Ligo Krasi Ligo Thalassa

Ligo Krasi Ligo Thalassa, whose name translates roughly as a little wine, a little sea, is a seafood-focused restaurant at the corner of Captain Marineli and Mitsotaki on the Venetian harbour of Heraklion, Crete, facing the Koules fortress. It opens daily from 9:00AM to 1:00AM, so it works as a breakfast stop, a long lunch or a late supper. The cuisine is modern Greek and seafood, centred on mezedes, the small plates that suit sharing, with a daily selection of fresh fish. Signature dishes include seafood mezedes, fresh fish of the day, usually sold according to the catch, and grilled octopus, a staple of Greek harbour dining. The name points to the concept: the kitchen pairs wine with the sea, and the setting beside the old Venetian port supports it, since tables look across the water to the fortress built in the sixteenth century to guard the harbour. The dining space is informal and breezy, with outdoor seating in warm weather, no dress code and moderate noise levels, rising on summer evenings when the harbour promenade is busy. The beverage programme leans on Greek and Cretan wines by the glass and bottle, along with ouzo and tsikoudia. Prices are mid-range at roughly EUR 20-35 (USD 23-40) per person, though fresh fish sold by weight can push the total higher. No reservation system is published; walk-ins are common, but a request for a harbour-facing table is worth making in advance for sunset dinners in July and August. The fortress walk along the breakwater begins close by, making the restaurant a natural pairing with a visit to Koules.