Restaurants

Most restaurants outside of Kérkyra Town close between late October and late April inclusive; we’ve indicated exceptions, as well as cases where reservations are particularly advisable. All restaurant interiors are non-smoking by law (though some surreptitiously provide ashtrays on demand); if you wish to smoke overtly, this must usually be done outside.The following price ranges reflect the average cost of a two-course meal (per person) and a beer or share of bottled wine. These costs include VAT (sales tax), currently 23 percent, and notional service charge.

€€€€ over 40 euros

€€€ 30–40 euros

€€ 20–30 euros

€ under 20 euros

Kérkyra Town

Akamatra Zythopoleio €–€€ Prosaléndou 8–10, Spiliá district, tel: 26610 40101. Open Mon–Sat, noon–3.30pm & 7.30–11pm. At this welcoming, compact spot with original medieval arches and pointed brick walls, inexpensive lunch specials include bean soup, cannelloni and giouvarláki (rissole soup), though dinner fare falls in the higher price category. As the name indicates, they’re strong on beer, both imported and the local, light-flavoured red beer and ale brewed at Corfu’s own microbrewery in Arílas. Cash only.

Salto Wine Bar Bistro €€€ Dónzelot 23, Spiliá/Old Port, tel: 26613 02325. Open daily all year until midnight, inspirational cuisine is on offer from chefs Pavlos and Natasha. Fishy dishes, particularly the daily specials, include tuna fillets in ginger sauce and seafood kritharotó, and are definitely worth a try.

Art Gallery Café € Gardens off east wing of Palace of St Michael and St George. Open daily 9am–8pm. Tucked away on a quiet terrace by the Municipal Art Gallery, this is the perfect spot to rest while sightseeing or as a prelude to an evening out. In some seasons the admission ticket to the gallery includes a coffee and small cake. Drinks and snacks only. Cash only.

La Cucina €€ A. Giallina 17, tel: 26610 45029. Open daily 7pm–midnight Mar–Nov, weekend nights only Dec–Feb. Fight for a table outside at this competent Italian eatery, which does excellent pizzas and handmade pasta dishes. Success has prompted the opening of a more contemporary-decor annexe at the corner of Moustóxydou and Guilford, 50 paces away, which is used exclusively during the cooler months.

La Famiglia €€ Maniarízi & Arlióti 16 (Kandoúni Bízi), alley between Filellínon and Nikifórou Theotóki, tel: 26610 30270. Open 8pm–12.30am Mon–Sat, open Sun in August, closed Sun/Mon winter. Efficiently run Greek/Italian bistro specialising in salads, pasta dishes like linguini all cozze, a few token Greek platters such as leek pie, and Italian desserts. Excellent bulk wine from the Neméa region or Santoríni. Limited seating, so reservations always essential.

Khrysi (O Ninos) € Sevastianoú 44/46. Open daily noon–late. A classic budget feed in Kérkyra Town: assorted traditional estiatório casserole dishes, plus good take-away gýros and souvláki. Limited sidewalk tables and a stuffy interior make this a better bet for the off-season. Cash only.

Khryssomallis (Babis) € Nikifórou Theotókou 6, tel: 26610 30342. Open daily noon–10.30pm. The sign says zythopsitopolío (‘beer-hall-grill’), but it’s actually the last traditional oven-food place in the Old Town: stews, hórta, moussakás, stuffed cabbage leaves, lentil soup and so forth, accompanied by smooth but potent red wine. From the outside tables on the street you can just see the Listón. The Durrells ate here during their 1930s stay; the restaurant has been around even longer. Cash only.

Mouragia €€ Arseníou 15, Mourágia quay, tel: 26610 33815; www.mouragia.gr. Open Apr–Nov noon–12.30am. A good mix of seafood such as flash-fried atherína (sand smelt) and Corfiot specialities such as sofríto and pastitsáda, plus competent starters at this seaside ouzerí – though views to the sea, and Vídos islet, are over the road. Cash only.

