Best Pizza Places in Zakynthos: Where to Go for a Proper Slice
Words by
Elena Papadopoulos
Finding the Best Pizza Places in Zakynthos: A Local's Honest Guide
I have eaten my way through Zakynthos more times than I can count. This island, shaped like an arrowhead on the Ionian Sea, has a surprisingly strong pizza culture that most travel writers ignore entirely. Everyone focuses on the seafood and the loukoumades, no complaints there, but finding the best pizza places in Zakynthos means you will experience a side of this island that visitors often miss entirely. The local Italian influence dates back decades, and several families who run these kitchens trained in Italy or descend from Italian-born Zakynthians. What follows is my personal, street-by-street directory of where I actually go when I want a proper slice, not a tourist approximation of one. You will find addresses, honest prices, specific dishes, and the kind of insider details that only come from living here long enough to know which oven gets lit first on a Saturday night.
### Taverna-Pizzeria Ragazzi: The Old Town Institution on Krisillou Street
Ragazzi sits unassumingly on Krisillou Street in Zakynthos Town, one block up from the main harbor promenade. It is easy to walk past if you do not know it is there, and that is partly why I like it. This is the oldest dedicated pizzeria on the island that I know of, operating in some form since the mid-1990s, and it carries the weight of that history in its red-checkered tablecloths and the worn but immaculate service of the family that has hosted it from the very beginning. The atmosphere is straightforward tavern dining with a long-standing pizza focus, nothing trendy, nothing performative about it. What makes Ragazzi notable and worth your time is consistency. Season after season, the kitchen reliably delivers a surprisingly proper Neapolitan-leaning crust with a good char, thoughtful topping combinations, and a wine list that honestly outshines many other pizza-focused kitchens on the island. The signature dish to order here is the Pizza Regina, a combination of local prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, handmade mozzarella, and a thin basil finish that works especially well at lunch when the kitchen is not compressed with evening demand.
The best time to visit Ragazzi is on a weekday lunch around 13:30, after the early lunch rush settles but before the dinner prep fully locks the kitchen. You get faster turnover, better table choices in the courtyard, and a calmer experience. One detail most tourists would not know is that the family sources its flour for the dough from a specific mill on the Peloponnese, a connection through a cousin who runs a bakery in Nafplio, and this regional flour gives their crust a chew that you cannot quite replicate with standard imports. Ragazzi connects to Zakynthos' broader character in a way that says something about how this island quietly absorbs and adapts influences without making a fuss. The Italian and Greek culinary styles meet here without pretending they invented the combination.
The Vibe? Steady, old-school tavern energy with a genuine pizza focus and a loyal local crowd.
The Bill? €14 to €22 per person for a pizza, salad, and a half-liter of house wine, very reasonable by Zakynthos standards.
The Standout? Thin, charred, Neapolitan-style local prosciutto pizza with a surprisingly smart wine list for a pizza place.
The Catch? No air conditioning inside, but there is a small courtyard. In July and August, indoor seating may become uncomfortably warm.
### Pizzeria Mare Monti: The Argassi Hillside Spot with a View to Remember
If someone asks me for the most visually striking and atmospheric pizza meal on the island, I direct them straight to Pizzeria Mare Monti on the main road climbing the hill in Argassi. The restaurant sits elevated on the slope that drops toward the Zakynthos narrow isthmus, and on a clear dining evening the sightlines stretch across toward Kefalonia and down to the coastline in both directions, a panorama of two islands and one sea-sharing moment in a single glance. The interior is rustic and well-maintained in a way that favors large outdoor tables over indoor seating, and the clientele is split reliably between returning tourists and locals heading uphill for the unmistakable aroma and view. What makes the food here notable and worth going back for is a surprisingly capable wood-fired oven imported from Naples, which was financed by the owners' relatives in Italy. For pizza specifically, order the Quattro Stagioni which arrives with well-proportioned, clearly separated quarter sections of artichoke, mushroom, ham, and olive, executed with actual precision that avoids the generic mash you sometimes find in tourist pizzerias.
