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Lontza
Music gastro-kafeneio · Foiniki, Thesprotia
Opening hours: Sunday 12:00–19:00 (stated by the owner, Theodoros Manos, on 13 October 2026).
Lontza Foiniki: Music Gastro-Kafeneio in a Traditional Thesprotia Village
A stone-built village that feels like a monument, a fire burning, live music and wine from the vineyards next door. Lontza is the reason to leave the sea behind and head up into the mountains.
Lontza was created by two people who bring together experience and youth, a love of the place and a fresh, modern eye.
Behind it stands the owner, Theodoros Manos — a name deeply woven into the cultural life of Foiniki. He brings with him his love for the land, its traditions and the flavours he came to know over the years. His care and passion show in every detail: in the food, in the space, but above all in the way he welcomes people.
Beside him, Evangelia brings the freshness of a new generation, creativity and a contemporary view. Together they created Lontza, with Evangelia looking after the dishes in the kitchen as well as the venue’s presence on social media, giving traditional flavours and the story of Foiniki a new breath of life.
Because Lontza is, first and foremost, a music gastro-kafeneio. On many evenings the place comes alive with traditional live music and dinner turns into a celebration. It is not a place for a hurried stop; it is a place to sit down, share a table, taste, listen and let the rhythm of the village carry you along.
Visitors speak warmly about the genuine atmosphere, the hospitality and food that respects the local cuisine. With a 4.7/5 rating on Google, Lontza’s reputation was built quickly and, above all, honestly.
At Lontza, experience meets youth, and tradition finds a new way to carry on.
Visitor reviews
4.7
★★★★★
From a Google review
All Google reviews“The value for money was excellent! Everything we ate was delicious and the portions were very satisfying! The owner is very welcoming and attentive. It is definitely worth a visit!”
Katerina · Local Guide on Google · 5/5 · translated from Greek
There is a moment, as the road from Igoumenitsa leaves the plain behind and starts to climb towards Filiates, when the landscape changes character. The sea disappears, the vegetation thickens, and somewhere along the way, perched like an amphitheatre on the Mavrostasi hill, Foiniki appears: a village of stone, with houses that look like small fortresses and cobbled lanes that climb step by step. On its central square, at an altitude of 220 metres and with fewer than twenty permanent residents, a music gastro-kafeneio has become a reason in itself to make the trip: Lontza.
What “Lontza” means
In our villages, long ago, the lontza was the place where people went out to rest, swap news, laugh, chat and pass the time in good company. It was the village’s “living room”, the place where life flowed in a more genuine and more human way.
So today, wanting to revive that old custom and keep it alive, we were inspired to create our own “Lontza”, a place to meet, share moments, eat, drink, sing and have a good time together, just like back then.
— Theodoros Manos, owner
The place: a living monument
Foiniki is not just a picturesque, ageing village. Its history goes back to around 1450, and its distinctive architecture, the stone fortified houses, was born from the need for protection during the Ottoman period of the 15th and 16th centuries. Despite the shrinking population, its people never stopped keeping the memory of the place alive: the village has its own Folklore Museum, housed in a two-storey Ottoman building, once a guesthouse and community office, which opened in 1996 thanks to a group of Foiniki locals led by the dentist Michalis Manos. It displays everyday tools, traditional costumes and objects from the area, a small but carefully kept archive of memory for anyone who wants to understand what it meant to grow up in Thesprotia. It is worth a short visit before or after dinner at Lontza. An active Arts Festival and the Cultural Association complete the picture of a village that has quietly become a cultural hub for all of Thesprotia.
Against this backdrop, Lontza is not just a place that serves food; it is part of an effort to help the village find its pulse again.
At the table
The kitchen follows the most honest version of Greek and Epirote tradition: meat grilled over an open fire, seasonal ingredients, dishes made the way they have always been made here. There is no pretence: there is smoke from the charcoal, ingredients whose origin you know, and a kitchen that never needed to put on a show for anyone.
Behind it all stands the owner, Theodoros Manos, a name closely tied to the cultural life of Foiniki; according to him, the kitchen is run by Evangelia. His care shows in the details: in the food, in the space, in the way you are welcomed. Because Lontza is, first of all, a music gastro-kafeneio: on many evenings the place comes alive with traditional live music, and dinner turns into a celebration. It is not a hurried stop, it is a place to sit down, share a table and let the rhythm of the village carry you along. Visitors speak warmly about the genuine atmosphere and the food that respects local cooking; with a rating of 4.7/5 on Google (20 reviews, checked on 13 October 2026), its reputation was built quickly and honestly.
Wine next door: Markatselis & Zervas
It is no coincidence that Lontza is here. Foiniki sits in the heart of Thesprotia’s young, rising wine country, a region that is quietly putting itself on the map of Greek wine. A few kilometres away, in Dafni near Filiates, lies the vineyard of Markatselis Winery, the first licensed winery in the prefecture. A little further south, in nearby Parapotamos, Zervas Winery, rated 5.0 on Google (129 reviews, checked on 13 October 2026) and welcoming visitors for tastings of local, old varieties, completes the picture. The perfect day in mountain Thesprotia almost writes itself: an afternoon wine tasting at one of the two wineries and then, as the light fades, dinner with wine and music at Lontza.
Before you go: the practical guide
A few things to know, so nothing comes as a surprise:
According to the owner, Lontza now opens only on Sunday, 12:00–19:00 (updated 13 October 2026). Because the place is small, a phone call before you go confirms they are open and secures you a table. You will need a car: Foiniki is a mountain village with no practical public transport, and the road, although easy to drive, is steep and narrow in places. Finally, remember that this is a music gastro-kafeneio, not a quiet restaurant.
How to get there
From Igoumenitsa, take the road to Filiates and then follow the signs for Foiniki, about 25–30 minutes by car. The gastro-kafeneio is on the central square.
Near Lontza
Make a day of it in Foiniki: wine, history and a place to stay, all close by.