Rouvas € Stamatíou Desýlla 13, tel: 26610 31182. Mon–Sat 9am–6pm all year. A classic lunchtime hangout that attracts visiting celebrity chefs like Rick Stein to see just how traditional island cooking should be. Recipes include pastítsio, artichokes with peas, meat stews, fish soup and hearty salads. Unlike many such places, it has a cheery, appealing interior often still crowded at 4pm. Cash only.

Rex €€–€€€ Kapodistríou 66, tel: 26610 39649; http://rexrestaurant.gr. Open all day, daily. Established in 1932, the Rex is something of a Kérkyra Town institution. Signature dishes include fish soup (in winter), orange-fleshed squash turnover, Portobello mushrooms with cheese and other generic Mediterranean recipes. Tables outdoors, or inside (dress up a bit for the latter).

Theotoki Brothers (Kerkyraïki Paradosiaki Taverna) €€ Alkiviádi Dári 69, Anemómylos, tel: 26610 48161. Open Apr–Oct daily noon–4.30pm and 7–11.30pm. The best of several tavernas with tables out in the eucalyptus park here. A full range of dishes like tsigarélli (greens stir-fried with chilli), grills, plus some seafood (often frozen), issue from an incredibly narrow kitchen.

Tsipouradiko € Prosaléndou 8–10, behind the Efetío (Appeals Court), Spiliá, tel: 26610 82240. Open Mon–Sat 8pm–1am. Tsípouro is the distilled grape-mash spirit, accompanied here by such platters as grilled mushrooms, courgette pie, tiganiá (pork stir-fry), little fishes and aubergine specialities. There is also decent bulk wine. The place is always packed with students and the bohemian set thanks to the warm atmosphere and friendly prices. Smoking allowed in the upstairs loft, or outside in the summer courtyard. Large groups must reserve, or be prepared for a long wait. Cash only.

Venetian Well €€€–€€€€ Platía Kremastí, northeast of Orthodox Cathedral, Campiello district, tel: 26610 44761; www.venetianwell.gr. Open Apr–Oct daily lunch and dinner, otherwise Thu–Sat dinner only. Tucked away through an arch, with summertime tables set around the eponymous well, is some of the town’s most expensive global fusion cuisine – ‘transnational dishes’ as the management puts it. Recipes change seasonally, but in the past have included duck in plum sauce or dolmádes with wild rice. The interior features murals imitating tiles or incorporating inscriptions, mismatched furniture and an ethno-trance soundtrack. Excellent (but pricey) wine list. Cash only.

The South

Alonaki Bay €–€€ Paralía Alonáki, near Korissíon Lagoon and Gardíki Castle, tel: 26610 75872. Open daily Apr–Oct lunch and dinner. Good country recipes, strong on vegetables and seafood at shady tables on a terrace overlooking the sea. Their version of biánko, with kéfalos (grey mullet) hygienically raised in the lake and garnished with marsh samphire (Salicornia europaea), is to die for. Locals, free-range chickens underfoot, usually outnumber tourists here – one of the best endorsements. If you can’t tear yourself away from this lovely spot, they have inexpensive rooms to rent upstairs as well. Cash only.

Boukari Beach €€ Boúkari, 4km (2.5 miles) beyond Mesongí, 600m before the jetty, tel: 26620 51791, www.boukaribeach.gr. Open lunch and dinner, Easter–Oct. The best of the seafood tavernas at this seashore hamlet, in an idyllic setting with spectacular views up Corfu’s east coast. Typical offerings might include mussels as a starter, heaping salads, succulent octopus and a range of fresh fish at fair prices. The Vlahopoulos family are accomplished hosts, and also have accommodation.

Klimataria tou Bellou €–€€ main village square, Benítses, tel: 26610 71201, www.klimataria-restaurant.gr. Open Mon–Sat dinner only, Sunday lunch; winter weekends only, but closed 1 Dec–15 Jan. Cult seafood taverna known for purveying only fresh items, and for assiduous service from father-and-son team Nikos and Kostas. Fish is sold by portion or by weight, and includes some innovative dishes like sardine bourdéto; starters such as leek salad and steamed mussels are commendable too. Good Neméa bulk white wine. Blink and you’ll miss the mere eight tables outside, so reservations are highly advisable.

