Corfu’s Med diet is one of the healthiest and tastiest on the planet. Fresh, locally grown ingredients are key to Corfiot cuisine, as are lashings of homegrown olive oil. Hearty dishes of lamb and game, fresh seafood, and made-for-sharing meze plates are what you’ll find on most Corfiot dining tables, typically partnered with glasses of wine from nearby vineyards. The dining scene is dominated by traditional Greek cooking, with restaurants that range from rustic tavernas to stylish modern venues – many with atmospheric ocean views and al fresco terraces.
If you’re the kind of person who is lured in to a destination by its food and drink scene, then look no further than this Greek island. It’s time to get those tastebuds tingling and arm you with a great list of best restaurants in Corfu and foodie-fuelled experiences for your next holiday!
Corfu cooking classes, tours and tastings:
1. Ambelonas, Karoumpatika
Credit: Ambelonas, Karoumpatika
Anyone with a craving for great Corfiot cuisine can learn how to cook traditional recipes then feast on the fruits of their labour at this interactive cooking class. Led by chef and cookbook author Vasiliki Karounou, the session kicks off with a quick history lesson of the vineyard and gardens where the class takes place, followed by a full-on cooking session covering the common ingredients and techniques of Corfu’s culinary culture. You’ll taste local products and end up preparing a five-course meal. The class also includes a copy of Vasiliki’s cookbook: Corfiot Cuisine.
2. Corfu Beer, Arillas
Credit: Corfu Beer, Arillas
Founded with the goal of crafting world-class real ale in Corfu, this microbrewery makes five exclusive beers that are now sold throughout Greece. Master brewer Claudio Mouzakitis produces a real ale called Ionian Gold and a string of trendy bottled beers including everything from a dark bitter to an IPA. The family-run brewery is dedicated to using pure ingredients that are free from chemicals, and brewery tours showcase the work and vision of the small team and their sought-after products.
3. Corfu Walking Tours, Corfu Town
Corfu Walking Tours, Corfu Town
If you really want to get under the skin of Corfu’s culinary scene, let a local foodie lead you to the best spots in town. The experts at Corfu Food Tours offer an excellent walking tour around the open-air market, where they’ll let you in on the finest producers of everything from ouzo to cheese. Visit artisan traders in specialist food shops all handpicked for their expertise and the quality of their produce. During the course of the tour, you can expect to taste local seafood, cold cuts, olives and olive oil, plus traditional snacks such as spinach and cheese pies. They also offer a food and cultural tour, or a wine tasting tour.
Best restaurants in Corfu:
4. Avli, Corfu Town
Credit: Avli Restaurant, Corfu Town
At the Avli restaurant you can feast on local ouzo, good wine and traditional Greek dishes such as bouyiourdi (baked feta with spicy peppers tomatoes and paprika) and agioritiki tigania (a chicken and pork sausage dish with onions and white wine). There are also plenty of more familiar Mediterranean dishes and local favourites on the appetisers, meze and salad menus, as well as grilled meats and fresh seafood. With an open-air dining room bordered by Eucalyptus trees, overlooking both the sea and Old Fortress, the setting is nothing short of enchanting.
5. Corfu Sailing Restaurant, Old Fortress
Credit: Corfu Sailing Restaurant, Old Fortress
For a special meal in an equally special location, head for the Corfu Sailing Restaurant. Follow the old stone pathway that winds to the harbour on the north side of Corfu Town’s Old Fortress and you’ll find this atmospheric dining room right on the water’s edge. With its position inside the Old Fortress, this place is a piece of history right at the heart of Corfu. The menu is largely made up of Mediterranean and Greek dishes, with special attention paid to fresh fish and seafood.
6. Pazuzu, Pelekas
Credit: Pazuzu, Pelekas
This much-loved beach club and restaurant embodies the concept of barefoot luxe and attracts a suitably chic crowd. Spend the day spread out on sunbeds having cocktails and snacks delivered to your side, or arrive for sunset drinks before retreating into the airy restaurant for more substantial dishes such as black Angus rib-eye or roasted wild sea bass, while a DJ spins a set of laid-back house and techno.
7. Trilogia Restaurant Corfu, Kassiopi
Credit: Trilogia Restaurant Corfu, Kassiopi
With a friendly vibe and a romantic beachfront setting beneath the ancient castle walls, the Trilogia Restaurant is a truly atmospheric dining spot. Heading up the kitchen is a master chef with 25 years’ experience crafting classic Greek and Mediterranean dishes from the finest local ingredients, including net-fresh fish, top-quality meat and some of the best wines in Greece. The dining room’s floor-to-ceiling windows are pulled back to bring in the breeze on warm summer nights, while tables on the terrace enjoy uninterrupted views of the sea.
8. Pyramid Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Saint Spiridon
Credit: Pyramid Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Saint Spiridon
The stone and marble dining room overlooks the restaurant’s own private stretch of beach, so you can enjoy your food with a cracking view. Dishes are made with homegrown ingredients from the restaurant’s own gardens. And there is a stylish restaurant bar on the beach that is ideal for pre-dinner sundowners or late-night cocktails and music after your meal.
9. Vitamins Taverna, Nissaki
Credit: Vitamins Taverna, Nissaki
Vitamins restaurant has been in the same family for three decades and retains the ethos it had when it opened: to showcase the best of Corfu’s homegrown produce. Its name, which references the nutritional value of eating fresh, local food, echoes the sentiment. Beautiful, simply prepared Greek dishes are served on the dining room’s swoon-worthy hillside terrace, which affords panoramic views over the sea. And while seafood and grilled meats are among the menu’s standouts, vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for here.
10. Cavalieri Hotel Roof Garden, Corfu Town
Credit: Cavalieri Hotel
If you’re a rooftop bar fan (and why wouldn’t you be?) then this last entry on our list will be right up your street. Ranked #13 out or 50 of the best rooftop bars and restaurants back in 2017 by CNN International, this hotel rooftop is the best place to come for a sunset cocktail or an evening meal. With the Old Fortress in one direction, a local fishing bay on the other, and towering above Corfu Town – there’s no better setting for your dining experience.
If this post has given you an appetite for a luxury villa holiday in Corfu, take a look at our full guide to the island and our handpicked collection of villas in Corfu.
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