Review: Sea Salt, Svoronata, Kefalonia, Greece

The last day of a holiday can feel a little strange when your flight is not until late. We needed to allow plenty of our time to travel from Fiskardo in the north to Kefalonia’s airport in the south, but equally didn’t want to spend more time than necessary simply waiting in departures.

With our luggage with us, but our flight not for some hours, we made one final detour – a meal to bookend our trip. And so, we found ourselves at Sea Salt in Svoronata – a superb little seafood restaurant close enough that we could relax, enjoy a beach and a final dinner, yet still be less than a 10 minute drive from the airport.

The menu at Sea Salt is Mediterranean at heart but with a precision and playfulness that hints at serious culinary intent. As a fresh fish and seafood restaurant directly overlooking the sea, we strongly recommend sampling the fish, but there are meat options such as the slow-cooked lamb roll stuffed with Kefalonian cheese or the chicken fillet with a romesco sauce.

Among our starters were the Mediterranean fig salad, a vibrant heap of baby spinach, rocket and mixed leaves, punctuated by sesame and slivers of Kefalonian cheese — light, fresh, and summery, it set the tone with quiet confidence.

I opted for the scallops — delicately seared and perched atop a pea purée with a bacon crump, and topped by a scattering of black garlic caviar to bring a hint of umami mischief.

My son had the tender grilled octopus, nestled among chickpeas, onion, cherry tomatoes and a whisper of sage crème – a lovely, flavourful accompaniment.

For mains, we all opted for different fish dishes. The seabass came as two fillets, with a wonderfully crispy skin and light and tender flesh, and served with couscous, a smoked aubergine cream and marinated vegetables.

For a hearty option, try the seafood giouvetsi which consists of orzo pasta steeped in a rich tomato broth, generously studded with mussels, clams and sweet morsels of crab.

And let’s not forget the swordfish s served over a base of pumpkin purée, alongside quinoa and artichokes.

But the showstopper was my grilled bluefin tuna belly from the specials menu — rich and luxuriously rare in the middle, it came with a mixture of seasonal grilled vegetables and was the kind of dish that could see you booking your return flight just to eat it again. And with the airport so close, I guess you could!

To finish, we sampled the lemon tart and the chocolate soufflé between us. The former had a wonderful citrus gang, whilst the latter arrived warm and molten, and utterly indulgent.

The menu also teased us with orange pie, and salted caramel cheesecake, leaving us with a quiet sense of unfinished business, and justification to one day return.

Chef George Spathis, 33, brings over 15 years of kitchen experience, having worked in 5-star hotels and high-end restaurants across Greece. After years of traveling and honing his craft, he returned to Kefalonia and has been the head chef at Sea Salt since day one. More than just a colleague, George is also a close friend to owner Dimitris Karloukas.

He specialises in seafood and has a deep understanding of fresh ingredients. His cooking is all about simplicity, quality and flavour. George uses locally sourced vegetables and freshly caught fish to create dishes that highlight the best of what the island has to offer.

Sea Salt is perched over two airy levels, gently staggered one above the other, but both affording views of the beach and the shimmering sea beyond. There’s a lovely breeze that passes through and it’s the kind of place where time doesn’t feel wasted — it feels well spent. And what better way to pass the time when you’re essentially waiting for a flight…

This is refined dining with real value — an increasingly rare combination. Starters and salads range from €10–20, mains mostly hover around €20–25. There are a few indulgences: the miso black cod at €32 and the bluefin tuna at €39 per 100g. Desserts are all €7, a small price for a very sweet ending.

As far as last suppers go, this was about as good as it gets. One final swim, one unforgettable meal, and the shortest of drives to the airport, meaning we could maximise our time away from the airport and without any stress. Sea Salt is ideally placed for a farewell dinner, but equally would be an ideal, indulgent welcome to kick off anyone’s arrival in Kefalonia.