Trypas €€€ Kynopiástes, 7km (4.5 miles) southwest of Kérkyra, tel: 26610 56333; www.corfu-tripas.com. Open daily May–Oct supper only; otherwise Fri/Sat night only until 11pm. Classic, if rather touristy, taverna where the set-price table d’hôte menu allows a fair sampling of Corfiot dishes (pastitsáda, sausage, stifádo, sofríto) along with some inappropriate dishes like shrimp cocktail, accompanied by very good house red and white wine. The small winter dining room, originally opened as a grocery shop in 1936, is dominated by old bottles, gourds and photos of past celebrity clients. During summer, there’s folk dancing out by the courtyard seating.

North of Kérkyra Town

Etrusco €€€€ Káto Korakiána village, on the road down to Dassiá, tel: 26610 93342, www.etrusco.gr. Open Apr–Oct, supper only. Top-calibre nouvelle Italian cooking by father, son and spouses, served in a carefully restored country manor. Specialities like pappardelle with duck and truffles, octopus carpaccio, lamb baked with garlic and kumquat sauce and a 200-label wine list don’t come cheap, but this has been ranked as one of the best five Greek tavernas outside of Athens. Advance reservations required.

Roula’s €€ Kondókali, well signposted on the Nisí Gerékou peninsula; tel: 26610 91832; http://taverna-roula.gr. Summer daily lunch and dinner, winter dinner Mon–Sat, Sun lunch. A favourite venue for a seafood meal, especially out on the terrace overlooking the marina. Scaly fish like sykiós (corb) is well priced and grilled to perfection; ask for it to be butterflied (petáli style). Starter portions are decent, though opt for beer or ouzo rather than their rather average bulk wine.

The Northeast

Cavo Barbaro (Fotis) €€ Avláki beach, east of Kassiópi, tel: 26630 81905. Open daily all day May–Oct. A competent beach taverna, with welcoming service. A few magirevtá dishes like risotto and soutzoukákia at lunch; more grills after dark, plus homemade glyká koutalioú (candied fruit). There’s seating on the lawn, or on flagstones under a pergola, and plenty of parking. The only thing ‘barbarous’ here can be the wind, as there’s no shelter; check direction and strength before heading downhill. Cash only.

Fagopotion €€–€€€ Ágios Stéfanos Sinión; tel: 26630 82020. Open daily for lunch and dinner Easter–Oct, Fri–Sat dinner and Sun lunch otherwise. The most accomplished of the several waterside tavernas here, Fagopotion is well known for its traditional recipes, fresh (not farmed) fish caught around the Diapóndia islets and fair prices given the posh location. Signature dishes include roast lamb, rabbit stew, chard-based tsigarélli and melt-in-the-mouth octopus (it’s blanched prior to grilling). Kosta’s rosé bulk wine is interesting.

Kalami Beach €€–€€€ Kalámi beach, tel: 26630 91168, www.kalamibeach.com. Open daily lunch/dinner May–Oct. The USPs here are the prime beachside location, willing service and reasonable prices for scaly fish (brought in on the family’s own boat). Other items are on the pricey side, including the lobsters awaiting their doom in the aquarium tanks that form part of the decor.

Kouloura €€–€€€ Kouloúra cove, tel: 26630 91253; www.tavernakouloura.com. Open daily all day Apr–Oct, although last orders are rather early at 9.30pm. For ‘Kensington-on-Sea’, moderately priced seafood, a large selection of mezédes, plus unusually elaborate píttes (baked pies) and pulse dishes at this impeccably set taverna overlooking one of Corfu’s most photogenic anchorages. Reservations needed in peak season. Cash only.

Little Italy €€ Kassiopí, opposite Grivas supermarket, tel: 26630 81749. Open daily for dinner in summer, winter Wed–Sat only. Jolly trattoria in an old stone house run by Italian brothers. The fare includes salmon in pastry parcels, pizza, pastas smothered in freshly made sauces. Limoncello digestif on the house. Cash only.

