Seafood restaurants in Europe
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A
Við Tjörnina
People return again and again to this famed seafood establishment, tucked away near Tjörnin. It serves up beautifully presented Icelandic feasts such as guillemot with port, garlic langoustine, or the house speciality marinated cod chins (far more delicious than they sound!). The restaurant itself is wonderfully distinctive – it feels like a quirky upperclass 1950s drawing room.
reviewed
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Fishworks
This Bath-based chain was London’s first truly French poissonnerie (fishmonger) with a restaurant attached, its entranceway counters piled high with shaved ice, crustaceans and fish. We return regularly, especially for the sublime Dartmouth crab eaten cold and the incomparable zuppa del pescatore (fisherman’s soup; £19), a symphony of delights from the deep. There is also a Marylebone branch.
reviewed
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Ristorante da Ciccio
Sublime local seafood and charming host Carlo make this atmospheric place a heart-stealer. Highlights include tubattone pasta with clams and pecorino cheese, and a zesty mussel soup topped with fried bread and chilli. The wizened man sitting out the front was once the chef. These days he spends his evenings cigarette in one hand, glass of wine in the other, happily muttering to himself.
reviewed
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D
Pizzeria La Brace
Neither pizza nor fish are considered Bolognese specialities but that's what they do here, and what they do well. If a pizza doesn't appeal, the carpaccio di pesce spada (thin slices of raw swordfish) followed by a fritto misto (mixed fish fry) is a fine alternative. Hanging football shirts and portraits of Hollywood icons provide an unusual décor.
reviewed
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Bistro de l'Arte
In the bottom of a cosy 15th-century building, the Bistro is the place for sit-back wine sessions, breakfasts with wi-fi for your laptop, or lively dinners with mingling Romanian couples (who sometimes come for plays). The menu drifts from French and includes daily fish dishes, big salads and pasta.
reviewed
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E
Kerachers
This classic seafood restaurant keeps things simple, combining fresh seafood with ingredients that add hints of flavour to complement but not overpower the dishes − a recipe for success!
reviewed
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Hummer & Kanari
Behind the bar sit row upon row of liqueur and spirit bottles for mixers and shakers. Here at the downstairs bistro, you order at the counter. Upstairs, it’s waiter service. But both call upon the same kitchen, which turns out ample portions of pasta (Nkr110 to Nkr130) and pizza (Nkr100). To save the decision-making, simply sit back, put yourself in the cook’s capable hands and go for the best the sea can offer that day, ‘Hummer & Kanari’s selection of fish and shellfish.’ (Nkr245).
reviewed
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Waves on the Rock
The unassuming fishing hamlet of Ravdouha Beach, on the western side of the rugged Rodopou Peninsula, is one of the area's hidden gastronomic treats. Follow the signs to Ravdoucha until you reach a fork in the road. To the left, a rough dirt road leads 700m to the Waves on the Rock run by fisherman Theodoris Falelakis, who serves excellent fresh fish. If you really feel like getting away from it all there are also five rooms upstairs with kitchenette and air-con.
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G
Magpie Café
The Magpie flaunts its reputation for serving the 'World's Best Fish and Chips'. Damn fine they are too, but the world and his dog knows about it, and summertime queues can stretch along the street. Fish and chips from the takeaway counter cost £5; the sit-down restaurant is dearer, but offers a wide range of seafood dishes, from grilled sea bass to paella.
reviewed
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H
Back to Basics
There are two or three other options on the menu (see 'Fish not Your Dish'), but seafood is the focus at this superb corner restaurant run by a bevy of affable young Poles in what's become know as Titchfield Village. A dozen varieties of exceedingly fresh fish, and a dozen original, mouth-watering ways to cook them, are chalked up on a blackboard every day. Two-course set lunch is around £10. There's outside seating in summer.
reviewed
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I
Fish House
This combination seafood restaurant and chippy is just the sort of place you wish you had in your own neighbourhood. The freshest of fresh fish and crustaceans are dispensed from both a busy takeaway section and a cheerful sit-down restaurant. The lobster bisque and Colchester oysters are always good, while the generous fish pie (£8.50) bursting with goodies from the briny deep is exceptional.
