Best Pubs in Zakynthos: Where Locals Actually Drink
Words by
Elena Papadopoulos
If you want to Drink Where the Locals Drink in Zakynthos, Forget Stripified Zante Town
Most visitors to Zakynthos shuffle between the neon-soaked bars of Laganas or the tourist-trap clusters on Solomos Square, never once setting foot inside the places where Zakynthians actually unwind after a long day. The best pubs in Zakynthos are not the ones with the loudest music or the cheapest shots. They are the places tucked behind the main drag, down side streets in Zante Town, in villages along the north coast, and on the edges of Argassi where the evening crowd speaking Zakynthian dialect is noticeably thicker. Elena Papadopoulos has spent more than a decade island-hopping across the Ionian, but it was settling here that taught her what a proper Greek pub night looks like, a slow build of ouzo, grilled seafood, and live music on a Tuesday when there is seemingly nothing else happening on the island.
The local pubs Zakynthos has earned its reputation on are places where the owner knows your name by your second visit, where the wine comes from somebody's cousin's vineyard in Keri, and where the conversation at the next table will inevitably drift toward football, politics, or whose boat engine gave out this season. These are not themed cocktail lounges. They are working neighborhood spots with history baked into the walls. The following guide walks through nine of them, plus one open-air hangout that barely qualifies as any kind of establishment, so you can experience Zakynthos the way the people who live here actually do.
### Comeback Bar, Navarinou Street, Zante Town
You will barely see Comeback Bar from the main road. It sits on a narrow stretch of Navarinou Street, just south of Solomos Square, where the evening foot traffic lightens and the sound of the harbor carries faintly inward. The exterior is understated, a dark awning and a handful of high-top tables spilling onto the pavement. Inside, the room is tight. Wooden stools line the bar counter, the walls are plastered with old music posters and faded photographs of Zakynthos from the 1970s and 80s, and the jukebox (they actually have one) plays everything from Vassilis Tsitsanis to Sinatra depending on the bartender's mood.
What to Order / See / Do: Start with a small carafe of the house wine, which rotates seasonally and is usually sourced from vineyards on the island itself. The grilled octopus plate arrives charred to perfection and is one of the best bar snacks you will find anywhere in Zante Town. Ask the bartender to play a track from the old jukebox. There is a specific Pavarotti track that comes out after midnight on most weekends, and if you are there when it plays, you know you have found the late-night crowd.
Best Time: Go after 10:30 PM on a Friday or Saturday. Before that, the bar is nearly empty, just one or two older locals nursing a draught beer. Comeback only comes alive when the restaurants on the main square start releasing their diners. By 11 PM, the room is shoulder to shoulder with a mix of young Zakynthians and a handful of in-the-know expats.
The Vibe: Genuine, slightly rough around the edges, and unapologetically Greek. This is not a place that has been dressed up for Instagram. One small drawback: the single restroom at the back gets very busy after midnight, and the line can stretch to five or six people, which in a room this size means you are standing right in the middle of everyone's conversation.
### Fos Boutique Bar, Bochali Hill, Above Zante Town
Perched on the road up to Bochali, Fos Boutique Bar occupies a small terrace with a direct view over the rooftops of Zante Town and the Ionian Sea beyond. It opened several years back as something of an experiment by a Zakynthian couple who had worked in Athens hospitality before returning home, and it has since become one of the top bars Zakynthos visitors encounter when they wander up from the port area looking for a sunset drink that does not come with a thumping speaker in their ear.
What to Order / See / Do: The cocktail list leans on local ingredients. The "Zakynthos Sour" uses a local liqueur made from the island's distinctive mandarin oranges (a variety found here and on a handful of other Ionian islands), shaken with lemon and a frothed egg white. It is tart, floral, and immediately sets this place apart from anywhere else on the island. The mezze board with local cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes pairs perfectly with it.
Best Time: Get there an hour before sunset. The west-facing terrace fills up fast in summer, and the best tables, the ones right at the edge with an unobstructed view, are claimed by 5:30 PM at the latest from June through September. Weekday evenings are quieter and the staff has time to talk you through the cocktail menu.
The Vibe: Relaxed, stylish without being pretentious. The music stays at a level that allows conversation, which alone makes it stand out. The trade-off practicality of the location is that getting back down to Zante Town after dark can be a bit nerve-wracking if you have been on the cocktails. There is no street lighting for a stretch of the road back down, and taxis from Bochali tend to be scarce after 11 PM. Plan your return in advance.
### Mare Nostrum Bar, Laganas Main Strip (Northern End)
Yes, Laganas has a reputation as a rowdy party resort. The southern end of the strip is built around 18 to 24 tourism, foam nights, and fishbowl cocktails. But the northern end of the strip, where the road curves back toward Kalamaki, is a different story. Mare Nostrum has held its ground here for years. It is the kind of bar where the staff greets you with "you were here last summer, weren't you," and they might even be right.
