Bassia Restaurant — Seafood Above the Akrotiri Shore
If you’ve been eating in the tourist strip and wondering where the actual fish restaurants are, Bassia is your answer. It sits in the Akrotiri area north of Zakynthos Town, about 3km from Tsilivi and a kilometre from the capital — close to everything, but removed enough that the clientele skews heavily local.
The setting does a lot of the work. The terrace is built into the hillside facing the sea, with old olive trees growing up through the stone paving. A drone photo of this place circulates online and it looks almost too good — in reality it looks exactly like that. The lower tables at the water’s edge are the ones you want, and everyone knows it.
What They Cook
Bassia opened in 2015 with a clear focus: Mediterranean cuisine, specifically fish and seafood, made from locally sourced ingredients. That hasn’t changed. The menu shifts with what comes in from the boats, which means the best dishes aren’t always the same ones.
The fresh catch of the day is the thing to order first. They’ll tell you what’s in — sea bass, red mullet, bream, whatever was landed that morning — and you pick it by weight. It goes on the grill simply: olive oil, lemon, sea salt. If the fish is good, nothing else is needed, and the fish here is consistently good.
Grilled octopus is a reliable constant. The octopus is sun-dried before cooking — the traditional method you see hanging outside fishing tavernas all over Greece — which gives it a denser texture and more concentrated flavour than fresh-grilled versions. Paired with lemon and a pour of olive oil, it’s properly done.
Seafood pasta — linguine with prawns, mussels, and a white wine–garlic sauce — leans toward the Italian side of Mediterranean cooking and is better than most versions on the island. The kind of dish you order half-expecting it to be an afterthought, and it isn’t.
The Greek salad uses local Zakynthian feta, which is creamier and less sharp than mainland varieties. Worth noting.
The Atmosphere
Romantic is the word that comes up most in reviews, and it fits. The candlelight on the terrace, the sound of the water below, tables spaced far enough apart that you’re not overhearing the next couple’s conversation — it’s clearly thought through. Suitable for families too, but honestly it’s best with two people and a bottle of Robola.
Wedding parties and private events are catered for, and the restaurant has clearly built a reputation on the island for it. If you’re seated on a night they have a private event, ask if there’s seating on the lower terrace away from it.
Practical Info
Best time to go: Arrive at 19:30 to catch the light on the water before it gets dark. Sunset from the terrace is genuinely excellent.
Typical spend: €25–40 per person including wine.
Getting there: On the coastal road through Akrotiri, signposted. Coming from Zakynthos Town it’s about 5 minutes by car. From Tsilivi, 10 minutes.
Note: Open May to October. Closed in winter.