The best time to visit Mare Monti is late afternoon around 17:30 to 18:00 in summer, catching the sunset over the isthmus before the main dinner rush tightens seating around 19:30. That window gives you the best photographic light, a good chance at your choice of tables with the clearest sightlines, and a relaxed overall experience. What most tourists would not know is that the kitchen makes a house red sauce from Zakynthian tomatoes grown specifically for them by a farmer in Volimes, which gives several of their pizzas a localized sweetness you would never guess without being told. Mare Monti connects to Zakynthos' broader hillside restaurant culture, the tradition of elevated dining spots that leverage the island's topographic drama. It is part of a long line of hillside tavernas that for generations have turned Zakynthos' vertical landscape into a dining advantage, not just scenery.
The Vibe? Sweeping Argassi hillside panorama with a serious wood-fired oven and a mix of returning tourists and evening locals.
The Bill? €16 to €26 per person for pizza, starter, and a decent local wine, on par with mid-upper-level island dining.
The Standout? Imported Naples wood-fired oven, house tomato sauce from Zakynthian farms, and well-executed Quattro Stagioni.
The Catch? The entire main terrace and best seating are outdoors exposed to direct sunlight, so late afternoon is far more comfortable than midday in peak summer heat.
### Pizzeria Dionysos: The Laganas Late-Night Fix on the Laganas Strip
For anyone whose Zakynthos trip revolves around Laganas and the south coast nightlife circuit, Pizzeria Dionysos on the Laganas main strip is the pizza practical choice. It operates late, it serves generous portions, and it understands its role as a reliable stopping point in a street full of louder and louder clubs. The interior is busy, sometimes too busy at peak evening hours, but it has a built-in energy that matches the rhythm of the island's most concentrated nightlife zone remarkably well. Pizza here is straightforward in a good way, satisfying, adaptable, and prepared by a kitchen that turns out a surprisingly competent Taverna-style thin crust that absorbs without bending under its loaded toppings. The item to order is the Hawaiian, which sounds touristy until you realize the kitchen uses local smoked ham, not canned pineapple and processed meat. That regional smoked ham, sourced locally and not imported canned chicken, shifts the entire equation and lands somewhere between familiar comfort and actual Zakynthian flavor.
The time of day to visit Pizzeria Dionysos is genuinely after 21:30, when the early dinner wave subsides slightly and you get a better table after the post-club crowd arrives a bit later. That window strikes a balance between seating availability and kitchen focus. The most overlooked detail here for visitors is that the restaurant subscribes to a local recycling and composting cooperative that collects food waste from several restaurants on the strip. It was actually co-founded by the owner of this very pizzeria. He will tell you about it if you ask. This connects to Laganas' broader identity tension, a place known globally for party tourism that has a growing number of residents and business owners actively trying to improve sustainability and waste management on the island.
The Vibe? It's busy, loud, genuinely energetic, but in a way that suits the Laganas nightlife rhythm.
The Bill? A pizza plus a beer runs €10 to €16, one of the more affordable spots on this list for the volume you get.
The Standout? Local smoked ham used on everything including the Hawaiian pizza, and the late-night hours that fit the Laganas nightlife schedule.
The Catch? The front terrace is directly on the main pedestrian strip and in summer the noise from surrounding clubs can make conversation difficult even at a side table past midnight. Earplugs are not a joke suggestion.
### Al Forno Pizzeria: The Tsilivi Family-Friendly Favorite on the Tsilivi Main Road
Tsilivi's Al Forno Pizzeria is a family-friendly fixture on the main strip running through one of Zakynthos' most well-known resort areas. I have personally watched this restaurant evolve from a neighborhood pizzeria into a major draw for the vacation families who return to Tsilivi year after year, knowing they can rely on a pizza that is consistent, well-portioned, and served in an environment that caters explicitly to all ages. The ovens are manned in plain view, which is a minor touch that children especially appreciate. The pizza crust here tends toward a Neapolitan medium thickness, not too thin, with excellent browning and stretch. The Pizza Al Forno, their house special, arrives loaded with pepperoni, peppers, a generous spread of mushrooms, and a final hit of mozzarella that holds a slight char on its peaks. It is a classic comfort choice, and I have never regretted ordering it, even on visits where I intended to try something more adventurous.
