Fish and seafood
Elafonisos is famous for its fresh fish and seafood. Try lobster, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish and octopus grilled or marinated in vinegar. Do not forget to try out fresh local fish like white grouper, dentex, dusky grouper, swordfish, striped red mullet, common pandora and much more. The island's specialty is kakavia, the local fish soup, with vegetables. In recent years, the visitors of Elafonisos have also brought out astakomakaronada (spaghetti with lobster) and garidomakaronada (spaghetti with shrimps).
Pies
In Elafonisos pies are a separate chapter on their own. Spanakopita (made with spinach and cheese) and pies made with aromatic herbs are recommended. Try also the tsaiti, a traditional pie from Vatika, Laconia, a shepherd' s recipe with fresh goat cheese and mint.
Sweets
Traditional pastries of Elafonisos are the samousades (a kind of baklava) and the lychnarakia, both fried with syrup.
Vegetables and salads
Many inhabitants of Elafonisos farm the land on the opposite coast where the soil is very fertile. Try the fresh local tomatoes in Greek salad or dakos. Particularly famous are also the onions and the potatoes from Vatika.
Olive oil and olives
The olive oil from Elafonissos is one of the best in Greece. It is fine, light and has a pale green color. Try also local olives marinated with vinegar or preserved with salt.
Honey
The vegetation of Elafonisos (with a variety of Phryganea) and the abundance of plants such as thyme, erica manipuliflora, sage, satureja thymbra and the rare elty germander, offer the ideal food for bees. Try the excellent quality thyme honey.
Baked goods
Excellent are the breads and barley rusks (paximadi), from wheat, semolina or mixed with barley flour: eftazyma (fluffy and aromatic barley rusks, kneaded with yeast) and barley rusks with anise or other herbs.
Dairy - Cheese
Look for local goat milk and goat cheese.
Sources
http://elafonisos.gov.gr