04 Jul O Giannis Fish Tavern or where to eat fish in Piraeus.
Fresh fish, seafood…it would really be a crime to visit Greece and not enjoy it.
You can enjoy this food category in about any corner of this country, but one place stood apart from what I tried so far.
Location:
In April 2017 I decided to visit Piraeus after spending the morning in Athens. I took the metro towards Piraeus (more of a tram than metro) and ended up in the port.
Since it was around 13:00 hours, I decided to enjoy lunch first, then walk around Piraeus. I headed towards the restaurant I discovered last evening on Trip Advisor and decided to give it a try.
From the outside the place does not look big or luxurious but don’t let it fool you. From my experience the best places to eat are just like this: small, simple, filled with locals who want to enjoy fresh local food.
The food:
After sitting at a table outside and gazing at some octopuses hanging from a wire, a member of the staff came to me with the menu and told me it’s ok to pay with card also (this wouldn’t happen in Athens very often).
She invited me inside to select the fresh fish that was about to get cooked, so after looking at the insides of the refrigerators I chose the barbun (red mallet) since I really enjoy this fish and chose to have it grilled.
Barbun(Red Mallet) at O Giannis Fish Tavern Piraeus
I chose a big Vegetable salad as a side dish, tzatziki and grilled octopus. I washed everything down with Mythos (local beer).
I usually choose the house specialties but I figured it was a good place to try fish as this was a sea town and what better place to try seafood?
As far as the food goes I can only say it was perfect. From the simple salad to the grilled fish and squid I really took my time and ate one of the most delicious meals I ever had. Not in Greece only but I took in consideration every fish tavern I ever tried in many countries.
The dessert was on the house and it was great too. If I had to describe it, it was a sweet soft cake with cinnamon.
Staff:
The staff gets a big plus from me. From the moment I chose my table, to when I paid I felt at home, a feeling you rarely have when eating in a foreign country.
Warm towels were provided at the end of the meal so I can clean the smell of fish from my hands and that brought another smile on my face.
To conclude this review I would like to say just this: O Giannis Fish Tavern is clearly a place to eat more than once. The food is fresh, simple and it tastes incredible.