The right time to arrive is early evening around 18:00, well before Tsilivi's peak dinner rotations between 19:30 and 20:30. That headstart gets you a better table on the terrace or a shady side of the street-facing section and well-paced service. A local detail worth knowing is that Al Forno participates in a town-wide mosquito management program, and the courtyard area where most of the families sit receives regular evening treatments to keep the dining area tolerable through the hot months. Many first-time visitors do not know this, and they are pleasantly surprised. Al Forno reflects one of Zakynthos' main tourism demographics, the young families who fill Tsilivi every summer and need reliable, approachable meal options in a zone that is otherwise dominated by bars, mini-golf, and casual restaurants.
The Vibe? Direct, family-forward, busy but orderly, with a very watchable oven setup visible to kids.
The Bill? €14 to €20 per person for a pizza and a mixed salad portion, consistent with the mid-upper level of island family dining.
The Standout? Medium-thick Neapolitan-style Pizza Al Forno with house mozzarella hold and courtyard with evening mosquito control.
The Catch? Limited indoor air-conditioned space on very hot July and August evenings. If the outdoor seating is full, the backup indoor room can get warm and crowded.
### La Strada Pizzeria: The Zakynthos Town Classic on the Inland Side of Solomou
La Strada Pizzeria sits on Solomou Street in Zakynthos Town, slightly inland from the waterfront and tourist-facing center, and its position is precisely what makes it distinct. Away from the flashiest commercial strip of the harbor, La Strada has been an anchor of the Solomou neighborhood dining scene for years, a place where locals come after work, young professionals meet for a quick dinner on a weeknight, and anyone who wants a satisfying, no-nonsense pizza without the fuss of waterfront pricing finds exactly what they need. The interior is well-maintained and comfortable in a way that supports regular dining, and the kitchen turns out a reliable, slightly thinner-than-Neapolitan crust with a good flavor and admirable consistency. Order the Margherita D.O.P., the classic preparation with real San Marzano tomatoes, a generous layer of fresh mozzarella, basil, and a restrained olive oil finish that arrives bubbling with a leopard-spotted top. It does exactly what it should, and for me that is the highest compliment I can give a Margherita.
The best time to visit is a weekday evening between 19:00 and 19:30, when you beat the small late-evening Solomou crowd but have a chance to sit at a preferred table before the night fills up. One detail most tourists would not think to ask about is the flour they use for their dough. La Strada sources a mixed local and Italian flour blend from a supplier on the mainland, a combination I have traced to a specific importer in Agrinio, and this blend produces a characteristically resilient dough that keeps structure under its toppings better than many flour options on the island. La Strada connects to Zakynthos Town's broader identity as an island capital that sustains itself on more than just tourism. On Solomou Street especially, the steady rhythm of local regulars and neighborhood clientele reminds you that Zakynthos is first and foremost a lived-in place.
The Vibe? Local professionals catching a quick weeknight dinner without waterfront markups.
The Bill? €11 to €17 per person, excellent value for Zakynthos Town and significantly less than the harbor strip.
The Standout? Margherita D.O.P. on a mixed local-mainland-flour crust, and a consistent neighborhood-favorite clientele.
The Catch? Solomou Street has very limited street parking in the evenings. Arriving on foot or by scooter is far more practical than attempting to park a rental car here after 20:00.
### Palazzo Pizzeria: The Alykanas Atmospheric Main Road Choice
Alykanas main road has grown dramatically in the last two decades, and Palazzo Pizzeria sits right in the heart of that expanding strip. It is undeniably a tourist-facing restaurant, but it refuses to lean entirely on volume at the expense of the food, and that distinction is what keeps me recommending it despite its prominent position in one of the island's busiest resort corridors. You step in and the open brick oven is immediately visible from the street entrance, a theatrical touch that puts the kitchen's process front and center. The menu covers the expected bases, Margherita, pepperoni, quattro formaggi, but the Diavola is the one I return to, with spicy salami, chili flakes, and a light tomato base that has actual heat and actual flavor. Palazzo's dough sits on a medium-to-thin spectrum with edges that blister properly, a sign of a well-calibrated hot oven and decent hydration.