What to Order / See / Do: Skip the imported beers and go straight for Mythos lager on draught, which in Zakynthos always tastes slightly better than it does on the mainland. The kitchen (yes, it has a kitchen, which surprises most people) does a surprisingly solid tzatziki and pita plate ideal for late-night snacking. Order the grilled prawns if they have them in season, roughly May through October.
Best Time: Early evening, between 7 and 9 PM, before the aggressive bar-crawler groups arrive from the southern end of the strip. At this hour, you will drink alongside local families, a few couples on older-retirement holidays, and the bar staff who are at their friendliest before the late rush begins.
The Vibe: Clean, well-run, and comfortable. It is the closest thing Laganas has to a normal neighborhood pub, which sounds like faint praise until you have spent a night on the rest of the strip. One honest gripe: the air conditioning inside is mediocre on the hottest July and August nights, and the room can feel stuffy despite the open frontage. Sit on the terrace and trade the cool interior for the breeze.
### Ouzeri To Koutouki, Vassiliko District, Zakynthos Town
The Vassiliko area, on the eastern side of Zante Town near the port, is the workingman's part of Zakynthos. Ship repair yards, hardware stores, wholesalers. Ouzeri To Koutouki sits right in the middle of it, a plain-fronted place that looks from the outside like it might be closed, even when it is full inside. This is ground zero for the local pubs Zakynthos regulars talk about when they say they "go out for ouzo." No cocktails. No craft beer. Just ouzos, local wine, and a rotating selection of meat and fish plates that appear on your table without you ordering half of them.
What to Order / See / Do: Tell the waiter you are there for the ouzo and let them direct you. They will bring a house ouzo, usually from a barrel, with a small water jug and ice. Alongside it, expect plates of olives, graviera cheese, perhaps a small portion of fried courgette, and if you linger, a dish of stifado or baked lamb that materializes as if by tradition rather than menu order. This is the Zakynthian way of eating while drinking. You do not order courses. The kitchen sends them.
Best Time: Weekday lunch, between 1 and 3 PM. This is when Zakynthian workers on break fill the place, and the energy is entirely local. Evenings work too, but weekends can get noisy with larger groups celebrating name days and birthdays. The lunchtime pace gives you space to watch the room and understand how a Zakynthian taverna-ouzeri operates, which is a lesson in itself.
The Vibe: Unvarnished, loud, and convivial. Your table neighbors will almost certainly offer you a drink or ask where you are from, possibly in that order. Fair warning: there is no printed menu in English. Pointing at the kitchen counter and asking for recommendations works perfectly fine.
### Cocktail Bar Alexandros, Argassi Waterfront
Argassi is often described as a quieter version of Laganas, but that undersells the town's waterfront, which in recent years has developed a small but solid cluster of proper bars. Cocktail Bar Alexandros is the best of them. It sits right on the main road along the water, with an outdoor seating arrangement that extends almost to the sand. The owner, Alexandros (yes, his real name), spent a decade bartending in Mykonos before coming home to Zakynthos, and his drinks reflect that training.
What to Order / See / Do: The signature drink is a Smoked Ionian, which uses local tsipouro infused with rosemary from the hills above Orthonies village, mixed with honey syrup and a dash of saline. It is complex and potent. Food is limited to light snacks and salads, so eat dinner elsewhere first and come here for after-dinner drinks with the sound of the water right at your feet.
Best Time: Around 10 PM in the summer months, when Alexandros begins mixing his more elaborate creations and the crowd shifts toward couples and older groups rather than the early-evening pre-club crowd. If you visit between late September and early June, the bar operates on reduced hours, so confirm it is open before making the trip.
The Vibe: Sophisticated but accessible, which is a difficult balance to strike in a resort town. The waterfront location means a steady warm breeze even on hot nights. The main downside is the foot traffic on the main road. You are not exactly in a tranquil cove here. Cars and scooters pass six feet from the tables, so this is better suited to people who do not mind a bit of road energy in their evening.
### Volimes Kafeneio (Traditional Village Coffee and Drink House), Volimes, Northwest Zakynthos
Getting the full picture of where to drink in Zakynthos means leaving the coast entirely. Volimes is the principal village of the mountainous northwest interior, the gateway to the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach, and home to a tradition of kafeneia, old-style coffee and drink houses that have been social anchors in Greek village life for generations. The kafeneio on the main square is the real thing. Outside, old men play tavli (backgammon) on stone tables. Inside, it smells like Greek coffee, ouzo, and wood polish.
What to Order / See / Do: Order a Greek coffee, frappé, or, if you are there after sunset, a glass of tsipouro with ice. Do not expect a food menu. Expect peanuts, perhaps a few olives, and the conversation of whoever sits next to you. If you visit during a local festival (the Feast of Agioi Anargyroi on July 1 is a major one for the village), the kafeneio will be the center of live music, free plates of food, and dancing in the square that goes until the early hours.
