This has got to be THE BEST DINNER WITH A VIEW ever on our summer holiday last year on Skiathos Island, Greece.
The best ever that I have decided to make the view as my blog’s banner! Introducing, the Olive Thea Restaurant in Skiathos.
I mean, just look at that view. It’s so beautiful and amazing. We were literally speechless when we arrived and saw this spectacular restaurant setting with the perfect and best view on the island. I was a happy camper that evening.
Getting to this restaurant is a bit of a challenge because the location is on an off-the-beaten-path, somewhere in the village of Katsarou, up in the mountains of Skiathos. The restaurant lies on a cliff on a dead-end road which was not yet developed last year as we had to drive partly on an unlit gravel road.
Skiathos maybe be small but some parts are quite mountainous and hilly. This restaurant sits high up so our rental scooter was coughing up the whole time and was barely alive when we reached the place. I cannot tell you enough how many times I have to step down of the poor scooter because it was choking itself whilst climbing up the mountain! #traveladventures
A 50cc scooter with 2 people on it and climbing a steep road are not great combinations at all.
I have discovered Olive Thea Restaurant online, and I think it was through Tripadvisor (restaurants tab). I love good food but I am more a sucker for great views and ambiance. Eating out for me should be a holistic experience and an enjoyment. All sensory glands must function in harmony with each other. So when I saw the pictures of the restaurant and read the reviews, I was determined to visit.
We did not make a reservation though; we just showed up. I thought it’s low season (June and early July) and shouldn’t be a problem and I was right, we were quickly shown to our table with a stunning view. This is the nice thing with less popular islands in Greece, although I found Skiathos to be more touristy than the islands we have been to in the last years, Skiathos still is nowhere near the popularity (read: Swamped with tourists) of Santorini, Mykonos, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu, and Crete.
So no reservations and we got one of the best tables with the perfect view of the restaurant.
So Dutchman and I settled into our seats while I took lots of random pictures of the place. We just could not stop grinning and appreciating the beautiful setting and panoramic views. This is such a lovely surprise. Oh my, the view!!!
Dutchman was like — Do you want to have a house on this cliff with this view? And I am like — Yes! Yes! Please! Haha
The restaurant is practically hanging on the cliff. It is designed in levels, terraced style with ample spaces for diners and surrounded by an olive orchard and grapevines climbing on the sides and the wooden pergola. It’s just so elegant, refreshing and charming. The combination of olives and grapevines is just fantastic and they both smell so good as well. Heavenly.
We didn’t waste time and right away ordered our meals. No more starters as we already had the (burnt) bread with the tapenade. I believe the bread was freshly baked in the fire oven, however, it wasn’t really a success, well at least for us, but we give them good points for intention and effort.
Dutchman chose a pasta dish because he is missing it. It was a mixed vegetable pasta with cheese (Feta) and olives in Neapolitan sauce. He said this was as delicious as it looked in the picture.
I, on the other hand, decided to go for some seafood, the huge prawns in tomato sauce and feta, otherwise known locally as Prawn Saganaki. I can tell you that I had to lick my fingers for this. Saganakis can be very salty because of the feta, so having bread (or rice) can help ease the taste and pungency.
But there’s more to the stunning views here at Olive Thea Restaurant.
Towards the end of the night, I visited the loo, and oh dear me, I was in for a big surprise. Who would have expected to see a fancy burlesque toilet room covered in gold, velvet, leather and red?! I felt like I just landed in a mini set of Moulin Rouge or Lido Cabaret Show in Paris, but in reality, I am inside a pimped up toilet, haha. There’s even a chandelier.
Of course, I was so entertained so I took pictures. While doing so, another female guest entered the lavish room, stopped in her tracks, speechless and somewhat hesitating if she needs to continue in her tracks or not. I could see the very confused look on her face, lol. She mumbled, excused herself and turned back. I was quick to call her back and tell her that she is indeed in the right place if she was looking for the toilet.
Anyway, I am really digging this restaurant and its loo too =)
We stayed a bit longer in the restaurant and when it got dark and a bit chilly, we decided to move inside. We ordered coffee to seal the evening’s dinner and were given as well some digestif from the house which looked and tasted similar to a sangria.
It was also quite timing because the full moon was up. We actually didn’t notice that it was a full moon, we just suddenly, out of nowhere, saw it and was really awed by its stunning presence. The guests in the restaurant noticed it as well, and before we knew it, everyone was scrambling to get their cameras and smartphones out to document the splendour of this full moon.
It was a beautiful sight.
Ah, the best panoramic dinner view, a wonderful, fresh and romantic ambiance, the good food, the sexy Burlesque toilet, and the stunning full moon glow. This has been indeed a lovely and full of surprises evening dinner in Skiathos.
Travel Period: Skiathos (East), Sporades Islands, Greece
Destination: June-July 2017
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.