Clubbing, coffee mornings, dining out, eating in, local markets and supermarkets - all you need to know about food in Porto Heli.
Porto Heli has a large variety of eating places and most have a menu displayed outside so that you can see what they offer. Families on a budget to gastronomic connoisseurs can find what they're looking for in Porto Heli. I've roughly grouped the various drinking/eating places and named a few, but some fit into more than one category and there are bound to be some I've missed.
- Cafeteria /Snack food - both from beach bars and various locations within the village, everything from fresh sandwiches to pizza to ice creams. Some places to try are: Costa Self Service, Zig Zag, Fresh, Panorama Pizza House and Artigiano.
- French Cuisine - located within Porto Heli, Rota is particularly well known for their fine French cuisine.
- Kafeneon - within Porto Heli and at least one in each surrounding village, the Kafeneon serve a variety of Greek dishes (mostly cold snacks) and are a bit like the neighborhood 'pub'. These are mostly identifiable by the octopus hanging out to dry outside.
- Ouzeri - mostly located along the sea front in the village and along the coastline, the Ouzeri serve ouzo and a series of 'Meze' snack dishes from salted herring or fried whitebait to boiled octopus with oregano and include dishes from modern Greek Cuisine which are quite delicious additions/twists to old favorites from all over Greece. A couple to try are: Alati kai Piperi / Salt & Pepper and En-Plo.
- Psistaria or Grill Restaurants - in Porto Heli serve grilled meat of all kinds and very few vegetable dishes except for seasonal salads. The ubiquitous gyro and very good roast pork are standard items on their menu. Worth checking out are: Morias, Costa Rica, Greek Kitchen and Alexandra's.
- Seafood Restaurants or Psarotavernas - in the village, along the coast and in some of the neighboring villages. These are a more pricey option but serve fresh caught fish according to weight and type. Fried red mullet are on the more expensive end but a thick grilled swordfish steak is nearly always available and more moderately priced. In the village is Papadias and a bit farther out we have: Hinitsa, Maistraki and Lepitsa.
- Traditional Greek Tavernas or Estiatria - in Porto Heli and in the neighboring villages offer a wide range of traditional Greek dishes such as moussaka or stuffed peppers and fresh, seasonal salads and vegetable dishes. Some of them are: Taverna-Cafe Rozos, Zorbas, Paradise, Arhontiko, Thraka, Ostria and Dolphins.
Being the mother of two young kids I've been out of the clubbing scene for a few years so those of you looking for a 'happening' nightlife will have to search it out for yourselves. Bars and clubs tend to come and go a bit so I haven't named any particular ones.