reviewed
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J
Hostaria Da Franz
Known in Venice as home to one of the best tiramisus in the world, Da Franz is also a phenomenal seafood stop (trying to get a table here during the Biennale is impossible). Two dishes spring to mind: the melt-in-mouth seppie (cuttlefish) prepared in black ink, and the anguila (eel), prepared according to grandma's secret recipes as a grilled fillet - surprising and delicious.
reviewed
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K
Café Paris
Within a spectacularly tiled 1882 butchers' hall and adjoining art-deco salon, this elegant yet relaxed brasserie serves classical French fare like croque-monsieur (toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich), croque-madame (the same, but with a fried egg), and steak tartare (minced meat, but pan-fried, not raw). Its breakfast for two (€23.90) is a veritable feast.
reviewed
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J Sheekey
A jewel of the local scene, this incredibly smart restaurant, whose pedigree stretches back to 1896, has four elegant, discreet and spacious wood-panelled rooms in which to savour the riches of the sea, cooked simply and exquisitely. The fish pie (£11.75) is justifiably legendary, though the Cornish fish stew is just as good. Three-course weekday lunch is £24.75.
reviewed
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Cantina Senese
Food- and value-conscious harbour workers are the first to fill the long wooden tables at this wonderfully unpretentious and friendly eatery, with neighbourhood families arriving later. Ordering is frequently done via faith in one’s server, rather than by menu. The mussels are exceptionally good, as is the cacciucco di pesce (fish stew).
reviewed
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Ristorante Pier & Gilberto Europe
Whatever you're paying here, rest assured that it's going on the food not the location. Once you've come in off the noisy road, you're in a world of silver candlesticks, cascading bouquets and seriously good food. Seafood is a speciality so play safe with spaghetti ai frusta di mare (spaghetti with seafood) followed by a fish grill.
reviewed
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Aiola Upstairs
Ask any local where to find the best outdoor dining experience in Graz, and they’ll probably say Aiola. Whether it’s king prawns with pasta or corn-fed chicken, this wonderful restaurant on Schlossberg has great views, delicious international flavours, a superb wine list, spot-on cocktails and very chilled music.
reviewed
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Johnnie Fox's
Ireland's highest-altitude pub is about 45 minutes from Dublin in the Wicklow Mountains. Some people find it kitsch and overdone, but it's actually an authentic old place full of bric-a-brac, gnarled benches, sawdust floors and crackling open fires. The fabulous (but pricey) seafood and nightly Irish music are another draw.
reviewed
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Q
Fishers Bistro
This cosy little restaurant, tucked beneath a 17th-century signal tower, is one of the city's best seafood places. The menu ranges widely in price, from cheaper dishes such as mackerel with beetroot, chilli and orange dressing, to more expensive delights such as North Berwick lobster served with garlic and herb butter.
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Sægreifinn
Eccentric Sægreifinn serves up fresh seafood in what looks almost like a 1950s English chip shop…except for the stuffed seal. The owner is a sprightly old gent who buys and cooks all the fish himself – lobster soup and fish kebabs are specialities. He only speaks Icelandic, so make sure you know what you’re asking for!
reviewed
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Havfruen
This elegant riverside restaurant specialises in the freshest of fish. The quality, reflected in the prices, is excellent, as are the accompanying wines. The short menu, from which you select between three and eight courses, changes regularly according to what’s hauled from the seas.
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Azenhas do Mar
This smart restaurant, in Azenhas do Mar, serves fresh fish caught by the owner – the clams and steamed barnacles are delicious with a glass of house white. The sea views are wonderful, especially from the deck. Step up to the bar to glimpse the old water mill.
reviewed
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Grunwald
A great place for a splurge. The décor is lightly medieval, the atmosphere relaxed, and the superb food a mix of European and Belarusian (delicious soups and draniki, filling enough for a meal). There's a dazzling array of inventive fish and meat dishes.
reviewed
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Seven Dials
Housed in an imposing former bank, this formal and crisply set-out restaurant is praised for excellent seasonal fish dishes. It's almost a mile from the seafront but worth the walk or taxi fare for a special occasion or well-deserved splurge.
reviewed
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Belga Queen
A couple of years old but still wearing the crown around town. This big brasserie/restaurant occupies a 13th-century warehouse with a prized canal-side position. Seafood lovers, vegetarians and carnivores are all copiously catered for.
reviewed
