Varoulko Seaside Restaurant — Restaurant in Municipality of Piraeus

I expect Michelin Star from A-Z, from the reservation/welcome desk, over the food to the final billing. And I expect from a Michelin Star decorated restaurant to show respect to all guests - which unfortunately was not the case. We were transparent in stating that we want to have dinner at this exclusive place with our daughter of 11 years of age. We were told that the only spot available is at the start of the dinner time, so 18:30/18:45. Further to that, I was informed that there is a strict (...) dress code, i.e., jacket for man. Of course, sticking to that rule I have shown up with jacket, my wife and daughter in a dress. I would expect that all guests do acknowledge this code as only 2 other guests were wearing a jacket - of which 1 even in suit and tie. One guest was wearing shorts, none of the other male guests has shown up in a jacket, a few even in short-sleeved shirt and polo shirt. That's the first interesting (...) observation. Next observation... There were guests playing music or messages out of their iPhones, which is obviously widely accepted in our society - also in restaurants. What however beats everything mentioned above is that we have started to play quietly (...) some cards, namely "Uno" which is for sure known to many families. After 10 minutes of playing, we were confronted by the chef of the service staff that we are not allowed to play cards in the restaurant. This in the middle of digesting our main course and waiting to order dessert and coffee.... The restaurant, shortly before 9 p.m., was half empty, guests were slowly showing up. There were even more staff than guests around at that time... If this restaurant is a Michelin star decorated restaurant, I do still expect respect towards all guests - and vice versa. Why do I inevitably think that they treated us like this because we were the only non-Greek speaking people. That's ridiculous, yes, but.... Not even worth to mention it, but thanks to treating people respectfully and with some wisdom, I was able to make my professional career, have a beautiful wife and daughter - and was given the opportunity to travel the world, including many 2- or 3-star Michelin restaurant. Should I have stated that I have the great pleasure and honor to work every day as a senior executive of a 400'000 strong global company? No, of course not... Because I would never rate and categorize any person who wants to work with us in such a way as we felt tonight. Unfortunately for "Varoulko" and fortunately for us, I have never ever had to make this experience in any place of the world. Believe me, I would even respect it if I were told from the very beginning that this restaurant is an "adults only" place. Maybe worth to consider this - but then, at the same time.... As initially mentioned, if you want to play any further in the league of Michelin star decorated restaurant, it needs to fit from A - Z. With some of your service personnel, the lady obviously playing the chef of the service and the sommelier making faces to our waiter after having ordered a bottle of wine - really? A pity, dear "Varoulko" team, never ever again. You could do much better and more respectfully -...

My visit to Varoulko Seaside was a memorable culinary journey, though with a few nuanced notes. The restaurant offers an elegantly serene atmosphere, with the soft ambiance of the seaside complementing the dining experience perfectly. The service was impeccable—attentive without being overbearing, enhancing the overall experience.

We were initially asked if we wanted a welcome starter or bread, and even though we declined, we were still treated to a delightful welcome of olives and tomato paste. The olives had a deliciously smooth texture, perfectly balanced in flavor, while the tomato paste, infused with basil, was incredibly fresh with a hint of sweetness—an unexpected but much-appreciated touch to begin our meal.

We began with a salad composed of eggplant, broccolini, asparagus, smoked eel, fresh cream cheese, and pistachios. The combination was intriguing, with the smoky eel adding depth to the fresh, creamy cheese, and the pistachios providing a delightful textural contrast. It was a light yet sophisticated dish that showcased the chef's talent for balancing earthy and fresh flavors.

The starters followed, with the sautéed scallops easily stealing the show. The scallops, paired with a chorizo crust, mango pickle, and tomato water, were perfectly seared—tender and succulent. The contrast between the mild sweetness of the scallops and the smoky spice of the chorizo was sensational, and the tangy mango pickle added a refreshing punch that made the dish a standout.

In contrast, the steamed mussels with kiwi, greens, and lemon verbena foam were a bit underwhelming. While the mussels were fresh and well-prepared, the kiwi and lemon verbena foam felt a little too delicate, not adding enough to elevate the dish. The flavors seemed to lack cohesion compared to the other offerings.

For the main course, I opted for the linguini with grouper, minced shrimp, and cherry tomatoes. While the shrimp added a lovely texture, the grouper itself was slightly overcooked, rendering it a bit chewy. However, the freshness of the cherry tomatoes brightened the dish, and overall, it was still enjoyable, just slightly below expectations. My husband had the fish fillet, depending on the catch of the day, he chose amberjack which was accompanied by smoked pancetta cream, cuttlefish ink, and dauphinoise potatoes. He particularly enjoyed this dish, noting the potatoes as being especially delicious—rich and creamy, with the right balance of texture and flavor.

The wine pairing was spot-on. The wine expert recommended Melodos which had similar tones to the Pounamu but with a Greek twist, which beautifully complemented the meal with its balanced acidity and complex notes that worked well across the varied dishes.

Overall, Varoulko Seaside offers a serene and refined dining experience. The creativity and technique behind the dishes, coupled with excellent service and a stunning view, make this a restaurant worth revisiting for anyone seeking an elevated...

February 3, 2019 This afternoon, my partner and friend Melissa and I had the pleasure of having dinner with our business associate who flew in from Bulgaria to meet with us to review and prepare for an important meeting for the following day. Being that he enjoys restaurants with a beautiful setting it made perfect sense to bring him to one of the fines that Athens has to offer at Varoulko which we have been to on many occasions. Being that our friend had never been there before Melissa decided to take the liberty to order a variety of small plates for the 2 of them and I elected to order for myself with the caveat that they would taste them as well. While she was busy reviewing the offerings on the menu I gave myself the job of ordering wine. Let me say that Varoulko has a very broad and extensive wine list and it’s never an issue to find something that you’re familiar with etc. This was not to be my day. The first three that I wanted were not available, (and 2 of those were wines from Greece,) however I was prepared, and we hit on the th try a Chablis from France that was wonderful so much, so we had 2 bottles of it. In fact, of the 4 choices this one was the least expensive of them all. The appetizers that were brought out were as follows, the traditional Fish roe dip, (taramosalata) with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, which was delightful so much so that they had to bring us a second bread basket. Next up was the smoked octopus carpaccio, (very thinly sliced,) marinated with “stanmagathi” greens. This was followed by the Grilled cuttlefish, served with a smoked herring cream which was delightful. The appetizer I ordered which was also shared was the Dolmas, stuffed with crayfish meat, shrimp with a turmeric sauce. A very pleasing taste on the palate. The final presentation for Melissa and our guest were the cooked langoustines in a butter olive capon sauce cooked perfectly thru. I had the Cuttlefish risotto, which was served along with the natural ink. We shared a couple of deserts which you’ll see in the attached pictures. A very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

We decided to give Varoulko another chance after a horrendous experience with service 3 years ago. It was so bad we left before the entrees were served. We were in Athens on business from the US, and what a great decision we made by going back. It was wonderful they deserve every bit of their Michelin rating. They presented a squid appetizer with a grape leaf stuffed with risotto and cuttlefish that was a gastronomical delight. The oysters were delightful as was the seafood salads. The John Dory made for 2 was perfect as was the dessert.

We will be back a lot sooner now. Not the easiest place to get to but, WELL WORTH...