OUR STORY
Seventy Years of Corfiot Tradition
From a small family shop to a beloved Corfu landmark, the Kritikos story is one of passion, quality, and authentic flavour.
Rooted in Tradition
In 1951, Kritikos Pastry opened its doors at Town Hall Square in the heart of Corfu's Old Town. What began as a family dream has grown into one of Corfu's most cherished institutions.
For over 70 years, our family has woken before dawn to prepare the same recipes that have delighted generations of Corfians and visitors alike. The Kormos, the Fogatsa, and the handmade ice cream are each still made the way they always have been.
We believe that authentic flavour cannot be rushed. Our team handcrafts our products using traditional methods and the finest local ingredients. No shortcuts. No compromises.
The Corfu Old Town Setting
Town Hall Square (Πλατεία Δημαρχείου) sits at the very heart of Corfu's UNESCO-listed Old Town, one of the best-preserved Venetian urban complexes in the Mediterranean.
The building that now houses Corfu's Town Hall was once the Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo, Greece's first indoor theatre and the most prestigious operatic stage in the 18th-century Ionian world. Before appearing at the great Opera Houses of Europe, lyric singers and opera troupes had to earn their applause before Corfu's demanding audiences. Those who succeeded were declared "Applaudito a Corfu," an informal title of honour meaning they had been applauded in Corfu and one that opened every stage across Europe.
The first Kritikos pastry shop stands ten metres from that building. The spirit of being tested by the most demanding audience and earning genuine recognition has always been our inspiration.
Our distinctive red chairs and marble-topped tables have become part of the square's identity. Whether you stop for a quick espresso or linger over our ice cream on a warm summer evening, we invite you to become part of this story.
Kritikos by the Numbers
Year founded
Years of tradition
Generations of family craft
Why Kritikos?
In a town full of cafés and sweet shops, Kritikos stands apart. Not because we are the loudest, but because we are the most authentic.
Our Kormos is original to Corfu. Our Fogatsa follows a 17th-century Venetian recipe that has remained unchanged for 70 years. Our Contessina was born here in 1950, when our founder Stefanos A. Kritikos created a new pastry to reconcile with his wife after a quarrel and named it after her nickname, "little countess." The recipe remains a secret. It has been made exclusively in this shop ever since and is now considered a historic Corfiot sweet.
A family-run pastry shop serving this community for over 70 years, trusted by locals, discovered by visitors, and remembered by everyone who finds us.
What Makes Us Different
Family Run
Three generations of the same family, with the same dedication to quality that opened our doors in 1951.
Handcrafted
Our pastries and ice cream are handcrafted, using the same methods and finest local ingredients that have defined our quality since 1951.
Traditional Recipes
Our core recipes are generations old. We don't reinvent what works. We perfect it.