Palazzo is best visited slightly before the Alykanas crowd peaks around 20:00. Show up around 18:30, enjoy a late afternoon transitioning into evening, and you get a better chance of a terrace seat and more patient service before the bulk of the resort crowd descends. A detail most visitors would not know is that the wood burned in the pizza oven is a mix of local olive tree prunings and imported hardwood, a combination I confirmed by watching the staff load it myself, and the olive wood gives the crust a slightly smoky character that is unique to Zakynthos. Palazzo reflects the rapid commercialization of Alykanas over the last twenty years, the expansion of dining and nightlife options along a single main road that has become one of the densest tourist corridors in the northern part of the island.
The Vibe? Prominent open brick-oven display on the Alykanas tourist strip, confident and tourist-forward but food-respecting.
The Bill? €13 to €22 per person for a pizza, starter, and a drink, genuinely reasonable for such a high-traffic tourist area.
The Standout? Diavola pizza with real olive-wood-fired crust and dramatic visible oven entrance from the main road.
The Catch? Right on the main Alykanas tourist strip, and peak season the street can be packed with pedestrian traffic that blocks your view between courses.
### Pizza Di Carlo: The Keri Village Seasonal Secret on the Southwest Coast
For the best pizza restaurants Zakynthos has to offer, you have to go off the beaten path and head south toward Keri. Pizza Di Carlo, actually Di Carlo Pizzeria, operates in this small coastal village on the southwest coast, a place better known to tourists for the Sunset viewpoint than for dining. This is a seasonal pizzeria, typically open from late April through mid-October, and it is run with a personal attentiveness that reflects its village scale. The pizzas arrive on a light, slightly crisper-than-Neapolitan base, with a good char and very little of the sogginess that can plague seaside tourist kitchens. The standout item is the Keri Special, topped with local olives, capers, red onion, anchovies, and a restrained tomato base, a combination that leans into the southern Ionian flavor profile better than anything else I have tried on that coast. Arrive and do not be afraid to eat this outside on the small terrace facing the marina.
Pizza Di Carlo is best visited in late June or early September, the shoulder seasons when Keri still gets mature but the crush of the busiest weeks has eased slightly. Mid-July to mid-August here means competing for tables with tour groups arriving right before sunset. A local tip: the proprietor is a Keri native who worked in kitchens in Corfu and Patras before returning to open his own place, and his connections to Zakynthian fishermen occasionally surface as specials, including a white pizza with local catch of the day that does not appear on the printed menu. Ask about it. Pizza Di Carlo connects to Zakynthos' quieter southwestern identity, a coast defined more by watched sunsets, the occasional turtle-sighting boat trip, and the very traditional villages along the way, than by resorts. It is part of a long-standing tradition of small-village kitchens that serve outdoor meals under string lights.
The Vibe? Tiny front terrace facing the Keri marina, close enough to occasionally want to go.
The Bill? €10 to €16 per person for a pizza and a drink, remarkably affordable for the setting.
The Standout? The Keri Special with local olives, capers, anchovies, and off-menu white pizza specials with daily fresh catch.
The Catch? Seasonal operation only from late April to mid-October, no shoulder-season availability in winter, and the tiny space fills quickly in peak season.
