We get asked all the time "Where should we eat?" THIS is where... :)
One of the questions we get asked surprisingly often isn't "Which yacht should we book?" or "Where's the best place to sail?" It's... "Where should we eat?"
And honestly, it's one of our favourite questions to answer. After helping customers charter yachts all over the Mediterranean for more than ten years (and, of course, making sure we sample plenty of local food ourselves in the name of research...), there are a handful of restaurants that we always find ourselves recommending.
Not because they're the fanciest. Not because they've won Michelin stars. But because arriving at them by boat somehow makes the whole experience even better. After jibing and tacking your way throught the waves, you can relax with a waterfront view over the bay (and your own boat), authentic (and tasty) food, a glass of something cold, and suddenly everything seems right in the world!
Here are a few of our favourites...
Restaurant Maestral – Okuklje, Mljet, Croatia
There are hundreds of beautiful places to stop in Croatia, but every now and then you find somewhere that feels a little different. Okuklje is one of those places. Tucked away on the eastern side of Mljet, this tiny fishing village feels wonderfully removed from the busy hotspots of the Adriatic. There are no crowds wandering through, no rows of souvenir shops and no pressure to rush off to the next destination. You simply arrive, find a safe spot in the bay and relax - the restaurant even has it's own moorings!
Restaurant Maestral is a great example of why we love these smaller Croatian stops. Rather than just serving the standard "holiday menu", they take local ingredients and traditional Dalmatian flavours and give them a more modern touch.
The setting is what makes it though. A quiet bay, a handful of yachts gently swinging nearby and an evening where the only difficult decision is whether to order another bottle of local wine.
Lo Scoglio – Nerano, Amalfi Coast, Italy
Some restaurants become famous because of clever marketing. Lo Scoglio became famous because people kept coming back. Arriving by boat is very much part of the experience here. The private jetty means you can step ashore straight from the yacht and walk into a restaurant that has been welcoming sailors for generations, or they will send a water taxi to collect you if you stay in the mooring buoy field nearby.
There is one dish everyone talks about - the famous spaghetti alla Nerano (a simple courgette pasta dish that has become iconic) but it's about the whole experience really. The cliffs rising behind you, the sea below you, your yacht waiting just metres away and the feeling that you've found somewhere genuinely special.
This is the sort of place where lunch can easily turn into a very late afternoon (or it did when we went!)
Adaia – Göcek, Turkey
The approach is half the fun. Hidden among the pine-covered islands around Göcek, Adaia feels like somewhere you've discovered rather than somewhere you've simply booked.
As you arrive by yacht, the restaurant slowly reveals itself and the team are ready to help with your lines before you've even stepped ashore.
Then the evening begins. Turkish meze, fresh seafood, local dishes and that wonderful relaxed Turkish hospitality that makes you forget what time it is. Göcek has some incredible anchorages, but Adaia is one of those places that turns a simple dinner stop into one of the highlights of the week.
Illeta – Camp de Mar, Mallorca
The restaurant sits on its own tiny island in Camp de Mar, connected to shore by a small wooden bridge. From your yacht, it almost looks like something from a film set. Drop the anchor, jump in the dinghy and suddenly lunch becomes part of the adventure.
The menu focuses on classic Mediterranean cooking, especially seafood and rice dishes, but the real reason people remember Illeta is the setting. Sitting above the water, watching boats arrive and depart, with nowhere else you need to be. That's what a sailing holiday is all about.
Errikos – Vathy, Meganisi, Greece
There are some restaurants where you eat well. And then there are some where you somehow stay for three hours longer than planned. Errikos is one of those places.
After mooring in the beautiful harbour of Vathy, you can simply wander along the waterfront and settle in for a proper Greek evening. The food is exactly what you hope for after a day sailing the Ionian — fresh fish, local specialities, generous portions and plenty of time to enjoy the view.
As the sun goes down, the harbour lights come on, crews return from exploring the island and nobody seems to be in any hurry to leave.
Calypso – Kioni, Ithaca, Greece
Some harbours are pretty. Kioni is unforgettable. The approach alone makes it worth visiting. The red-roofed houses tumble down towards the water, traditional fishing boats sit alongside visiting yachts and the whole village feels perfectly designed for sailors.
Calypso sits right on the waterfront. Order a few Greek classics, a bottle of wine and watch the harbour slowly come alive. No rushing. No schedules. Just exactly the sort of evening you hoped for when you booked the yacht.
Why These Places Stand Out
There are thousands of restaurants around the Mediterranean. The ones we remember aren't always the smartest or the most expensive, they're the ones where the owner helps you tie up, or where today's fish may have come from the same bay you're sitting beside.
Some have their own piers, some have a harbour just outside, some require a quick dinghy ride ashore, but all of them have one thing in common - they are places where the sailing holiday continues even after you've switched the engine off.
And if you visit one during your next charter, send us a photo. We'll enjoy it with you for a moment... before getting back to reality here in rainy Manchester.