Best Time: Late morning, around 10 to 11 AM, when the morning coffee ritual is in full swing and the village square is shaded enough to sit outdoors comfortably. This is a summer escape from the coast, and at this hour you may well be the only non-local in sight.
The Vibe: This is chainiko, the Greek word for something quintessentially of this place and time, deeply traditional and resistant to change. There is no Wi-Fi, no printed menu, no credit card machine. Bring cash and bring patience. The trade-off is that you are participating in a social tradition that has blanketed the Greek islands for centuries, and that is worth any minor inconvenience.
### Rock & Roll Bar, Alykes Beach
Alykes was once a salt-mining town. The salt works are long gone, but the flat, sandy beach and the cluster of low buildings behind it give it a working coastline feel that Zante Town and Argassi lack. The Rock & Roll Bar, sitting on the road behind the main beach, is a family-owned business run by Marios, a Zakynthian with an encyclopedic knowledge of classic rock and an unreasonable number of vinyl records stored in a back room.
What to Order / See / Do: The draught Fix lager is cold and cheap. The "Rock Platter," a plate of various grilled meats and fried potatoes that appears to be the house specialty, is enormous and easily shared by two. Marios himself will likely be behind the bar and is happy to tell you the history of the building (it was a salt warehouse before becoming a taverna, and before that, a boathouse). Ask about the records. He has been known to put one on if you catch him in the right mood.
Best Time: Sunday evenings, from 8 PM onward. Alykes is sleepy compared to Laganas or Argassi, and Sunday is when the local crowd comes out for a proper dinner-and-drinks night without the chaos of the main tourist corridors. The bar stays open late on weekends and closes relatively early on weekdays, often by 11 PM.
The Vibe: Warm, slightly eccentric, and deeply local. The sound system is not spectacular. On busy nights, the bass distorts slightly, which is a minor irritation if you are hoping for pristine audio quality while you drink. But if you are here for the atmosphere rather than a DJ set, the imperfection is part of the appeal.
### Yialos Seaside Bar, Tsilivi
Tsilivi has grown rapidly over the past decade, and its beachfront strip now runs to dozens of competing establishments. Yialos (which simply means "seaside" in Greek, a name that hints at no-nonsense functionality) has been here longer than most, sitting at the quieter southern end of the beach, away from the louder cluster near the center.
What to Order / See / Do: The frozen mojitos are a cut above the typical island-resort version, properly balanced and not oversweet. The grilled halloumi with watermelon plate is a creative summer dish that shows the kitchen is trying harder than most. If you visit more than once, ask for whatever the local wine of the week is. It is usually from a small producer on the island or from Kefalonia and is served in a proper glass rather than a tumbler.
Best Time: Late afternoon into early evening, roughly 5 to 8 PM. Yialos catches the last direct sunlight on the beach before the sun drops behind the hills, and at this hour the clientele is a pleasant mix of families finishing their beach day, couples starting a date night, and local Tsilivi residents who have been coming here since before the resort expansion.
The Vibe: Comfortable and family-friendly, which sets it apart from the party-pad strip half a kilometer north. One honest note: during peak season, the kitchen is understaffed relative to demand. Food orders can take 30 to 45 minutes on a busy Saturday night. Order your food before your second drink, not after.
### The Harbor Edge Spot, Zakynthos Town Port (Informal)
This is not a venue with a name on Google Maps. It is the loose cluster of benches and low walls along the harbor edge near the fish tavernas, where locals gather after dark in summer with drinks purchased from the minimarket two minutes away. You buy your Mythos or Alpha beer from the shop, take a seat on the low wall overlooking the fishing boats, and join the unscripted evening social life of Zante Town at its most unmediated.
What to Order / See / Do: A six-pack from the local minimarket, ouzo or tsipouro in a small bottle, and whatever meze the taverna next to you might share if you strike up a conversation. The harbor is where the day's catch comes in if you arrive early enough in the morning (by 7 AM), but it is in the evening that this area becomes truly alive. Children play, teenagers gather in groups, fishermen mend nets, and conversations stretch across three generations.
Best Time: After 9 PM in summer, when the heat breaks and the promenade walkers begin arriving. Winter visits have their own appeal. The harbor in January is utterly quiet compared to July, but the locals who are there are the permanent residents, the people who have stories about what Zakynthos was like before the airports expanded, and they are often more willing to talk than during the busy season.
The Vibe: This is Zakynthos without a filter. No curated playlist, no cocktail garnish, no server bringing you a bill. It is arguably the most authentic version of where to drink in Zakynthos you will find anywhere. The minus side: there are no facilities here. No restrooms, no lighting beyond the ambient glow from the nearby tavernas, and if the wind picks up off the water, it can be cold enough to drive you inside by 11 PM even in August.
