Taverna Karavolos

Taverna Karavolos takes its name — 'the snail' — from the sea snail (karavolos in Greek), a small marine gastropod that is the taverna's most distinctive offering on the Nafplio dining scene. Located on Staikopoulou, the pedestrianised main street of Nafplio's old town, the kitchen has built its identity around the coastal shellfish and lesser-used molluscs of the Argolic Gulf, with sea snails as its signature centrepiece. Stewed sea snails, simmered with tomato, garlic, olive oil, and fennel fronds until the shells release their briny liquid into the sauce, arrive in a deep bowl with bread for mopping. It is an unfamiliar dish for most visitors but one that seafood lovers consistently rate as a discovery worth making. Mussels in white wine sauce — a simpler and more broadly appealing preparation — are sourced from farming operations and arrive fat and steamed just open, still in their shells. Grilled squid, scored and oiled before the grill, is one of the cleanest and most satisfying meze in Nafplio. Psarosoupa (fish soup), made with the day's off-cuts and small fish, is a hearty starter that works best in cooler months. The dining room is intimate and well-worn, reflecting the informality of a restaurant whose reputation rests entirely on what arrives at the table. Walk-ins are the norm throughout the year; summer evenings can require a short wait.