Our Story

A Timeless Place on the Water

Today's Porto restaurant stands on the site of the original taverna built by the owner's father in 1951. In those days, it was one of the only two tavernas in Kassiopi and a popular place for the local fishermen to meet at the end of a day's work, swap "tall" stories and talk about the old days. It was not until 1962 that the first tourist arrived in Kassiopi, inevitably by caique or yacht since the road from Corfu Town remained unpaved until 1967, making it a long and arduous three and a half hour journey by bus. The construction of the airport in 1969 really put Corfu on the holiday destinations map and many more visitors began to arrive in Kassiopi. The small taverna maintained its high standards of service and cuisine throughout the testing period of growth. However, it was clear that a change was necessary to cope with the increasing numbers of new and regular customers and so it was that in 1983 the old taverna was demolished and like the phoenix from its ashes arose the new Porto restaurant. The restaurant building was designed on Corfiot architectural lines, keeping to the traditional Corfu colours of yellow and white. The exception is in the interior, where some British influence can be seen in the beams and wood paneled ceiling of the upstairs restaurant. Today the view from the restaurant has altered a little, as the village continues to expand, but Porto restaurant still maintains its prominent position in the harbour, from where one can enjoy the spectacular views of the Albanian mountains, or just sit and watch life go by in what still remains a small fishing village. The tree in front of the restaurant is over 250 years old.