The best restaurants Zakynthos

When you are invited to come to the kitchen to see what is being prepared as daily specials, it is always a good sign. Anteti means "customer" in the ancient patois of Zakynthos. The shaded terrace is really charming. The local cuisine is in the spotlight: beef with red sauce and a little spicy local cheese, baked rabbit with potatoes, among other dishes with sauce... A family address just the way we like it, a little away from the tourist centres, which exudes authenticity! Excellent service and value for money.

A traditional tavern with old photos and posters on the wall where the regulars like to meet in the evening. This is a popular (and noisy) family tavern: workers and families meet all year round. What an atmosphere! The home-cooked dishes are delicious: saganaki with local cheese, courgette dumplings, moussaka, baked lamb with potatoes, veal with lemon and rosemary, stuffed rabbit... Wine by the kilo from the owner's barrels. Live music every day in summer and from Thursday to Saturday in winter.

Probably the most "social" restaurant in Zakynthos, it often serves as a setting for weddings. It is located in the "aristocratic" district of the city: very beautiful outdoor spaces with a view of the Ionian Sea and an idyllic setting in the evenings, with pianist on site. Pork specialities with red peppers and whole mushrooms, risottos and stuffed boiled potatoes, or the exceptional stuffed rooster from Zakynthos... All meat and products come from the owners' farm located in the heights of the island.

An excellent address to remember and to share. The "canteen" of Zakynthos lives up to its name: all the locals come for lunch, winter and summer alike! The dishes change all the time: lasagne with minced meat, beef in red sauce, fava (chickpea purée), baked vegetables, there is something for everyone! There are no menus written in English (a sign of authenticity), although they are written on a slate inside in Greek. Ask to take a look in the kitchen or have a look at the neighbouring tables!

A mainly meat restaurant: grilled meat, beef in sauce, pork cooked with mushrooms... We tested it and we didn't regret it. Here, the cuisine is tasty and rather surprising. The squid stuffed with feta cheese and tomatoes (for example) is to fall for. The products and the meat come from the island, very green in winter, where breeding is widespread. The portions are very generous and the prices are correct! You will find a very warm welcome and a staff of good advice and also always at your service.

On the port of Zakynthos, behind the port authorities, there is a small house with a veranda and a platform overlooking the sea. The atmosphere is chic, with tables with white tablecloths and very good service. Excellent tuna carpaccios, fried squid, grilled octopus, crabs, fish, sardines and squid are served here. Beautiful salads with curly endive and escarole sprinkled with Zakynthos cheese. And for dessert, pears, raisins and syrup sauce. A small but well-made wine list. A little more expensive than elsewhere but more upmarket.

In a small street near the port, the terrace occupies the street. A singer and Tassos, the owner, liven up the meal with traditional songs accompanied by the guitar. The food is fantastic, right in the center of the city, where the establishment is very well located. The food is very good, the service fast and impeccable. All this (slightly) away from the crowded tourist areas. The prices are correct and the owner of the place, often visible, is adorable, close to his customers (and his dishes).