Sirocco

A sign firmly planted on the white sand beach reads “VOLCANIC FOOD.” It’s effective signage, drawing passersby to ask the presumable next question: What is volcanic food?  

Sirocco, a beach restaurant on the Aegean coast, cooks a chunk of its menu underground, in a sandpit kitchen powered by geothermal energy. Staff lower lobster, lamb, and squid below the hot sand, where the slow heat—meat often cooks overnight—creates unique flavors and textures. It’s a fitting tradition for Milos, a volcanic island formed by sediment, sand, and rock that merged together more than two million years ago.

On the menu you will find lobster spaghetti, grilled squid with pesto and tomato chutney, roasted lamb leg marinated in rosemary, garlic, and oregano, and fresh fish caught that day and simply drizzled in lemon juice and olive oil. The kitchen also takes dishes to the restaurant’s wood-fire oven, so if you want volcanic cooking, be sure to ask the waitstaff which dishes are cooked under the sand.