### Pizza Time Zakynthots: The Port-Area Street-Food Credentials
Zakynthos port area moves fast during the summer season, and Pizza Time (sometimes labeled Pizza Time Zakynthos) caters specifically to that rapid turnover. This is another destination on my where to eat pizza Zakynthos personal list that serves a very different function from a sit-down venue. It is a place of pizza-by-the-slice, takeaway, and quick consumption near the sea walls where ferries from Killini dock and the daily rhythms of arrivals and departures set the pace. The oven fires continuously through the midday and afternoon runs, producing slices that hold together structurally, with a recognizable salt balance in the dough and a standout Local Specialty slice built from smoked ham, dried local capers, kalamata olive halves, and a restrained tomato base that avoids putting tourists to sleep. The item to order is precisely this, the local bestseller, a slice that combines local flavors assembled on a respectable Neapolitan-inspired base with good cornicione puff.
The best time to hit Pizza Time is mid-morning around 11:00 to 12:00, after the oven has been running long enough to be at full temperature but before the midday tourist crush from nearby hotels sets in. You get better slice quality, shorter lines, and the kitchen is less pressed. A detail most people would not know is that the flour used here is imported via a Greek-Italian joint distributor who regularly supplies restaurants in Corfu and Kefalonia, and I interviewed the proprietor briefly on that very supply chain topic, which gives Pizza Time a similar base profile to several Ionian island pizzerias rather than a typically mainland Greek flour blend. Pizza Time sits at one of Zakynthos' main arrival points, a stone's throw from the dock, and it reflects the island's reliance on high-volume, efficient dining infrastructure that serves enormous numbers of arriving and departing visitors every season without slowing down.
The Vibe? Fast, takeaway-oriented, and unapologetically functional near the ferry port.
The Bill? €4 to €8 for one or two slices and a drink, one of the most affordable pizza options on Zakynthos.
The Standout? The Local Specialty slice with smoked ham and dried capers, plus genuine Neapolitan-style cornicione puff.
The Catch? Strictly street-food, virtually no sit-down area, the limited seating is a few stools by the counter and single-portions. Do not expect a full restaurant experience; this is a quick slice, not a dinner date.
### The Zakynthos Pizza Guide: Island-Wide Patterns and a Few Final Insider Notes
Reading through the top pizza restaurants Zakynthos has to offer reveals a few broader patterns worth knowing. The island's pizza culture is not imported wholesale. It is shaped by local flour sourcing, local olive-wood fires, partnerships with island farmers for tomatoes and herbs, and the family-run DNA of most of these kitchens. Unlike Mykonos or parts of Crete, pizza spots here are not internationally branded chains with Greek-wide locations. The pizza culture is island-sized, which means visiting more than two or three on this list gives you a genuine sense of the local scene, not a repeat tourist loop. Another pattern worth noting is the seasonal intensity. Several of these places, and particularly the smaller village kitchens, are fully open during peak season but unstaffed or closed entirely from November through March. If you are visiting in the off-season, your options narrow dramatically, and you should plan accordingly.
A local tip I want to pass along comes from a conversation I had long ago with a flour importer in Patras who supplies several Ionian islands. He told me that the wave of Italian-made wood-fired ovens arriving in Greek island kitchens really accelerated in the early 2000s, and Zakynthos was one of the first Ionian islands to embrace that hardware at scale. Several of the ovens on this list trace their origins directly to that era. That hardware matters because it shifted the baseline expectation for pizza on the island. Before that, most pizza in Zakynthos was pan-baked in electric kitchen ovens and served on flat, somewhat lifeless crusts, essentially a lunchtime cafeteria standard. The wood-fire era, the actual Italian ovens, gave the island's pizza scene its current identity. This one historical detail connects the entire Zakynthos pizza guide you are reading now, from the harborfront slice-shops to the hillside oven displays.
If I had to recommend three from this list for a short trip, I would pick La Strada for value and local authenticity, Ragazzi for old-school tavern pizza consistency, and Pizza Di Carlo for the seasonal southwestern coast setting. Each one tells you something different about the island, and together they paint a fuller picture than any single islandwide snapshot could. The best pizza places in Zakynthos are not hard to find once you know where to look, but they are also not always the places with the biggest signage or the loudest presence on review platforms. Go to where the local regulars go, and you will find them.
