Snack Tube Aka Bains Mixtes - Kalamata

Greece 's best kept secret. Don 't be put off by the surroundings that look like you 're walking onto a building site, just follow the path from the street around until you 're bathed in the incandescent glow of the 'tube '. If it looks empty don 't be discouraged, honk the horn and the friendly owner appears. Then the magic happens. I think he does the establishment a disservice calling the food he prepares 'snacks '; yes, they 're bite-sized, but the quality is out of this world. Think of it more as a kind of tapas, or upmarket street food establishment, with a mix of Greek, Middle Eastern and Japanese (and I 'm sure many more) influences. For hours my wife and I sat looking out over the sea with the milky way overhead and the distant glittering lights of Kalamata behind us. And eating some of the most divine dishes I 've ever tasted: tuna tartare, Kurdish burger, spiced 'green ' eggs, the chicken sandwich that it is almost an insult to call a mere 'sandwich '. And then desserts and cocktails. We went back for more three times. And all this indulgence came to just over €50 for the two of us. We 're here for a week and I 'm now calculating how many times we need to return in order to sample everything on the menu. A very special place indeed.

Tucked away off the main street in Paliochora, Avia you can easily miss it. But turn left at the Pizza restaurant and follow the path around and you arrive at the lovely Bains Mixtes. The owner/head chef/waiter is there to greet you. With great English and a varied and fantastic menu. We had the h 'orderves to start a trio of fish including harissa sea bass and anchoivy tatziki. Delicious. We then had the dried octopus and the bains mixtes salmon which were again amazing. We finished off with homemade coffee liqueur and we shared some halva and cherry ice cream stuffed but happy! The service was warm and informative and the twinkly lights of Kalamata over the bay just added the the ambiance. 10/10

Best food we’ve had! Absolutely a must go when you visit Avia or a place near. The owner is really friendly and can tell you all about the food! Specifically the tuna steak was outstanding, but the other dishes too!

Woow just woow. It's not a restaurant... It's not a cantine... It's not street food... It's an experience. Prepare mentally, relax, visit and let the story unfold. Everyday a new story a new experience. A really authentic, unique, particular place to remember!

In full honesty this is the best place we visited while in Greece. It was a fresh breeze amongst all the other restaurants nearby. We found it tricky to find the place as the sign with an arrow is put up next to some stairs, but it wasn’t up there, but we asked around and found the place pretty quickly. This place is run by a very friendly and wholesome man, and we were lucky enough to come early and on a slow night so we got to chat and learn about the dishes from the owner. All the dishes we ate were super tasty, truly the best I’ve ever eaten in a restaurant. From what we were told, they’re all made on the spot with fresh ingredients and by the only cook that works there aka the owner. That explains the “#slowservice” written on the menu, although I can see that being true when the place is full, we got great and fairly quick service. The owner made us feel special, and it was truly a special experience. The food, the view, the owner and the food just made it so special. Also the neighborhood dog, very cute and friendly.