Kipos tou Thermaikou

🇬🇷 Κήπος του Θερμαικού
📍Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Eatery type: traditional taverna
Food: mainly meat
Vegetarian score:🌱🌱
Quantity score: 🥣🥣🥣
Quality score: ✅✅
Housewine score: 🍷🍷🍷
Location score: 🗺️
Parking score:🅿️🅿️🅿️
Ambience/comfort score: 💺💺
Outdoor score: ⛱️⛱️
Kids score: 👦👦👦
Service score: 💁💁💁
Price level: €€
Overall score: ⭐
Score system
Intro to Cretan eateries
Cretan diet guide

Taverna Klimataria offers traditional meat-based Cretan food in the outskirts of Rethymno. There is a good range of Cretan starters, salads and bitter greens as well as great quality grilled meat. One of the highlights is pasta cooked on a lamb broth (“makaronia sizouma“), although it is not available every day and we did not try it. We started our meal with some classic Cretan vegan starters. As salad, we chose boiled stamnagathi bitter greens which was boiled to perfection and of great quality. We also tried the pickled edible bulbs and the broad bean fava, which is a classic of the Rethymno region. As mains we also opted for really classic Cretan meat-based dishes, those being pan cooked lamb in olive oil, known as “tsigariasto”, and Rethymnian lamb chops. Lamb chops were great in all respects, i.e., good quality Cretan lamb, proper cuts of meat and chargrilled to the point of being well-done but moist. The taverna offered us great desserts and good quality raki as treats. These comprised of a very fresh and tasteful panna cotta with chocolate sauce and a very well made traditional Greek semolina halva, a favorite of ours. In addition there was a basket of seasonal fruits to give a healthier tone to the end of our meal.

A set table (left) and the sign of the taverna (right).

Location

Taverna Klimataria is located in the eastern outskirts of Rethymno, approximately 3 km from the center. It is situated on the old road to Heraklion and its location is not special, resulting in a location score of 1 out of 3 (🗺️). There is a designated parking area, justifying a 3 out of 3 parking score (🅿️🅿️🅿️).

Ambience, comfort, decor

The taverna has a very large and comfortable indoor seating area that is decorated with some old photographs and agricultural tools. It features a fireplace and has wooden traditional style chairs and tables. People are seated very comfortably in ample space, however there is a sense of emptiness in the seating area. The ambience/comfort score is therefore 2 out of 3 (💺💺). The restaurant has also a nice outdoor area without any special view, suitable for warmer weather, justifying an outdoor score of 2 out of 3 (⛱️⛱️). There is a friendly attitude to children and the taverna has a very nice play area, justifying a top 3 out of 3 kids score (👦👦👦).

The large wooden tables in the comfortable seating area (left) and the fireplace (right)

Food, quality, quantity

The food is based on locally source ingredients and focuses on meat based traditional Cretan cuisine. There is also a good range of salads and all sorts of Cretan starters. As the food is meat based, the taverna is not ideal for vegetarians, although there are vegetarian salads and starters on offer, justifying a 2 out of 3 vegetarian score(🌱🌱). Food portions are large and food is of good quality, justifying a quantity score of 3 out of 3 (🥣🥣🥣) and a 2 out of 3 quality score (✅✅). The house wine is exceptional, justifying a 3 out of 3 housewine score (🍷🍷🍷).

We started our meal with some classic Cretan vegan starters. As salad, we chose boiled stamnagathi bitter greens which was boiled to perfection and of great quality. We also tried the pickled edible bulbs and the broad bean fava, which is a classic of the Rethymno region. The starters were of very good quality with the exception of bread which was average.

Top quality stamnagathi greens boiled to perfection (left), pickled bulbs (top right) and very nice broad bean fava with onions (bottom right)

As mains we also opted for really classic Cretan meat-based dishes, those being pan cooked lamb in olive oil, known as “tsigariasto”, and Rethymnian lamb chops. The meat of tsigariasto was of very good quality (nice cut without too many bones), although the olive oil taste was not thoroughly suffused in the meat, as it is meant to be in this dish. Lamb chops were great in all respects, i.e., good quality Cretan lamb, proper cuts of meat and chargrilled to the point of being well-done but moist.

Pan cooked lamb in olive oil “tsigariasto” served with Cretan fries.

Excellent Cretan lamb chops with fries.

Service

Service is fast, attentive and discrete and deserves a 3 out of 3 service score (💁💁💁).

Treats at no extra charge

The taverna offered us great desserts and good quality raki as treats. These comprised of a very fresh and tasteful panna cotta with chocolate sauce and a very well made traditional Greek semolina halva, a favorite of ours. In addition there was a basket of seasonal fruits to give a healthier tone to the end of our meal.

Amazing cheesecake topped with strawberry jam

Reservation advice

Reservation is advisable at peak times, such as weekends and summer time.

Price and overall score

Taverna Klimataria is reasonably priced; the price for a full meal lies around € 20,00 per person (price level: €€) including house wine. The overall score, that mainly accounts for value for money, is 1 out of 3 (⭐).

*Note that our score system and assessment is tailor-made for Cretan and Greek restaurants in Greece and reflects the expectations of a local food lover. An extensive introduction on Cretan and Greek eateries is found here.