Kilimani Retreat is the seafood taverna most Himara boat-day photos are secretly taken at — the balustraded terrace hanging over a turquoise cove, a platter of shrimp and grilled squid, a slab of feta catching the sun. It's a genuinely good sea-view meal, but the name confuses people (it's a restaurant, not a hotel "retreat"), and the setting oversells slightly harder than the kitchen delivers. Here's the honest version: what it is, what to order, and when it's worth the walk.
Quick Take
| What it is | Family-run seafood & Greek taverna, formerly Kiço Meniko |
| Where | Central Himara, on a concrete platform above a rocky cove — a short walk from the town waterfront |
| Google rating | 4.3★ (314 reviews) |
| Cuisine | Fresh fish, shrimp, grilled squid, Greek salad, meze |
| Price | Moderate — fish sold by weight (per kg), the rest taverna-priced |
| Season | Summer only — runs seasonally, closed off-season |
| Our score | 8 / 10 — the view and the fish carry it; access and fish-by-weight pricing are the caveats |
| Best for | A long lunch with a swim, sunset dinner, a fresh-fish splurge with a view |
| Skip if | You want step-free access, a printed fixed menu, or a budget meze night |
The Setting Is the Whole Point
Kilimani sits on a built-out concrete terrace above a small rocky cove, with a stone balustrade running along the sea edge, sunbeds and umbrellas below, and an uninterrupted view down the coast toward the mountains. It is, fairly, one of the best sea views of any restaurant in Himara — the water directly below is that pale, clear turquoise you came to the Albanian Riviera for, and the setting sun lands right across it.
That platform-over-a-cove design also means the access is stairs and uneven ground, not a flat walk-in. It's fine for most people and worth it, but if steps are a problem for anyone in your group, know that going in. The trade for the view is that you're perched on a rocky ledge, not sitting on a sandy beach.
What to Order
The kitchen is a fresh-fish-and-meze operation, and it's at its best when you lean into that. The plate that shows up in every review — and on our hero photo above — is the honest recommendation: a platter of grilled or fried shrimp, fried calamari (squid), a proper Greek salad with a full slab of feta, tzatziki, bread, and fries to share.
- Fresh fish — the reason to come. Sold by weight (per kg), picked from the day's catch. Ask the price per kilo and roughly how much the fish weighs before you commit — this is standard Riviera practice, not a scam, but it's how a "moderate" seafood lunch quietly becomes the priciest meal of your trip.
- Grilled squid & shrimp — the reliable middle option if you don't want a whole fish. Consistently the most-praised dish here.
- Greek salad & meze — generous, fresh, and where the Greek side of the kitchen shows (Himara has a deep Greek heritage, and it's on the plate).
For the wider picture of what's worth ordering along this coast, see the Himara seafood guide and what to eat in Himara.
Prices: Read the Fish Board First
Kilimani lands in the moderate band — salads, meze, squid and shrimp are priced like any good Himara taverna. The variable is the whole fresh fish, which is sold by the kilogram. That single line item is the difference between a relaxed lunch and a bill that raises an eyebrow, so confirm the per-kilo rate and the weight of your fish before it hits the grill. Everything else on the table is predictable. We're not quoting exact figures here because Riviera fish prices move with the season and the catch — the board on the day is the only number that counts.
When to Go
| Time | What you get |
|---|---|
| Lunch (12:00–15:00) | Brightest water, best for pairing with a swim off the cove |
| Late afternoon | Quieter, softer light, easiest to get the front-row sea tables |
| Sunset dinner | The signature experience — book ahead in July–August |
| Off-season | Closed — it runs summer only, so don't route a spring/autumn trip past it |
In peak summer the sea-edge tables go fast at sunset. If a front-row table over the water is the point (it is), call ahead or arrive early rather than turning up at 20:30 in August.
How It Compares
If you want the same fresh-fish-with-a-view formula, Kilimani's closest peers are the Spile-waterfront classics — Taverna Lefteri and Taverna Velco — which are more central and flatter to reach but don't hang over a private cove the way Kilimani does. For a sit-down sunset dinner with a rooftop rather than a sea-ledge angle, see the best sunset restaurants in Himara. Kilimani wins on setting; the town tavernas win on convenience and, some nights, on kitchen consistency.
Is Kilimani Retreat Worth It?
Yes — for a long lunch or a sunset dinner where the view is half the meal and fresh fish is the plan. It's a genuine 4.3★ spot doing the Himara seafood-taverna thing well, in one of the better positions in town. Go in knowing two things: the "Retreat" is a restaurant, not a hotel, and the whole fish is priced by weight. Manage those and it's one of the more memorable meals on the coast. Round the day out with a swim off the cove and an afternoon at Livadhi Beach or a wander through the old town.
Browse more Himara restaurants or plan the rest of the trip from the Himara travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kilimani Retreat in Himara?
Kilimani Retreat is a family-run seafood and Greek taverna in central Himara, formerly known as Kiço Meniko. It sits on a terrace above a rocky cove with sunbeds, umbrellas and wide sea views. Despite the name, it's a restaurant, not a hotel. It holds a 4.3★ Google rating across 314 reviews and runs seasonally in summer.
What should you order at Kilimani Retreat?
Order the fresh fish (sold by weight), grilled or fried shrimp, and fried calamari, with a Greek salad, tzatziki and bread to share. The seafood platter and squid are the most consistently praised dishes. Confirm the per-kilogram fish price and the weight before ordering to avoid a surprise on the bill.
Is Kilimani Retreat expensive?
It's moderately priced for most of the menu — salads, meze, squid and shrimp are taverna-priced. The one variable is whole fresh fish, which is sold per kilogram and can make the meal significantly pricier. Ask the rate per kilo and the fish's weight upfront, and the rest of the table stays affordable.
Is Kilimani Retreat open in winter?
No. Kilimani Retreat runs seasonally over the summer and closes off-season, like most sea-view tavernas on the Albanian Riviera. Plan a visit between roughly late spring and early autumn, and don't route a winter or early-spring Himara trip expecting it to be open.
