Boston Eats, Kava Neo-Taverna

I had a number of memorable meals in Boston recently, but Kava Neo-Taverna secured the top spot on my list of 14 Great Boston Eats. From the amazing food, to the friendly service and ambiance, the small South End restaurant was probably my favorite dining experience so far this year.

A server recommended ordering three mezedakia (small plates) per person, or splitting one or two with entrees. After reviewing the menu, we opted for the former. We ended up interacting with at least three servers during our meal. They were all very friendly and clearly excited about the food and drink offerings.

We started with cocktails that added a Greek twist to some old favorites. The Tsipouro Mule had Tsilili Tsipouro (distilled grape spirit), ginger beer, lime, and jalapeño. It was fresh, gingery, spicy and sweet. The Mastiha Spritz had Mastiha (sweet liquor), club soda, lemon juice, and orange bitters. It was refreshingly citrusy, and slightly sweet, but herby in the best possible way.

The horiatiki was everything you want a Greek salad to be. Super fresh, crisp, salty, and herby, with a vinegary kick. The keftedes (lamb meatballs) were well spiced and charred on the grill. The saganaki garides was a little pot of plump shrimp in a spicy tomato based stew with fresh feta.

Kava Neo-Taverna had a good selection of Greek wines and spirits that are hard to find in the United States. There were several by-the-glass options which is great for trying new varietals. We started with the more familiar Assyrtiko and a rose Malagouzia. Next we asked our server to pick any two glasses to pair with our food and he selected the Moschofilero and Kotsifali. The latter was the most unique, a dry red with a subtle aroma of mulling spices.

Everything we tried was fantastic, but there were three dishes that really stood out. The Maritha (fried smelts) was super hot and crispy. Essentially a summer day at the beach served up in a silver pail.

The oktapodi was probably the best grilled octopus that I’ve had on this side of the Atlantic. The dish was meltingly tender, perfectly charred, and simply seasoned with olive oil, herbs, and lemon.

The kolokithakia was the winner of the evening. The piping hot, salty, crispy, fresh zucchini chips arrived artfully arranged in a pool of cool creamy tzatziki. It was the perfect contrast.

The yogurt was among the many ingredients sources directly from Greece. It was creamy and decadent, served with intense honey, sugared walnuts, and fresh fruit. The baklava was incredibly flakey with the same intense honey flavor.

The server left us with ouzo and lemon juice as a digestif. We left ready to plan a trip to the Mediterranean. If you are in Boston and can’t get away this summer, a meal at Kava Neo-Taverna is the next best thing.

Details

Kava Neo-Taverna is a small neighborhood wine bar with limited seating. Reservations open up starting at 7am on a day-to-day basis in Resy. This is great for out-of-town visitors who may not be able to plan in advance. I was able to select my preferred time right at 7am on a Saturday but lost the slot and had limited availability by the time I reset my password. Make sure to register for an account and log-in first!