Nikolas €–€€ Agní cove south end, tel: 26630 91243, www.agnibay.com. Open daily May–Oct lunch and dinner; may open winter weekends. This taverna is the oldest one here, built as a family home and café in 1892. Today, Perikles and his family serve Corfiot specialities like aubergine-and-cheese bourékia and lamb kapamá, along with their own wines (the bulk red is excellent). Service usually copes well with typical crowds. Tear yourself away from the picturesque view to browse the old photos and maps lining the walls inside.

Toula €€€ Agní cove, tel: 26630 91350; www.toulasagni.com. Open daily for lunch and supper May–Oct. Worth a special mention for its professional demeanour, nice line in hot mezédes and the house special garídes Toula – grilled prawns with spicy mixed-rice pilaf. Any of the seafood main dishes, washed down by excellent bulk white wine, is a likely winner here.

The North and Northwest

Akrogiali €–€€ Far south end of the bay, Ágios Geórgios Págon, tel: 6977 334278; http://akrogialitaverna.com. Open daily 15 May–6 Oct. A bumpy, wash-out-prone track leads 1,500m (1,640yds) south from the beach to this little eyrie (marked by a windmill). Per-kilo fish prices are quite low for Corfu, and there are appealing oddities like carrot salad and fish croquettes as mezédes. The lowest terrace is lapped by the sea.

Foros € Paleá Períthia, tel: 6943 100510. Open daily May–Oct, otherwise weekends only. One of the first tavernas in this once-deserted Venetian village, working out of a former café on the original square, and still one of the best – Rick Stein has called it approvingly. The emphasis here is on grills, but you can have a very enjoyable mezédes-only meal – sausages, kremydópita (onion turnover), and stuffed peppers – while downing tsípouro or bulk wine. Save room for their famous karydópita (walnut cake) with ice cream. Cash only.

Kohili €€ Ágios Stéfanos Gýrou, tel: 26630 51629; www.delfinoblu.gr. Open for dinner only, May–Oct. For a romantic evening, book a table amidst wicker chairs and gauzy curtains at this gourmet restaurant in the Delfino Blu Hotel. From the veranda tables you’ll have a stupendous view across the ocean into the sunset. The fare is generic Mediterranean, encompassing risottos, pasta, salads and some Greek platters, complemented by fine local wines, including some of the restaurant’s own production.

Dionysos € Afiónas village, above Ágios Geórgios Págon, tel: 26630 51311; www.dionysoscorfu.com. Open daily May–Oct. Traditional dishes of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine are served in a lovely spot with an outstanding view of the sea. The owner and staff are all very friendly and helpful, and the local Corfu beers are worth a try.

The West

Antonis € Pélekas, tel: 26610 94289. Open daily for lunch and dinner much of the year. The best value of several tavernas here, with a good line in grills, mezédes and salads. They also have the calmest outdoor terrace in what can be a rather traffic-plagued village. Cash only.

Elizabeth’s € Doukádes village centre, tel: 2663 041728. Open daily for lunch and dinner most of the year. Elizabeth’s has been going since the 1940s, and is now mostly in the hands of granddaughter Elizabeth. Signature dishes include cockerel pastitsáda with extra-fat noodles, and wholesome peas with potatoes. The purplish bulk wine is rough and ready, as is the objet trouvé decor (ancient bottles and a jukebox that has sadly expired). For once, a place that’s definitely more fun to eat at inside than out. Cash only.

Paxí

La Rosa di Paxos €€–€€€ Lákka port quay, tel: 26620 31471. Open for lunch and supper, May–Oct. The Greco-Italian management is reflected in the blend of flavours for scaly fish, pasta (including seafood linguini) and other generic Mediterranean dishes. The place for a last-night treat.

Vassilis (Kostakis) €€€ Longós quay, tel: 26620 31587. Open for lunch and supper, May–Oct. Now often known by its alias after the son who’s taken it over, this has grown from a grilled-fish specialist to an all-round restaurant with proper tableware and imaginative recipes like stuffed mushrooms and peppers, baked-meat dishes and various oven pies.