Alykes Seaside Restaurant — Salt Flats and Open Water

Alykes (from alyki, meaning salt flat) was historically one of the island’s salt production centres, and the old saltworks are still visible from the restaurant terrace — shallow pools that catch the light in the late afternoon and turn gold before the sun drops. It’s a specific kind of Zakynthos beauty: not dramatic cliffs or perfect turquoise, but flat, open, and quietly striking.

The Setting

The restaurant terrace faces north over the water. The beach here is long and sandy and relatively uncrowded compared to the resort beaches further south. The dining area is informal — no pretensions — but the view more than compensates for whatever the décor lacks.

The Food

The kitchen cooks traditional Greek dishes with a particular strength in seafood, given the proximity of local fishing.

Octopus with orzo is the dish that sets this place apart from a standard tourist taverna. Whole octopus tentacles are braised in tomato and red wine until tender, then served with orzo that has absorbed the cooking liquid. It’s more work than grilled octopus and more rewarding.

Grilled sea bass — whole fish, skin-on, charcoal-grilled with olive oil and herbs. Clean, fresh, and not overcooked. Sea bass on the Ionian coast is one of the better versions available; the water is cold and the fish grow slowly.

Dakos salad — a Cretan import now eaten across the islands: a barley rusk soaked in olive oil and tomato juice, topped with diced fresh tomato, crumbled feta, and olives. It’s a starter that rewards the heat-weary traveller in a way that a dressed leaf salad never quite manages.

Spanakorizo — spinach cooked with rice in olive oil and lemon. Sounds minimal; tastes like something a Greek grandmother makes on a Tuesday because it’s good and the body needs it.

The Pace

Alykes is quieter than Tsilivi or Laganas. The restaurant reflects this. Nobody is rushing. The service is warm without being attentive in a hovering way. A proper afternoon-into-evening meal here is one of the right ways to spend time in the north of the island.