Wherever Crystal Serenity sails in the world, from Alaska to Zanzibar, whether it is a world cruise, an Asian odyssey or a voyage through the Mediterranean, dinner is a very special event. Every evening, guests face a dilemma. Where should they eat? What should they eat?

As soon as Crystal veterans set foot on board they head for the maître d’ of the speciality restaurants to book. Osteria d’Ovidio creatively and lightly reimagines the flavours of Northern Italy. Nobu Matsuhisa brings superb Japanese cuisine, with subtle Peruvian influences, to Umi Uma. While cosmopolitan Beefbar fuses global street food with comfort eating. 

On this uber-luxurious ship, reborn in 2023 after a $150 m refit, the restaurants call for a Michelin guide of the waves.  Hosting up to 740 guests, Serenity’s menus transport diners to new flavours, new aromas and new textures. The waiters are guides to a gourmet world. It is a triumph of culinary logistics over seasons, time-zones and the seas.

Waterside Restaurant

For many guests from their first breakfast to their final evening dinner, Waterside Restaurant, with its crisp white tablecloths and warm impeccable service, is the go-to destination. Offering open-dining, informed service is slick, enabling diners to head off for an evening show if they wish. 

Every evening, the menu completely changes. Some of the diners are veterans of dozens of Crystal Cruises so chefs ring the changes with invention and invention.

Think wasabi crumble with the seared tuna or an original citrus brown butter with the goat cheese hazelnut tortellini for the exciting contemporary side of the menu. Diners are free to select one of these starters followed by a classic such as grilled swordfish or T-Bone steak. Or there is an ever-changing cheese selection of eight cheeses from the Cheese Sommelier.

Osteria d’Ovidio

Immersed in Northern Italian cuisine, Massimiliano Alajmo reimagined a light renaissance of the rustic classics that brought him a third Michelin star at the age of 28. The youngest chef to ever achieve that milestone. 

Now he and his restauranteur brother Raffaele, have brought the lexicon of casarecce, risotto, spaghetti and tortellini to a new menu with a light touch of the flavours of their childhood: basil, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, rosemary and truffle.

As well as classic dishes from across the Italian peninsula such as sliced veal in tuna sauce, there are traditional Venetian dishes and signature dishes of the Alajmo’s family restaurant. Look out for the self-explanatory spaghetti aop con Bloody Mary! 

Umi Uma

Nobu Matsuhisa, the renowned Japanese chef, pays homage to his years in Latin America with Peruvian influences on a menu that owes much to his Nobu restaurants. 

Even by Crystal Serenity’s standards, Umi Uma is one of the most serene spots on the ship. As four chefs create at the sushi bar there’s a sense of temple reverence. 

Umi Uma offers many of the Nobu restaurants’ signature dishes such as yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, lobster tempura and wagyu steak. 

The near legendary black cod. marinated in Saikyo Miso and served with baby peach and young ginger, is ever popular.

BeefBar

Out of Monte Carlo, the BeefBar name is slightly misleading. Yes, this chic French Riviera eatery is a Mecca for meat connoisseurs with superb steaks, especially when served with truffle-infused sauce.

But BeefBar certainly delivers on the “Beef, Reef and Leaf” credo. Neither pescatarians nor vegans are disappointed.

A subtle blend of global street food and comfort food is surrounded by artwork that blends the stunning natural beauty of the Côte d’Azur with the glamour of its sophisticated visitors. 

Stand-out dishes such as jasmine-tea-smoked Waygu bao and Wagyu-topped quesadillas impress with both flawless presentation and intense flavour. 

Stardust Supper Club

For one night only, on shorter cruises, the Stardust Supper Club has the feel of a 1960s Hollywood evening.  Hosted on a formal evening, the 116 lucky diners who’ve booked on a first-come, first served basis head for the Sunset Club, in tuxedos and glamorous gowns. It’s the hottest ticket on board.

Of course, there’s sparkling wine, caviar, lobster and superb house wines as ever. But this is evening as much about live music from Serenity’s six-piece band and singer, plus dancing, as it is about culinary excellence.

