The Taste of the Aegean
Aegean fish are valued for their clean flavour, firm texture, and natural elegance. The sea’s clear waters, rocky seabeds, reefs, and open currents create fish with character - delicate, fresh, and full of depth.
At Zombos, we keep them simple: grilled with olive oil, lemon, and sea salt, so the fish can speak for itself.
Dusky Grouper | Ροφός
RICH, FIRM, DEEPLY AEGEAN
The dusky grouper is one of the great characters of the Aegean. Around Antiparos, it is often found near Despotiko, where deep rocky beds and steep underwater slopes create the kind of shelter it naturally seeks.
Powerful, solitary, and high in the marine food chain, the grouper plays an important role in the balance of underwater life. Feeding on squid, octopus, calamari and smaller fish, it develops firm white flesh with a full, clean sea flavour.
On the plate, grouper is rich without being heavy — elegant, deeply savoury, and unmistakably Aegean.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: Grouper pasta, “Athinaiki” Salad
Goldblotch Grouper | Στήρα
DELICATE, CLEAN, ELEGANTLY SWEET
The goldblotch grouper is found throughout the underwater world of Antiparos, often moving in small groups and sharing rocky areas with larger predators such as the dusky grouper.
It feeds mainly on sea mollusks, small crustaceans and smaller fish, giving its flesh a clean, naturally sweet character. Meaty, juicy and full of flavour, goldblotch grouper is perfect on the grill.
Served simply with olive oil, lemon, sea salt and fried potatoes, it becomes one of the most satisfying expressions of the Aegean.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: Ceviche, Tartare, en Papillote, “Athinaiki” Salad
Red Seabream | Φαγκρί
ELEGANT, SWEET, UNMISTAKABLY AEGEAN
Red seabream is a deep-water fish, usually found at depths of around 70 to 120 metres. It often moves in groups of the same species, with fish of similar size and age sharing the same waters.
Its flesh is tender, clean and naturally sweet, with a delicate flavour that makes it especially suited to raw preparations. Served as tartare, carpaccio or ceviche, red seabream reveals its elegant texture and refined sea character.
Light, fresh and beautifully balanced, it is one of the most graceful fish of the Aegean.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: Ceviche, Tartare, en Papillote
White Grouper | Σφυρίδα
JUICY, REFINED, SEA-FRESH
White grouper is often found in the waters between Paros and Antiparos, as well as around the channel of Despotiko and the islet of Strongylo. Unlike fish that prefer steep rocky walls, white grouper is usually found around low flat rocks set into sandy seabeds.
Its favourite shelter is beneath large stone slabs, where it digs into the sand and hides. When someone approaches its territory, it can disturb the seabed with its tail, clouding the water with sand before disappearing from sight.
Feeding mainly on squid and calamari, white grouper develops very white, clean and delicate flesh. Its refined texture makes it especially beautiful when steamed, allowing its pure sea flavour to come through.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: “Athinaiki” Salad, Grouper Pasta
Dentex | Συναγρίδα
PRIZED, SWEET, BEAUTIFULLY FIRM
Dentex is the wild, clever fish of the Aegean — powerful, alert and difficult to catch. It moves between shallow waters, where it searches for prey, and deeper waters, where it finds safety.
Often seen in groups, though not always of the same size or age, dentex is one of the most challenging fish to catch with traditional fishing gear. But the reward is found on the plate: firm, juicy flesh with a clean, sweet flavour and a refined sea character.
Excellent on the grill and especially tasty in raw preparations, dentex is one of the most prized fish of the Aegean.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: Ceviche, Tartare
White Seabream | Σαργός
WILD, MINERAL, FULL OF CHARACTER
White seabream is a favourite choice among locals when it comes to grilled fish. Found in shallow waters beneath rocks, but also capable of moving into deeper open waters, it carries both a coastal and more pelagic character.
It feeds mainly on sea urchins, shellfish and other hard-shelled marine life, which gives it a distinctive, mineral sea flavour. Because of this diet, white seabream often has worn or broken teeth — a small sign of its wild nature and rocky habitat.
Firm, flavourful and full of character, white seabream is at its best on the grill, served simply with olive oil, lemon and sea salt.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: en Papillote
Seabass | Λαβράκι
ELEGANT, SWEET, UNMISTAKABLY AEGEAN
Seabass is often called the wild wolf of shallow waters. It appears suddenly through cloudy water, moving with speed, instinct and precision.
Compared to its size, seabass offers a generous amount of clean, firm flesh, making it especially suitable for refined cuts and raw preparations. Its flavour is delicate, fresh and lightly sweet, with a pure sea character that works beautifully in tartare, carpaccio or ceviche.
Elegant, versatile and full of energy, seabass is one of the most beloved fish of the Aegean.
Chef’s Recommendation: Whole Grilled
Available in: Ceviche, Tartare, en Papillote