Ios Local products

The local products of Ios are mainly cheese, pastries and herbs. During their stay, guests will also have the opportunity to taste traditional Ios dishes in the island's restaurants.

Ios' most famous product has to be cheese. The island's variety of locally produced cheeses include kefalotiri, graviera, xinotiri, mizithra and skotiri - a soft cheese with a spicy taste that has been awarded for its exceptional taste. A shop selling local producers' cheese is situated at the port.

In the soil of Ios, just like it happens to the rest of the Cycladic islands, several herbs grow, as the climate allows it and even enhances their flavor. Oregano, sage, thyme and pennyroyal are among the herbs you can pick (depending on the season).

Sweet-flavored local products are also worthy of trying and/or purchasing while in Ios. Mizithropitakia (pieces of pie filled with Ios' mizithra cheese with honey poured over them), amygdalota (marzipan macarons), watermelon pie, dried figs, pasteli (sesame bars with honey) and avgokalamara (variation of the traditional Christmas treat called diples) are the among the top sweet-flavored delicacies.

Last but not least, the palatable local dishes that we recommend guests try in a local eating establishment are tsimetia (zucchini blossoms stuffed with rice and cheese), chickpea soup and fried chickpea balls.