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Set within the Golf Club House at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, Brasserie de la Bay brings Modern French cooking to one of the resort’s most scenic dining settings. The restaurant looks across the golf greens towards the historic Bay of Navarino, with the Ionian Sea and sunset forming the backdrop to dinner.
The menu stays close to the pleasures of a traditional French brasserie, with recognisable classics, quality produce and generous sharing dishes. A substantial wine list gives the restaurant another point of distinction, particularly for those looking to make an evening of it.
A Brasserie Framed by Navarino Bay
Brasserie de la Bay occupies a light-filled space within the Golf Club House, where floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious terrace make the surrounding landscape an integral part of the experience. Modern décor keeps the interior understated, leaving much of the attention on the golf greens, Bay of Navarino, and sea beyond.
The terrace is particularly appealing around sunset, when the restaurant’s elevated outlook comes into its own. There is polish to the setting, although the mood remains closer to an elegant brasserie than a formal fine-dining room, which suits the familiar style of the food.
French Classics with a Modern Approach
The dinner menu is compact and distinctly French in character, with enough variation to accommodate a lighter meal or a more substantial dinner. Beef Tartare uses USDA prime beef tenderloin with cured egg yolk and baguette, while the Niçoise pairs tuna tataki with haricots verts, soft-boiled egg and olive crumble. Kristal Caviar by Kaviari can be added to the former. The Carpaccio Greek Salad offers a Mediterranean interpretation, combining sea bass with cucumber, tomato powder and pickled onions, while Lobster Escargot places lobster beneath golden puff pastry with garlic and parsley butter.
Main courses continue with established brasserie flavours. Steak au Poivre is served with French fries and traditional peppercorn sauce, while the Chargrilled Rib-Eye uses Prime Creekstone Black Angus with braised root vegetables. Seafood is represented by Pan-Seared Sea Bass with roasted fennel and grenobloise sauce, alongside Moules Frites cooked with Chardonnay and accompanied by crispy potatoes and Béarnaise. Mushroom Risotto with seasonal mushrooms, aged Parmesan and thyme provides the principal vegetarian option.
Sharing dishes broaden the menu further. John Stone Irish grass-fed Tomahawk is the most substantial choice, joined by Corn-Fed Chicken with baby potatoes and lemon butter sauce and a Cordon Bleu made with milk-fed veal, Emmental and homemade prosciutto cotto. Baked Camembert with roasted potatoes and crispy bread and two flatbreads, including a Provençal version with pistou, tomato, olives and garlic cheese, suit a more informal meal at the table.
Dessert returns firmly to the French repertoire. Profiterole comes with praline ice cream and chocolate sauce, Tarte au Citron with garden lemon curd and caramelised meringue, and Millefeuille with vanilla and crème anglaise. Crème Brûlée keeps things traditional, while Crêpe Suzette for two is finished with orange caramel and flambéed Grand Marnier.
There is also a dedicated children’s menu, with considerably more choice than the usual handful of simplified dishes. Younger diners can choose a Mini Chicken Souvlaki Plate, Spaghetti & Keftedakia, Grilled Sea Bass or Grilled Beef Tenderloin, alongside lighter dishes, purées and snacks designed for babies and toddlers.
Wines for the Bay
The wine list is extensive, balancing Greek producers with many of France’s best-known regions and a smaller international selection. Closer to home, bottles span the Peloponnese, Santorini, Tinos, Macedonia and Crete, with producers including Domaine Skouras, Santo Wines, Alpha Estate and Navarino Vineyards. Messinia itself is represented by wines such as Kotyle from Navarino Vineyards and Merlot from Lacules Bay Vineyard.
France receives particularly strong representation. The cellar covers Champagne, Chablis, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire and Rhône Valley, with bottles from houses and estates including Billecart-Salmon, Pol Roger, Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. There are also selections from Italy, Spain, Argentina, the United States, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. A by-the-glass selection makes the breadth of the cellar more accessible over dinner, with Champagne, Greek and French whites, rosés and reds available alongside Coravin pours.
Dinner as the Sun Sets
Timing matters at Brasserie de la Bay. Its outlook gives the terrace a natural advantage in the evening, with views extending across the golf greens to the water and Ionian sunset. Indoors, the full-height glazing retains much of that connection to the landscape, making the view part of dinner rather than something reserved for the outdoor tables.
That setting works particularly well with the menu’s style. Brasserie dishes such as Moules Frites, Steak au Poivre and Crêpe Suzette lend themselves to a leisurely dinner, while the larger cuts and dishes for two make the restaurant equally suited to a shared meal.
A Distinctive Table at Costa Navarino
Brasserie de la Bay has a clear identity within Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino’s varied dining collection. Its Modern French menu, extensive wine cellar and Golf Club House setting make it a particularly appealing choice for an unhurried evening, with the terrace adding one of the resort’s most memorable sunset settings.
Location: Costa, The Bay Course, Costa, Pilos 240 01, Greece
