhere. The Cephalonia Robola Wine Cooperative, founded in 1982 in the Omala area, handles the large majority of the island’s Robola grapes from around 300 grower members. Private wineries make their own versions too. The two sweet wines are **Mavrodaphne of Kefalonia**, a dark, rich red, and **Muscat of Kefalonia**, a sweet white made from Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Other local grapes include Vostilidi, Tsaousi and Zakynthino, which appear in blends and single-variety wines from the smaller producers. ### Visiting wineries There are two main areas for wine visits. Around Omala and the foothills of Mount Ainos you will find the Robola cooperative and smaller estates, an easy addition to a day in the centre of the island. Around Lixouri, on the Paliki peninsula, family wineries such as Haritatos and Sclavos are known for Mavrodaphne, Muscat and less common local varieties. Gentilini, near Argostoli, is among the best known estates on the island. Opening times for tastings vary and many require booking ahead, so contact them before you go. A Robola wine festival has traditionally been held in late summer in the Omala area. Dates and format change, so check locally if you are on the island in August. ## Where to eat well in Kefalonia The best Kefalonian food is usually found away from the busiest harbour fronts. Look for village tavernas inland, around Omala, the villages below Mount Ainos and the Paliki peninsula, where menus are short, change daily and include mageirefta. Argostoli has a good fish market on the waterfront in the mornings and a choice of tavernas and bakeries in the town. In the resort villages, tourist menus dominate; ask what is cooked that day rather than ordering from the laminated list. If you are touring the island, pair food stops with sights: kreatopita after a morning at [the Melissani and Drogarati caves](https://theauthenticgreece.com/melissani-cave/), or a taverna lunch after the coastal [walks between Assos and Myrtos](https://theauthenticgreece.com/kefalonia-hiking/). For more ideas, see our list of [things to do in Kefalonia](https://theauthenticgreece.com/things-to-do-in-kefalonia/). ## Practical tips - Ask for local wine by the carafe in village tavernas; it is often Robola or a local blend and good value. - Kreatopita is filling: one portion can be shared between two as a starter. - Village tavernas often close one day a week and some open only in the evening; check before driving inland for lunch. - Buy mandoles, honey and cheese to take home from shops in Argostoli or direct from producers. Hard cheeses and sealed honey travel best. - For more on planning your trip, see our [Kefalonia travel guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/kefalonia-travel-guide/). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Kefalonia’s most famous dish? Kreatopita, the Kefalonian meat pie, is the island’s best known dish. It combines mixed meats with rice, tomato and spices such as cinnamon in a handmade pastry, and recipes vary from village to village. ### What is Robola wine? Robola is a dry white wine made from the Robola grape on the slopes of Mount Ainos and the Omala valley. Robola of Kefalonia has had protected designation of origin status since 1982 and is crisp, lemony and mineral. ### What sweets is Kefalonia known for? Mandoles, whole almonds in a glossy red sugar coating, are the classic Kefalonian sweet and a popular souvenir. Look also for mandolato nougat, pasteli sesame bars and pastokydono quince paste. ### Can you visit wineries in Kefalonia? Yes. The main areas are around Omala and Mount Ainos, home to the Robola cooperative, and the Lixouri area on the Paliki peninsula. Tasting times vary and many wineries ask you to book, so contact them in advance. ### What is aliada? Aliada is Kefalonia’s strong garlic sauce, made with potato or bread and olive oil, sometimes with nuts. It is usually served with fried salt cod, fish or boiled greens. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Kefalonia's most famous dish? Kreatopita, the Kefalonian meat pie, is the island's best known dish. It combines mixed meats with rice, tomato and spices such as cinnamon in a handmade pastry, and recipes vary from village to village. ### What is Robola wine? Robola is a dry white wine made from the Robola grape on the slopes of Mount Ainos and the Omala valley. Robola of Kefalonia has had protected designation of origin status since 1982 and is crisp, lemony and mineral. ### What sweets is Kefalonia known for? Mandoles, whole almonds in a glossy red sugar coating, are the classic Kefalonian sweet and a popular souvenir. Look also for mandolato nougat, pasteli sesame bars and pastokydono quince paste. ### Can you visit wineries in Kefalonia? Yes. The main areas are around Omala and Mount Ainos, home to the Robola cooperative, and the Lixouri area on the Paliki peninsula. Tasting times vary and many wineries ask you to book, so contact them in advance. ### What is aliada? Aliada is Kefalonia's strong garlic sauce, made with potato or bread and olive oil, sometimes with nuts. It is usually served with fried salt cod, fish or boiled greens.