KAVA neo-taverna

Delicious food and great service! Very accommodating to my gluten allergy.

DINNER REVIEW After living in Boston for 9 months and hearing so many good things about Kava, I finally found an opportunity when my mom was in town (we both love Greek food). They don't take reservations so that had been a deterrent up to this point. But we were in no rush and were willing to go put our name in early so that's what we did. We got there at 6:30 PM and put our name in...they said it would be 30-45 minutes so we went to grab a drink at Banyan nearby. This place is so small that you cannot grab a drink here...all the bar seats will be full with drinkers or diners. After an hour, we decided to go see where we were on the list and they said there was one party ahead of us but that there were two bar seats available. Bar seats are first come, first served and we don't mind sitting at the bar so that's what we did. TIP: Be prepared to wait. Luckily it's worth the wait and there are tons of places nearby to grab a drink. Or just walk around the South End and admire the beautiful homes. SETTING: This place is tiny (maybe only 40 seats or so) which makes it very intimate. You can easily hear the conversations of your neighbors. It's dimly lit and has rope accents everywhere (the lights hang from ropes, the bar shelves hang from ropes etc.). There's an old Greek guy painted on the wall. Love the decor here. SERVICE: Our server was courteous and attentive. Zero complaints. FOOD: The menu is made up of small plates, meant to share, and it's not too big, which makes decisions a bit easier. That said, it has quite a diverse menu so you will definitely find something you like. All the menu items are in the original Greek with descriptions below which add to the authenticity of the meal. The bread is some of the best bread I've had at a restaurant so even if you're on a "gluten-free" or "paleo" diet, try this with some olive oil and you won't regret it. Here is what we ordered, in order of what I would recommend to others. Even so, I would recommend everything we got to get again but I would, of course, like to try some different things when I go back. Kolokithakia (zucchini chips with tzatziki) - HOW!? I demand to know how they make this. Kava owners, if you are reading this, please message me how you make these bites of heaven. I have had zucchini chips before but not like this. First of all, they come served like a blooming flower, held up by the delicious tzatziki on the bottom. They are a little puffy but so light and the fried portion does not come off the zucchini portion AT ALL. The zucchini is tender and warm but not disintegrating into mush. 100% would get this again. Paidakia (grilled lamb chops with fries) - If you don't eat meat...it's okay, they make lamb! These are just classic Greek lamb chops prepared with olive oil, oregano, and lemon. We ate these with our hands and had no shame about it. Definitely on the pricier side ($38) for the amount of meat you get but delicious. Fries were good to dip in the leftover tzatziki from the above! Horiatiki (Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, feta etc.) - these tomatoes were some of the best-tasting I've ever had. This is a nice, light salad to balance out the meal with some of the heavier meat you will order. Oktapodi (grilled octopus) - Can't go wrong with grilled octopus. They come in little slices so no cutting necessary. TIP: Greeks are not known for their desserts and they only really have a dessert of the day (in this case, baklava) and greek yogurt with berries. Go elsewhere for dessert. Can't wait to come back to Kava!