When to Go and What to Know
The best pubs in Zakynthos follow a rhythm that is different from most European nightlife. Greeks eat late, drink slowly, and do not rush the evening. If you show up at a bar at 7 PM expecting a crowd, you will be sitting alone. The sweet spot for most of the venues listed above is between 10 PM and 1 AM, with the 11 PM to midnight window being the most reliably lively time across all neighborhoods and seasons.
Cash is still king in many of Zakynthos's local spots, particularly in Volimes, at the harbor edge, and at smaller taverna-bars in the Vassiliko district. Cards are accepted at most places in Zante Town, Argassi, and Laganas, but having a small amount of cash on hand prevents any confusion. Tipping is not mandatory but is appreciated, rounding up the bill or leaving one to two euros is standard.
If you are visiting between October and April, be aware that many bars on the tourist strips (Laganas, Argassi, Tsilivi) either close entirely or operate on drastically reduced schedules. The local spots in Zante Town, Volimes, and Alykes remain open yearround but may adjust their hours based on how quiet the season is. Always check before making a dedicated trip to a specific venue in the off-season.
Dress code is relaxed everywhere on the island. Flip flops and shorts are acceptable in every bar listed above with the possible exception of Cocktail Bar Alexandros, where wearing something slightly smarter reads as a sign of respect for the craft that goes into the drinks, though you will never be turned away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Zakynthos is famous for?
Tsipouro is the local spirit that defines a Zakynthian evening. It is a grape pomace brandy, typically served chilled with ice and a small plate of seafood, cheese, or olives. Zakynthos is also known for its mandarinetto, a liqueur made from the island's distinctive mandarin oranges, which grow in small groves in the hillside villages of Volimes, Agios Leon, and Orthonies. Any visit to a proper ouzeri or kafeneio should include at least one glass of tsipouro before dinner. The island's olive oil and local honey, especially thyme honey from the northwest highlands, are also worth seeking out in bars that serve small tasting plates.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Zakynthos?
Fully vegan or plant-based dedicated establishments are still rare in Zakynthos compared to Athens or Thessaloniki. Most traditional taverna-pubs will serve several naturally vegan dishes among their meze spreads, including horiatiki salad (without feta), fried courgette or aubergine, gigantes beans baked in tomato sauce, and vine-dolma (stuffed grape leaves). In Zante Town, a handful of newer restaurants and bars now mark vegan and vegetarian options clearly on their menus. Outside the town, your best strategy is to ask directly at each venue, as many vegetarian dishes (such as vegetable briam or spinach pie) are available but not always listed as a separate category. Carrying a note in Greek explaining dietary needs is helpful in village settings.
Is Zakynthos expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
For a mid-tier traveler, expect to spend roughly 80 to 120 euros per day excluding accommodation. A drink at a local bar (draught beer or glass of house wine) costs 3.50 to 5.50 euros, while cocktails range from 7 to 12 euros at more curated spots. A full dinner with a main course, a shared appetizer, and two or three drinks runs 20 to 35 euros per person at a standard taverna. Accommodation in a mid-range hotel or apartment in peak season (July and August) runs 50 to 90 euros double occupancy per night. Shoulder season prices (May, June, late September) drop noticeably, often by 30 to 40 percent. Car rental averages 30 to 40 euros per day in summer with basic insurance, and fuel costs roughly 1.70 to 1.90 euros per liter.
Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Zakynthos?
There is no strict dress code at pubs and bars in Zakynthos. Casual summer clothing is universally acceptable. When entering churches or monasteries, which you may pass on your way to or from a village bar, both men and women are expected to cover their shoulders and knees. Modest clothing is expected at all religious sites. Tipping in bars is not obligatory but rounding up the bill or leaving one to two euros per round of drinks is a respectful gesture, especially at family-run establishments. Greeks rarely split bills individually. Whoever invites typically pays the full amount, or the group takes turns covering entire rounds. Attempting to split a tab exactly can feel transactional and is considered slightly unusual.
Is the tap water in Zakynthos to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
Tap water in Zante Town and in most connected municipal areas around the island is technically treated and distributed by the local water authority (DEYAZ). However, the water is desalinated and carries a noticeable mineral and salt-heavy taste that most travelers find unpleasant. Locals in Zakynthos, including bar and restaurant staff, overwhelmingly drink bottled water or use filtered water jugs. Bottled water is inexpensive, typically 0.50 to 1.00 euros for a 1.5-liter bottle at any mini market, and this is the practical standard across all establishments on the island. Using a reusable bottle and refilling it at public water fountains (which are not widespread but exist in a few town squares) is an option some environmentally conscious visitors take, though the taste issue remains.
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