The Pyrofani Piraeus

The Pyrofani occupies the Piraiki seafront, away from the grander yachts and closer to the working appetite of Piraeus. Tables face the water, and on a clear day the view does much of the decorating. The menu is built around fish and familiar Greek seafood cooking: grilled octopus, calamari, fried small fish, mussels, prawns and whole fish chosen according to appetite and price. Ask what is fresh, confirm the cost of fish sold by weight, and add a village salad, fava or tomato fritters before the grill arrives. The house wine is an uncomplicated companion, though ouzo suits a longer lunch. Portions are generous and service generally moves with the confidence of a busy family restaurant. Sunday lunch can bring a wait, so reserve or arrive early if a waterside table matters. Pyrofani is not the place for an experimental tasting menu, and the sea view inevitably appears somewhere in the bill. It remains a satisfying address because the cooking is direct, the atmosphere relaxed and Piraeus is allowed to look like itself.