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    Il Portale

    4.0 (3 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Seafood, Pizza

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    La Villetta

    La Villetta

    4.3(3 reviews)
    2.2 km

    You will find this upscale Italian restaurant off of the main square which overlooks the beautiful…read moreIonian sea. I visited in the off season so I can't attest to what the normal staff is like but on my visit it appeared that the chef's father was working the front of the house and the son was the executive chef working his magic in the kitchen but humble enough to have come out 3 or 4 times during our dinner to talk to the patrons and make sure everything was in tip top shape. I will caution that they were fairly strict to trying to maintain in appetizer 1st 2nd 3rd course type of experience and asking for things out of order or making substitution irritated the father in the front of the house. The wine selection was excellent with a collection of local wines and a beautiful house table wine that was served in the bottle. With fish that was grilled fresh from the ocean I almost felt like it with still wiggling on the plate but it was perfectly charred on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. I had a soup that was absolutely delicious and I'm glad I ordered it even though the father was resisting me because I had already also ordered a set of appetizers. On a cold night mostly it was expats or tourists in this establishment but clearly this was not touristy food but high end Italian for tourists and for wealthy locals. There are a set of tables available on the patio area overlooking the Ionian sea which would be full and busy on a warmer day during a brighter season. The main charm is the insides of this restaurant with the candlelight lighting effect that they achieve in what would otherwise be a dungeon of an old castle cellar that is brought to life by light, decorations, nice table settings and wonderful wonderful food.

    It pains me to write a negative review here. But I had two dinners, March 7 and 8, 2023. The first,…read morewhile I'm not nearly as enthusiastic as the first two reviewers, was good enough for me to return. Of course it was March and almost everything in Troipea was closed. The seond time, though, was odd. I made a small mistake in ordering an extra salad. I told the owner/chef the mistake was mine and offered to pay for it. For some reason, this set him off, and from that point he and the female server were completely passive aggressive. For example, they left plates on my table, offered no dessert etc. The fish is good, albeit uneven. I ate grilled whole orata, quite small and boney, fresh and flavorful. Appetizer size. The chef/owner seems not to realize he's in the service business.

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    La Villetta
    La Villetta
    La Villetta

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    Bellavista - Linguini pasta

    Bellavista

    5.0(7 reviews)
    53.3 km
    €€€€

    Very special location. Excellent menu. Great portions and quality. Romantic and ideal for a special…read moreoccasion.

    Oh my goodness. This place was amazing…read more I'm not sure where to start, so let's start with the view. The pictures uploaded by others show the view from the restaurant, and it doesn't matter where you're seated--floor to ceiling glass windows give diners an unobstructed view of the shimmering Mediterranean sea. (I'll try to upload a photo as well.) I was there for lunch in August with a few friends (most of whom were locals). We ordered a number of seafood appetizers to share, including raw shrimp and other fish. Presentation was beautiful, and everything was fresh. For the main course, I had spaghetti with sea urchin. Simple, right? Yes, simple done right. The pasta was cooked al dente and smoothly mixed with the sea urchin. Every bite delivered a heady mix of perfectly cooked pasta flavored with the slight brininess from the sea urchin. I finished off my plate fast and looked hopefully at my friends' plates, hoping they weren't able to finish theirs so I could have more. Alas, they seemed to like the pasta just as much as I did as their plates were empty as well. A few others ordered a variety of cooked seafood, including swordfish. Their orders were presented on a heated tile of pink Himalyan salt, which I found fascinating. Yes, I'm easily impressed. :D I tried a bit of swordfish, and though I'm typically not a fan of this particular fish, it was amazing. We finished off our meal with some espressos (passed on dessert as we were all so full). Amazing lunch. The price was more than reasonable too, considering the breathtaking view, the warm and friendly service, and the quality and freshness of the food.

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    Bellavista - Grilled fish

    Grilled fish

    Bellavista - Fish fillet

    Fish fillet

    Bellavista

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    Il Portale - italian - Updated May 2026

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