The best bars and nightlife in Zante
Away from Laganas’ rowdy three-kilometre-long strip, Zante’s nightlife scene is far more laid back. Cafés and bars radiating out from Solomas square in Zante town attract locals who sit out in boisterous clusters greeting friends, eating traditional honey and almond mandoles and playing backgammon tavli. A string of chic bars on Bochali’s Venetian castle-crowned hill just outside of town attracts a hip crowd who come here to sip cocktails and admire panoramic views. This Ionian island has a traditional music scene, too and it’s well worth seeking out the local bars where they still host atmospheric and traditional kandathes nights.
For further Zante inspiration, see our guides to the isalnds's best hotels, restaurants and things to do. Plan an extended visit with our ultimate guide to planning a Greek island-hopping holiday.
Paradise Cocktail Bar
There’s always something going on at this funky little bar in the low key resort of Tsilivi. Far from Laganas’ rowdy crowds this family-run venue, which has been around for more than 23 years, proudly promotes itself as the place to have ‘an old fashioned good night out’ with plenty of fun and occasional games, ranging from reggae nights and quizzes, to plate smashing and drag nights. With banners on street lamps proclaiming it to be ‘the best bar in Greece’ and a wrecked pink motor parked outside with a sign that reads ‘Elvis’ mothers car’, this one is easy to find.
Contact: paradisecocktails.gr
Price: ££
Getting in: Dress code is casual; seats are hard to come by on theme nights, so get there early.
Jungle Bar
Named for its salt flats, which were abandoned in the 1980s and are now a magnet for migrating birds, the seaside resort of Alykes has one of the island’s best low-key nightlife scenes – and the family-run Jungle Bar, set on a busy road in the centre of town, is one of the best places to enjoy it. Children are welcome at this bar’s saloon-like terrace (great for people watching) where they serve an extensive range of (competitively priced) cocktails and mocktails – along with Guinness and beer on tap – to the tune of Eighties and Nineties hits.
Contact: junglebaralykes.com
Price: £
Getting in: Casual wear; no reservation required.
Varkarola
This family-run local haunt, whose whitewashed walls are lined with traditional instruments and photos of popular Greek musicians, is the best place in town to catch some of Zante’s traditional kandathes. Traditional folk songs with a strong Italian influence that are said to have originated in the neighbouring isle of Kefalonia, they are usually performed by two or three male singers, who play the mandolin or acoustic guitar and sing (manfully or mournfully) improvised arekia verses. Food here is as hearty as the music: try the kouneli stifado rabbit stew in garlicky tomato and wine sauce.
Contact: varkarola.gr
Price: ££
Getting in: Dress code is casual, but it’s best to book.
Movida Club
Moonlight works magic on this sky bar sat atop the sweet-scented, pine-studded Bochali hill, close to the Venetian castle’s crumbled walls, where the city’s hip crowd come to sip handcrafted cocktails. Trees strung with glittering lights surround a wood-decked terrace with amphitheatre-like views of the inky black Ionian Sea way below and Zante town’s sparkle way beyond. In summer, drinkers (perched on high-backed wooden chairs) are serenaded by the high-pitched toot of Scops owls, and local and international DJs who play mainly chill-out hits. There’s also a limited menu: try the handmade burgers with chunky fries.
Contact: movida.gr
Price: ££
Getting in: Dress code is hip/casual.
Cebu Club
Although it’s just down the road from Laganas, the nightlife in Argassi, just a few kilometres from Zante town, is far more chilled. Early evening is the time to hangout with locals – who flock here to eat in a string of taverns and fast food joints – before heading to one of the laidback clubs. Cebu’s palm tree-shaded garden behind high walls is the perfect place to gaze at the stars through waving palm fronds, whilst sipping cocktails. There’s also a football-pitch-sized dance space inside where local and guest DJs do their sets.
Contact: cebuzakynthos.gr
Price: ££
Getting in: No shorts or flip flops.
Zakanthi Bar Restaurant
Housed in a tall ochre building with olive green shutters along a quiet street in chilled seaside resort Kalamaki, this laidback bar is surrounded by a pretty garden – clipped lawns, palm trees and plants in pots – which makes it feel very private. Interiors are rustic-cosy – flagged stone floors, chunky wooden tables and candles – but the best seats are outdoors, where friendly waiters serve cocktails handcrafted by a resident mixologist, as the sweet sounds of classic and jazz music filter out from speakers concealed amongst the trees. In summer they also have regular live music nights.
Contact: 00 30 26950 43586; facebook.com/Zakanthi
Price: ££
Getting in: Dress code is elegant casual; it’s best to book on weekends.
Cotton Club Zakynthos
When beret-clad Christian Marstrander and wife Merete, the Norwegian owners of Ibiza’s celebrity-loved Cotton Club, first stepped ashore in Zakynthos they were captivated by the Ionian island’s pristine seascapes and lush greenery, and vowed to create a second Cotton Club here. An ideal place to escape the coastal crowds, this sophisticated lifestyle club sits on a pine-clad hill with breathtaking views over Laganas bay. Come here during the daytime to sip cocktails and chill by the pool, or stay later to enjoy live DJ’s and plant-based menus in the club’s al fresco restaurant - for those who choose to linger, they also rent out villas, along with a sleek line of luxury yachts.
Contact: cottonlifestyle.com
Price: £££
Getting in: No reservation required, but you’ll probably look out of place if you don’t wear white.
Porto Azzuro
Beach bars are ten a penny in the beach resort of Vasilikos, but Porto Azurro’s location – just steps from the warm shallow waters and soft sand of its eponymous beach – combine with an imaginative range of cocktails (try the Greek Collins made with grappa-like tsipouro, instead of gin) makes it a popular lunchtime choice. Drinks can be ordered on the bamboo-shaded terrace of the bar, or from the never-want-to-leave comfort of a sunbed. They also serve Mediterranean snacks: olive oil-drizzled choriatiki salads, fresh grilled meat souvlaki and seafood.
Contact: portoazzuro.gr
Price: £££
Getting in: Stylish beachwear is generally de rigueur here.
Villa Rossa Wine bar
Although the best grapes were once exported as currants, these days Zante produces some excellent wines from a wide range of local varietals – and not just the ubiquitous white wine Verdea, either. Housed along the Vassilikos peninsula in an atmospheric villa, with creaking wooden floors and ornate antique furnishings – and which once belonged to the powerful Roma family (who also owned Archontiko Roma in Zante town) – Villa Rossa has plenty of choice. Sit at picnic tables (with plenty of cushions) beneath citrus-scented cypress trees and choose from an extensive list served with spicy ladotyri cheese and other snacks.
Contact: belvederezante.com
Price: £££
Getting in: Dress code is country casual.
Portokali
Along a sidestreet in the popular seaside resort of Argassi, Portokali (Greek for ‘orange’) really rocks that amber vibe with carrot-coloured deco ranging from lampshades to seating. Surprisingly, however, the orange-with-everything theme is not oppressive because this quirky live music bar restaurant nestles in lovely lush gardens: there are immense palm trees thrusting palm fronds to the velvet, star-spangled sky and ancient olive trees strung with (orange) hammocks where you can laze and listen to live music which plays most nights here and can be anything from laidback jazz to lively rock ‘n’ roll. There’s also a restaurant serving traditional local treats, including – you guessed it – portokalopita (orange cake).
Contact: 00 30 26950 45730; facebook.com/portokalirestaurant
Price: ££
Getting in: Casual, but get there early – this place is popular.