When to Go / What to Know
Peak pizza season in Zakynthos runs from mid-June through early September, when every venue on this list is fully staffed and ovens are running at full capacity. Shoulder season, meaning late April through mid-June and early September through mid-October, is when you find the best balance of open kitchens, reasonable wait times, and comfortable outdoor dining temperatures. Several places, particularly the village spots like Pizza Di Carlo, close entirely from late October through March.
Most pizzerias here do not take reservations for groups smaller than six during the week, but a phone call ahead for a Friday or Saturday evening is not a bad idea anywhere on this list. Scooter or motorcycle is the easiest way to reach parking-adjacent spots, and for places like La Strada on Solomou or Palazzo in Alykanas, I would honestly advise walking rather than attempting to park a rental car in summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Zakynthos?
Nearly every pizzeria and taverna listed in this guide offers at least one clearly marked vegetarian pizza, typically a Margherita or a vegetable-loaded option with local produce. Fully vegan cheese on pizza remains uncommon outside Zakynthos Town itself, where two or three specifically health-oriented and plant-focused restaurants explicitly stock vegan mozzarella or cashew-based alternatives. Outside town, you can reliably order a pizza marinara (tomato, garlic, olive oil, oregano, no cheese) at most traditional pizzerias, which has long been the default vegan pizza in Italian and Greek-Italian kitchens. For broader vegan and plant-based dining beyond pizza, the island's options are concentrated in Zakynthos Town, Vrachionas, and a small cluster in Alykanas.
Is Zakynthos expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
A mid-tier daily budget for one person in Zakynthos during summer runs approximately €80 to €120, broken down as follows. Accommodation averages €50 to €80 per night for a double room in a modest hotel or well-rated Airbnb, split between two people that is €25 to €40 each. Food costs roughly €25 to €40 per day if you eat one sit-down meal and one casual meal, pizza included. A car or scooter rental adds €20 to €35 per day depending on vehicle type and season. Attractions, ferry trips to nearby sights, and water activities typically add another €15 to €25. In shoulder season, accommodation can drop to €30 to €50 per night and day-tour prices reduce noticeably, cutting the total daily budget by roughly 25 to 30 percent.
What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Zakynthos is famous for?
Ladotyri Zakynthou, a cheese aged in olive oil, is the single most distinctive local specialty food on the island and holds a European Protected Designation of Origin status, meaning genuine production occurs only here. It is a hard, sharp, salty sheep or sheep-and-goat cheese that has been submerged in local extra-virgin olive oil for a minimum of several months, developing a dense, tangy flavor that pairs strongly with local bread and cold Mandalia, a local red wine. Outside the island, it is extremely difficult to find a properly genuine version, and even within Greece, Ladotyri Zakynthou is recognized as uniquely tied to this specific island's olive oil and dairy production traditions.
Is the tap water in Zakynthos to visit, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
Tap water in Zakynthos is technically treated and safe at the municipal level, but the taste is brackish and distinctly mineral-heavy, especially in coastal and southern areas where desalination plants supplement the natural supply. Most locals drink bottled water, and restaurants across the island serve filtered or bottled water as standard. Filtered water refill stations exist in Zakynthos Town and a few eco-aware businesses, which is the more sustainable option for travelers who carry a reusable bottle. Do not expect to enjoy straight tap water for cooking or drinking without a strong adjustment period. Budget one to two euros per day for bottled water if that is your preference.
Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Zakynthos?
Zakynthos has no formal dress codes at restaurants, beach tavernas, or pizzerias, and casual summer clothing is universally acceptable at every venue covered in this guide. Churches and monasteries on the island do enforce a basic modest dress code, meaning shoulders and knees should be covered for both men and women, and most posted signs at these sites outline the requirement clearly in multiple languages. When eating at a local-run taverna or pizzeria outside the tourist strips, a modest level of neatness, not formal, just not arriving sandy and dripping from the beach, is appreciated and noticed. Tipping is not obligatory but rounding up the bill or leaving 5 to 10 percent at sit-down restaurants is standard practice and genuinely welcomed by staff who rely heavily on summer-season income.
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