Paolo's Restaurant. Kalamaki, Zakynthos

Paolo’s for us in an institution; every time we visit Kalamaki our first evening meal is always at Paolo’s. Whether you sample the moussaka, their lamb dishes or perhaps a delicious pork skewer, you will receive a warm welcome and leave with a full stomach.

Unlike other countries in the world, the Greek islands are not over priced when it comes to good food and Paolo’s is a perfect example of that. Established in 1990 Paolo’s is situated at the very start of Kalamaki strip and has evolved over the years with additional seating and a smart cocktail bar area.

There is a full menu on offer offering small plates (traditional Greek meze) and more international starters like onion rings and garlicky mushrooms. With dips, pitta, olives, fried cheese, salads etc there really is something for everyone.

Their main menu is split between different meat options, pasta and pizza, fresh fish and traditional dishes like souvlaki and stifado. Most meals, unless you opt for a steak, will be around 15-18 euros, plus say an additional 6-8 euros for a starter or meze plate. A cheap and tasty starter option is to go for a plate of olives, some oil and some bread for dipping, or, how about tzatziki and pita - yummy. There is also a kids menu.

Dessert wise, they have a good selection which includes, of course, baklava which we have had numerous times over the years. My preference is to have it warm so that it is sticky but G prefers hers to be cold.

We visited this year on the first night of our holiday in early July having landed on the island at around lunchtime. With travel disruption at home we ended up staying up all night ahead of our flight and we were tired. As Paolo’s is literally a 10 minute walk from our hotel, it was an ideal place to eat. Arriving at around 9pm, we were seated quickly at an outside table although there were inside tables available should that be your preference. Opting for just some kalamata olives to start. G had the beef stifado as her main which came with twice cooked Greek potatoes which were huge! I had the pork skewer which came with twice cooked chips, pitta, tzatziki and a small side salad.

For drinks we had a large bottle of water to share plus my usual small Diet Coke. G opted for the house wine which was good value at 5 euros for a glass; 8 for 1/2 litre and 14 euros for a litre. It’s good strong stuff and you would not need too much to be quite drunk !

At the end of the meal we were brought a small shot - this is customary in most of the restaurants in Kalamaki and is always free. Ours was a fruity little number in a tiny cognac glass - G, of course, had to drink both !!

With our bill coming to 44 euros it was a pretty inexpensive start to our holiday.

Staff are attentive but not overly so and will leave you to sit over your drink for a while - I often find at home that even in a Harvester / Pizza restaurant you feel really rushed. Here in Greece their pace of life is much less frenetic than at home in the UK and meal times are leisurely.

On the evening we visited Paolo’s were holding their Greek night - traditional Greek dancers were putting some of the guests through their paces with shouts of Oompah! And Yammas! G did of course join in, having a great time dancing to traditional Greek music ending with a conga around the restaurant!

We are, of course, a little bias when it comes to Paolo’s but the overall experience for us is always 10/10. As I say we often visit on our first night when we are tired and just want some good food that is not too far from where we normally stay. I would recommend trying both the moussaka which comes to you in a thick earthenware pot, and definitely a warm baklava - absolutely delicious!

As a random side note, we have been visiting Zakynthos since around 2004 and G remembers as a child watching the turtle swim in the decorative fountain which is to be found in the outside seating area. We found out from one of the waiters that the turtle belongs to him and was given to him when he was 10 years old back in 2003! The turtle now being 22 years old is nearly as old as G herself! Who knew!!

Bravo Paolo’s !

I hope you enjoyed our review of Paolo’s and it inspires you to visit on your next trip to Kalamaki. You will not be disappointed.

See you soon

Tracey xx

Check out our other blogs and reviews of other Kalamaki restaurants, resorts of Zakynthos and much more. You can also watch our videos on You Tube at georgialouisetravels !