And there’s more …

These five restaurants are part of Serenity’s all-inclusive offering.  In addition, guests can book a dinner, with wine pairings, at the intimate Vintage Room, for $300 per head. The Head Sommelier gives guests an education in a selection of fine wines from the ship’s extensive onboard cellar.

Wherever and whenever guests dine, that early evening slot before dinner tends to become “Cocktails”. And for some, a post-dinner visit to the elegant Connoisseur Club for the finest cigars and cognacs becomes part of the evening routine.

Disclosure: Our cruise was sponsored by Crystal Cruises.

Built in 1846 and re-imagined in 2024, Lamda Casual Dining occupies a lovingly restored home with a sun-faded stone façade, situated directly at the water’s edge in the heart of Vasiliki. The history of the building is there for all to see but what’s happening there now is anything but old-fashioned. Instead, it’s a culinary reboot of Greek tradition: reverent, but not nostalgic. Greek cuisine with a modern twist — and perhaps a touch of theatre.

The food

Dishes arrived with understated drama – never pretentious, but always composed. And served with the utmost care and attentiveness We began proceedings with the cornbread sourdough – delicate and warm, it was accompanied with salted fish roe and citrus-marinated olives — a nod to tradition, yet with a gently rebellious note.

My favourite dish of the evening was the lentils, one of the humblest of pulses, elevated with the most delicious smoked eel, cauliflower purée and aromatic oil.

Feta cheese, usually a rustic staple, was served breaded in polenta, drizzled with a thyme honey from Lefkada and a generous sprinking of black sesame.

Don’t also miss the grilled octopus, beautifully tender, paired with a carrot purée, pickled pearl onions, rice chips and a tarragon oil – a textural masterclass.

Also worthy of mention is the crispy mozzarella, set on a canvas of eggplant and tomato marmalade, and laced with basil oil, and the rich and comforting shrimp saganaki, reimagined with a touch of sweet chilli, Metsovone cheese and basil.

For me, the standout main was my seafood orzo, glistening with shrimp and squid, in a tomato and basil reduction that struck just the right chord of simplicity, whilst still being packed with flavour.

My wife swore by her Black Angus burger, served with pickled cucumber, Cheddar, onion mayo, and crispy potato rocks. And the indulgent deconstructed pastitsio — with layers of beef ragu, pasta, béchamel foam, and seared parmesan, even got the better of my son’s enormous appetite.

Desserts didn’t disappoint either, from the deconstructed lemon tart with blueberries, caramelised Aegina pistachios and chocolate flakes, to the chocolate fondant, served with crème anglaise, Madagascar vanilla, yuzu, dried rose, and ice cream. Decadent, dreamy… and quite probably more calories than we should have had, but nothing that a run the next morning couldn’t sort out.

The chef

Menelaos Chalikiopoulos is not just a chef. He is, in the best sense, an architect of appetite and memory. His food feels like it’s searching — for lost flavours, for new frontiers, for the stories in between.

Having trained in some of the sharper corners of European cuisine, Chalikiopoulos returns to Lefkada not with a mission to modernise for the sake of novelty, but to listen more closely to the land and sea he grew up with — and to let them speak. There’s humility in his innovation. He doesn’t shout through the plate; he whispers.

His dishes dance between confidence and restraint — bold without being brash, elevated without alienating. That balance is hard to teach. It’s instinctual.

The ambience

What better setting could you find? We were seated just a couple of yards from the water’s edge, interrupted only by the gentle hum of other happy diners, seemingly envious passers-by, and the hush of boats nudging against Vasiliki harbour. And against this backdrop of stone and sea, the waiting-on staff are very attentive, but never overbearing.

The cost

Don’t expect traditional taverna pricing, but do prepare yourself for exceptional value. Most starters hover around €14–17, and mains largely sit in the €24–28 range.

Wines start at €36 a bottle – we had the Chardonnay from the Karipidi Estate (near Larissa in central Greece), priced at €48.

The final verdict

In a village best known for its windsurfing and relaxed vibe, Lamda Casual Dining offers something a little different to anything else on Vasiliki’s waterfront. Quitely radical and offering a more refined dining experience, Lamda is a place to savour – not just for the food, but the also mood, the moment and the mellow tempo of a special Lefkada evening.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Lamda Casual Dining. Our trip was sponsored by AEGEAN Airlines.