FIORE: LESANTE CAPE

Last week, I discovered Fiore, the intimate fine-dining restaurant perched on the cliffs of Lesante Cape. There are no sparkly chandeliers or gilded menus here - just genuine elegance, whispering its presence instead of shouting.

At the heart of it all is Chef Gianis Binkas, whose passion for Greek cuisine shines in every dish. His vision is crystal clear: embrace local tastes, refine them, and present each plate like a story: effortless, profound, and unexpected.

The flavor combinations are elegant but unpretentious, Gianis lets each ingredient shine without fuss.

Chef’s Welcome

The evening opened with a trio of plates - each small in size, but expansive in sensation. The first: a crisp tartlet cradling scallops, lemon cream, sweet peas, and bottarga. Just one bite, yet it awakened the palate like a slow sunrise. The saltiness of bottarga cut through the silk of the cream, while the scallops whispered citrus-soaked sweetness. We were in Greece, but elevated, reimagined.

Next came the marinated shrimps from Kilada, nestled with tomatoes, feta, and seasonal herbs. It read like a classic but ate like a surprise. The shrimp, kissed with sea breeze, met the warmth of tomato and the gentle tang of feta.

Finally, the blue crab salad with green apple. A plate so clean it felt like morning air. Sweet crab meat folded into the brightness of crisp apple, awakening every sense. You could almost feel a breeze off the Ionian coast with every bite.

Sourdough & Condiments

A ritual in itself. Warm sourdough with their own organic olive oil, golden and peppery. Butter and fleur de sel whispered simplicity - and yet, this bread course felt as intentional as any main dish. The kind of moment you never rush.

Neratzosalata

Cured bonito, citrus salad, orange gastric, bottarga, tarama. Here, things turned bright and bold. Bitterness from the orange, umami from the fish, creaminess from the tarama—this was a plate that didn’t ask for attention, it commanded it. I wanted to sip it like a Negroni.

Garidaki

This is where sweetness played its hand. Marinated shrimps from Koilada, paired with beetroot, strawberries, and a trace of vanilla. It shouldn’t work—but it absolutely does. It felt romantic. Like an old Greek love story told through food.

Nerokremmydopita

Local water onion pie, pretza cheese, dill, truffle, beef jus. The crust crumbled like a whisper. Every bite earthy, herby, rich. This dish anchored the menu—it grounded you.

Barbount (Red Mullet)

Ionian red mullet, courgette, savoro sauce, Lefkada salami, smoked eel. What a symphony. Fish with attitude. The savoro brought punch, the eel added smoke, the salami gave it depth. A feast of layers, textures, stories. You could upgrade with Oscietra caviar or a fricassee twist - and of course I went with this one.

Catch of the Day

Paired with celery & fennel cream, garden wild greens, avgolemono, mussels. It tasted like the Lesante garden had met the sea at sunset. Fresh, sharp, comforting. Like diving into cold water, then being wrapped in warm linen.

Skordostoupi

Milk-fed lamb with aubergine, tomato, wild garlic, olive oil gruyère, jus. This was pure indulgence. Not loud—just profound. Each element lifted the lamb higher. The garlic softened by olive oil, the aubergine smoky and sultry. You could elevate it further with foie gras duck escalopes, but this version? Already unforgettable.

Pre-Dessert

Lemon sorbet with herbs, green apple, verbena tea. A breath of cool air. Clean and herbal. Like stepping into a garden at dusk. Every element reset the senses—readying them for what’s next.

Greek Pavlova

Strawberry meringue, yogurt cream, pickled wild strawberries, verbena ice cream. A dessert with tension. Sweetness and acid, cream and crunch. You can almost hear it crackle under the spoon. It felt modern, but deeply rooted in Greek summer.

Mignardises

Small bites to end the evening. Playful, delicate, a nod to the French tradition - but laced with Ionian charm. The kind of final moment that leaves you silent for a second… and smiling.

Dinner by the infinity pool, waves lapping below you, soft light flickering in the breeze - it’s simple and quietly spectacular. Luxury that feels like a warm hug, not a showpiece.

In short: Fiore is Greece…elegant, heartfelt, genuine. It’s dinner that connects you to place, flavor, and the kind of luxury you can breathe. If your heart longs for dinner with meaning (and beauty), this is it.