Klimataria — Restaurant in Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands

Based on people's reviews, I came to Klimataria expecting a dinner at the best restaurant in Corfu. Instead, I dined at probably the best restaurant I've ever been to - anywhere in the world.

Everyone talks about their fish, so I won't mention this (just accept it's perfect). Instead, I will describe the rest of the dishes we tried. We were treated to the best fried calamari I've ever tried, crisp yet succulent and perfectly seasoned, plus a lovely assortment of starters. These included their deliciously fiery leek dish and probably the best aubergines in red sauce I've ever had. I know I'm repeating myself here but I also have to mention the best courgette fritters I've ever enjoyed.

The pattern of perfection even carried on to the dessert, which consisted of fresh, melt-in-your-mouth profiteroles doused in a bitter chocolate sauce and the sublime cheesecake that was by far (you guessed it) the best I've ever had.

We washed down our meal with their house wine, a lovely rosé that was perfectly balanced for our taste - neither too dry nor too sweet.

Would I come back? Heck yeah. In fact, I would eat here every day of my life if I could, although I would miss the one thing they don't offer: fries 🍟!

All in all, an unforgettable culinary experience and a wonderful night. My hat off to the chef and many thanks to the courteous, professional staff who served us, which consisted of none other than the owner, Costas Bellos, who doubles as server when it gets busy (which, let's face it, is every night given the well deserved popularity of the place).

The prices are are surprisingly reasonable given the amazing quality of everything we tried, which only adds to the appeal.

I apologize for the lack of photos. I had wanted to take pictures of everything but as soon as each dish arrived, it was devoured with moans of pleasure. By the time I remembered to take a picture, all was left was a pile of empty dishes. All I managed was a picture of the dessert.

One bit of advice, book in advance, as the restaurant only has a dozen or so of tables and it may be impossible to find one...

This is just plain some of the best food in the world. I’ve eaten here for years and it’s never less than excellent. The menu varies according to season and what’s best that day, and you can’t go wrong following the advice of the family that runs the place. Ask what they recommend and eat it - their knowledge and skill are deep and their judgement impeccable.

Everything from the tomatoes, bread, and feta cheese to the fresh fish and seafood is of the best quality and prepared with tradition, deep local knowledge, and flair.

The Corfiot fish specialties Bianco and Bourdeto are particularly fine - most places on the island serve them, none better. The octopus with potatoes is very good too, as are the mussels, everything beautifully fresh and tasty and cooked simply, with a fine understanding of how to bring out the best flavour.

The menu is small, as is the kitchen. I see this as a virtue, not a flaw. They do only what they do best, and they do it beautifully. The taverna staples of grilled meats and fried potatoes are not available here. Please don’t embarrass me by asking for them. The kitchen is far too busy frying fragrant zucchini fritters, crisp and tender fish, and the most succulent squid you’re ever likely to eat, to waste time on things like potatoes.

Save space for dessert. In keeping with everything else, these are among the finest of their kind, the profiteroles and cheesecake being especial favourites with my family.

If you’re about to eat...

It's no secret why this place is touted as one of the best in Corfu and was fully booked when we tried to just stroll in. Luckily, we were seated by the window and had a fan turned onto us, ready for what was to become one of the best meals we have ever eaten. At the recommendation of the owner, we had the mixed dry meats and cheese to start. The meat was rich, soft and full of flavour. Then, we had the octopus with spaghetti and the octupus with potatoes to share. While both were sublime, the latter truly was something special. The octupus had caramelised on the outside and was meaty, tender and incredibly fresh and delicious. Needless to say, I ordered more bread to clean the plates with. The service was wonderful, genuine and warm. We will return (maybe during this...