Taste of Greece: Discovering the Flavors of Zakinthos

Right next to the picturesque Peripheral Zone of the National Marine Park of Zakinthos sits Pandesia restaurant known for its varied, balanced, healthy food and loud thematic parties it hosts every night to entertain the guests. The interior, decorated in the traditional coastal style, and the friendly staff, which is the heart and soul of Pandesia, only add to the joy of visiting the place.

With a wide range of Greek and other Mediterranean-cuisine dishes, Pandesia gives you the ultimate culinary experience with cooked-to-perfection pastas, grills, salads, fish, and desserts. The restaurant’s signature dish is a slow-cooked lamb served with a selection of vegetables and feta cheese. While you are waiting for the main course to be served, you can check out a long list of hot starters such as mussels in lemon sauce, shrimp saganaki with feta and red wine sauce, and feta galzon served with fresh tomatoes and ham. What’s more, at Pandesia, the chefs are also able to accommodate requests for special ingredients or cooking techniques. By requesting a custom dish, guests can have the opportunity to enjoy something truly unique.

Immersed in the greenery of the inner garden, the Botanic Garden restaurant offers the opportunity for al fresco dining to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds the place, while creating the perfect atmosphere for a romantic dinner or group celebration. The eatery proudly serves the world’s healthiest cuisine based on the Greek diet, with the usage of herbs such as oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, and mint.

Botanic Garden respects the traditional cooking techniques and recipes that have been passed down over centuries, ensuring that the flavors remain consistent. The chef blends traditional recipes with a modern touch to create innovative dishes that taste as good as their authentic counterparts. You can prove this by trying a mouthwatering dish like beef carpaccio steak served with porcini mayonnaise, wild rocket leaves, radish, roasted hazelnut, and dried “Syros” caper, or grilled octopus that goes with organic fava of Santorini, lemon oil, fried capers, and cuttlefish ink vinaigrette.

The restaurant completes the dining experience with a selection of signature Greek wines, be it refreshing white from the island of Santorini such as Bouttari Estate, sparkling rose one like Idylle, La Tour Mellas Estate, or a full-bodied red from the mainland of Greece like Astakos, Astir X Estate.

Elia Mediterranean Restaurant-Bar is located in the heart of the Planos village, also known as Tsilivi, within walking distance of the beach and most other attractions. At Elia Mediterranean, guests can expect a laid-back yet sophisticated ambiance emphasized by the decor in the light-green and white colors, with plenty of light providing a warm atmosphere.

Specializing in Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant offers classic local recipes, as well as exciting new dishes. For heartier appetites, there are gyros and souvlaki platters, while more health-conscious diners can opt for fresh salads and light entrees such as, for example, the Elia salad that consists of baby spinach, rocket, cherry tomato, fennel, olives, date rusk, and Parmesan.

Delicious house wine, both white, rose, and red, served at the restaurant can complement your dinner. For a lighter meal such as seafood or salads, crisp white wine would be a good choice and for steak or pasta, robust red would be a nice complement. A variety of desserts, including baklava and Greek yogurt with honey and nuts, provide a sweet finishing touch.

With its spacious inner hall, Elia Mediterranean is also suitable for larger family gatherings and special occasions like weddings and birthdays.

In 2012, Dionisis and Timotheos Kandilas gave The Halfway House restaurant a second life by taking up their grandfather’s business started back in the 1980s. The brothers refurbished the iconic Halfway House to a modern spot that creates unique dishes drawing inspiration from Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. They take great pride in using fresh ingredients and time-tested family recipes to provide an unforgettable dining experience to their guests.

The restaurant offers a variety of seafood dishes such as a portion of freshly caught king prawns cooked in a creamy sauce with finely chopped dill and finished with ouzo and served with rice, and marinated octopus in olive oil and oregano, on the grill and served with split pea puree and caramelized onions. All seafood dishes are cooked to order, so you can enjoy the freshness and flavors that the sea has to offer. A selection of appetizers that includes grilled vegetables with halloumi, saganaki cheese cooked with a hint of honey and mastika, and garlic ciabatta with Gouda and Mozzarella, among others, can brighten up your waiting for the main dish.

Taverna Akrotiri is another family-run restaurant founded in 1983. The restaurant is located near the beach and serves traditional Greek and Mediterranean cuisine with a variety of seafood dishes made using fresh, locally sourced high-quality ingredients. Visitors can enjoy al fresco dining in the lovely terrace area and sea breezes, which bring the freshness of the Ionian Sea. The atmosphere is relaxing and intimate, but lively and fun at the same time.

It is worth paying attention to a separate menu category — cooked to order. It is made up of meat dishes, as well as seafood and vegetables, which are prepared to the customer’s specifications and can often be customized to their tastes. Among them, there is the traditional Greek dish chicken souvlaki, which consists of marinated cubes of chicken, typically seasoned with oregano and garlic, that are skewered and grilled over an open flame. A salad like an eggplant one made of tomato, cucumber, peppers, onion, and parsley and sprinkled on top with a few drops of oil would be a wonderful complement to the main dish.

Thanks to the climate, most eateries in Zakinthos offer outdoor seating for their customers, so guests can enjoy the beautiful scenery while dining. They serve both Greek and international dishes, from traditional Zakinthian recipes to contemporary favorites, allowing guests to experience true local hospitality. In the evenings, the view from outside tables at the waterfront restaurants is a stunning sight, with twinkling lights from boats, buildings, and other structures reflecting in the night sea. Here, guests can savor the delicious flavors of Zakinthos cuisine. The experience of dining in this picturesque location is sure to be one that you will never forget.