A Feast for all the Senses in Corfu Old Town

Corfu's history can be tasted! While most of Greece was under Ottoman rule, Corfu was Venetian and when they lost control of the island in 1797, they left the best of their cooking behind. These delicious dishes then mixed with local bounty including olive oil, honey and wine to create a cuisine that is all their own. In this blog, we profile a restaurant where tradition and innovation come appetisingly together. 

Celebrated as one of the best restaurants in Corfu, The Venetian Well is the creation of restaurateur Yiannis Vlachos. Corfu born and bred, he had fallen in love with the building as a child so when it went up for sale in 2012, he jumped at the chance to buy it.

‘The Venetian Well is more than just a restaurant for us,’ he says. ‘It’s a story. It is a vision of me and my wife Irene, made with a lot of love, passion and care in every detail with the aim that every visitor can feel the magic that inspired us.'

Much of that magic comes from its location. Kremasti Square is a quiet, almost hidden square in the heart of Corfu Old Town. At one side is a deconsecrated nunnery, which at night is lit entirely by candles, and right in the centre is the marble well (built by a wealthy Venetian and donated to the city in 1699), that gives the restaurant its name. This most Corfiot of scenes is completed by magenta bougainvillea spilling down the restaurant’s yellow-toned exterior walls and a cluster of white-clothed outdoor tables and wrought iron chairs.

The food at the Venetian Well more than lives up to this setting. Vlachos has brought together the best young cooking talent on the island who serve up modern takes on traditional Corfiot flavours. Head chef, Spyros Agious is a champion of local ingredients and is celebrated for his handling of the spices that are an integral part of Corfiot cooking. (Corfu was under Venetian rule for 400 years from the end of the 15th century, a period when the Venetians controlled the highly profitable spice trade with the East.) His rooster pastitsada, spiked with plenty of cinnamon, is an ode to Corfu’s culinary heritage.

Vlachos also has a passion for wine and has spent years collecting the best Greek vintages, as well as rare French and Italian wines. The sommeliers will recommend suitable wines to pair with each dish and you can also visit the 700-label strong cellar.

We invite you to come and eat, drink and feast on the atmosphere of this remarkable restaurant as part of our new Culinary & Cultural Odyssey to Corfu.