The location is not ideal, the menu is not amazing but the grilled fish… oh the fish! Manolis, who owns this restaurant and is behind the grill every single day, knows something about fish. Ostria is by far the best fish restaurant on the island of Kythnos.
One of the best things about Merichas, the port of Kythnos, is Ostria restaurant. Located very close to where the boats dock, it’s no wonder that the place gets full a few hours before the departure of any of the ferries that connect the island to Lavrio and mainland Greece. And despite the scorching heat in the middle of the day (so probably best to visit at night?), Ostria is full so make sure you call in before you visit. The menu is indeed quite simple and apart from the standard Greek meze, think deep-fried zucchini, grilled octopus and the obligatory rocket salad (a must in Kythnos), Ostria offers the best fish on the island. And it’s not only the fresh produce that you get to see if you make the effort to check with Manolis indoors (see photo of the red mullets above), but it’s mostly the way Manolis grills the fish. We had a sea bream of 1 kilo, that took quite a bit of time to get to the perfectly grilled yet tender state before his daughter came to serve it to us. The fish is somewhat lightly drizzled with some lemon and olive oil (something I never do cause I like the fish plain) that complemented it quite nicely. If you ever visit, do ask for his help as he is the master of the crafts and will definitely be happy to help you!
