A place with an amazing atmosphere by the sea and delicious dishes: Restaurant CAVO Rethymnon (2. May 2026)

It ain’t easy to find, but it’s worth looking for it – the CAVO Rethymnon is definitely a place where parties are going wild in summer. Off season, that is of course much quieter and, hence, quite lovely. We went for the “grilled sun-dried octopus (grilled sun-dried octopus, chickpea dip, lemon-olive oil dressing, tahini)” (EUR 18.80) as a starter and I must say that it was great. What I was very positively surprised was the combination with the chickpeas as I had not expected that the two went so well together – but they go incredibly well together, so, definitely something to enjoy. And the octopus wasn’t chewy – still had a bite, but wasn’t chewy at all.

The “ceviche (fresh fish, citrus juice, ginger, chili)” (EUR 15.80) was also delicious. The fact that they charred the oranges a slight bit really added to the experience of the dish. On top of that, the ceviche was thinly cut, but still big enough so you had a good bite and the combination of the different flavors turned out to be exquisite. So, really a fine ceviche.

What wasn’t so great was the “squid and cuttlefish souvlaki (squid, cuttlefish, bell pepper, onion, lime, cuttlefish ink, lemon-olive oil dressing)” (EUR 21.00), well, let me be more precise – the dish itself was good, no question, and actually quite enjoyable.

What wasn’t so enjoyable was the fact that it hadn’t been washed properly, and you would end up with a lot of “sand” in your mouth. They were friendly, explained that this can happen with natural products (yes, but it shouldn’t) and that they would offer us a drink (e.g., a cocktail) on the house.

The “sea bass fillet (sea bass, chickpea, celeriac, herb olive oil)” (EUR 21.80) was overall fine. It was a little bit too dry for my personal gusto, but that aside, it was tasty – also, again, in combination with the chickpeas.

The selection of “roasted vegetables” (EUR 5.80) was quite okay too, but needed a bit of salt.

There was a little “sweet on the house”, which was actually quite tasty, but after that much food it felt like enough for dinner.

The staff is friendly and attentive making sure you have everything at all times. The waiters really do a great job, make sure your glasses never empty and are superbly friendly.

However, there is only one lady who is allowed to settle the bill – and she is not really on top of her things. It takes her quite a bit to show up with the machine so you can pay by card. Other than that, the service is excellent.

What I truly liked about the place is the location with the view onto the rough sea (at least on that day) and the interior. The fact that we were seated right next to a fire was perfect as you could see the cold rough sea outside and get warmed up inside with a bit of fire.

The place already looks nice when you walk in.

So, frankly, all in all, the CAVO Rethymnon is a great location with good service, delicious dishes (at least largely) and an amazing interior. So, I would highly recommend you to visit that place, and make sure to book your table well in advance.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant CAVO Rethymnon

Akrotiriou 13

741 32 Rethymno (GR)

Tel.: +30 28 31 03 67 00

Homepage: https://cavorethymno.gr

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.