The best Cretan restaurants Heraklion

The Fifty is the new name of 50/50, an establishment that for more than 12 years welcomed its clientele on 1860 Street. It is an allday café-restaurant that attracts the young people of the city. The food is good and the prices are reasonable. If you don't feel like eating, just have a coffee, a glass of ouzo or raki, it will leave you with a pleasant memory. Otherwise, late at night, especially on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, there is a DJ atmosphere or live Cretan and traditional music.

It is a small tavern, the only one near the beautiful beach of Potamos, some 10 meters before the archaeological site. It serves good Greek-style cuisine. It's crowded in July and August, so if you manage to get a bite to eat, be careful with the bill as a mistake could happen. Indeed, many tourists who come to admire the archaeological site are aware of the interest of the place and come to eat there in season. Out of season, the place is a joy of calm and good and frank gastronomy.

This family tavern is easily recognizable because it is the only one to carry the colors of Greece with the national flag on the sign. It is located in the middle of the beautiful beach of Agia Pelagia, by the sea. The portions are well served there and with a big smile, the atmosphere is friendly and the food good, which is why customers come back again and again. A la carte, among others, seafood rice, snails in Cretan style, fisherman's salad, various soups, lamb kleftiko, grilled lamb chops, grilled sea bream...

True to its reputation and with over 50 years of history, this ouzerie is among the best in town, according to the locals who flock to it. Close to the port, it's behind the pedestrian street in a hidden alley in the old town, opposite the tiny chapel of Saint Dimitriou. The mezzedes reinforce its reputation, but the rest is very good too. The kitchen uses mainly organic olive oil from the Toplou monastery. The menu varies according to the season. Ask the waiter for the daily special and the price per kilo of fresh fish.

A rather trendy restaurant that offers, on the kitchen side, quality dishes with generous portions. Cretan and Greek specialities cooked over a wood fire are carefully prepared in accordance with the old tradition. Fresh fish, pasta, rice, mushrooms and grilled vegetables, fava, various salads, meat... In Cretan dialect, parastia refers to the kitchen area where food is cooked in the most ancient way: with two stones on each side of a wood fire, resulting in a very rustic and warm decoration for this restaurant which is well worth a stop.

Located a stone's throw from Place Saint-Tite, this all-day bar is a warm and welcoming place. Seasonal vegetables, salads, meats and pastas - directly inspired by Mediterranean cuisine - dominate the menu. You can have lunch, dinner, drinks and a chat... It's a modern and elegant place where you'll come back again and again, because it's so good to eat light creative dishes to the sound of modern music. It's also a nice bar where you can easily chat with locals and travellers until late at night.

A fun atmosphere with waiters and waitresses in antique Greek garb, but that's not why everyone gathers here. On the table, white tablecloths, candles and crystal glasses to enjoy original dishes, all washed down with a local white wine. This is undoubtedly the best restaurant in the area. Since 1987, the family-run Galini restaurant has been serving creative Cretan cuisine, inspired by French and Italian cuisine and prepared with organic ingredients. Panoramic view of Hersonissos harbor from the terrace.

An excellent address to taste the inventive Cretan cuisine from the beginning of May to the end of October. Ideal for a romantic dinner on the roof terrace overlooking the old port and the Venetian ramparts. The chef, a native of Crete, uses only fresh produce from the island and herbs that grow on the hotel roof (hence the name of the restaurant). The panoramic view and the professional service of the staff are appreciated. The menu changes regularly. Remember to make reservations, especially for dinner in season.

Set back from the tourist flow, O Tembelis (the lazy one) is a must when visiting Heraklion. It's a café/mezzedopoleio where you can enjoy a variety of tasty dishes prepared daily to accompany the excellent fresh raki... Take a seat on the chairs that cover a good part of the esplanade in front of the establishment and let yourself be carried away by the friendly atmosphere. Dishes include homemade sausages, stews, mushrooms... To round off the meal: doughnuts with a scoop of ice cream.

This pretty tavern is nestled in a quiet location in the old village of Malia. This restaurant of traditional Greek cuisine and mezzedes distils a cosy atmosphere in a beautiful handcrafted setting. An address a little apart in Malia, to be preferred in high season to try to avoid the crowds and the mediocre taverns of the tourist centre. We like the warm and quiet atmosphere, the successful and unpretentious but tasty cuisine. A good address, tastefully decorated and pleasant, with all the basics of a good Greek meal.

Since 1924, this café has been synonymous with Heraklion's history. In its early days, the establishment, which measures no more than 15^m2, served coffee to market traders. Over the years, raki and ouzo, accompanied by a few delicacies, brought together a clientele who flocked to the small tables to catch up on old times. Today, three young chefs are carrying on the tradition with succulent dishes. Don't leave before you've tried the zucchini dumplings and goat's cheese stew... You'll be back again and again, jostling for a seat.

Alexis Taverna is a small and unpretentious family tavern, like the ones you can find everywhere in Crete. The food is very simple but tasty, and is also family style. You must try the excellent seafood risotto. There are no big restaurants in the village of Malia anyway, you have to be satisfied with a simple, efficient and inexpensive cuisine - and a restaurant where the service is, as at Alexis, well done. You will certainly return there several times during your stay in Malia.

A traditional tavern in a rustic village setting. The owner studied in Belgium and speaks very good French. He will make you discover a local and tasty cuisine, as we like it. Alekos cooks everything with his olive oil, as it should be in any self-respecting establishment in Crete! He collects his snails himself under the surrounding mountainous rocks and prepares them with a pinch of garlic. The wine in carafe comes from the Lylarakis estate. A greedy stage not to be missed if you are passing through.

The Ristorante Italiano sign of this restaurant refers to pizzas baked over an olive wood fire. Apart from that, here is a Cretan address as we like them, offering traditional local cuisine. As for the decoration, it's rustic but whatever, here is the most romantic address on the walk, offering a beautiful view as a bonus. Opt for the famous Cretan snails(Κοchlioi), offered à la carte and which have nothing to do with ours: an opportunity to discover a deliciously prepared Cretan speciality.

Romanticism guaranteed with a unique sunset in this fish restaurant on the beach. Very good address with a large and beautiful terrace by the sea. Lunch and dinner are served in an idyllic setting. Here we are very far from the Nordic breweries along the main street higher up in a bewildering noise. The establishment also has a cocktail bar. You can relax while admiring the exceptional view.

George Mamatzakis was a chef in major hotels (including the Hilton in Athens) before opening his own restaurant here near Agapi Beach. He offers interesting à la carte menus: fresh fish, shellfish, Greek specialities, excellent grilled meats... No particular decor, we come here for its atmosphere, the quality of the raw materials and the chef's know-how. The staff is very attentive and welcoming. Very good value for money.

A regulars' tavern specialising in fresh fish since 1984, but also serves delicious dishes prepared by the owner's wife and sister. Scala offers a more refined cuisine than elsewhere (and, rarely, innovative desserts), in a more intimate setting, and offers the highest panoramic terrace in Matala, perched on its small cape and closing the bay to the west. Access to the sea below is via small stairs. Beautiful view and quality dishes of the day. Booking is almost obligatory in high season, but you won't regret it.

One of the first tavernas you will find at the entrance to the sandy beach on the left, which guarantees you a splendid view of the famous caves by day and night. There is a bar on the panoramic terrace. Taste the local moussaka, cuttlefish risotto or seafood spaghetti. As for the wines, we recommend the house white wine which is very good. Dimitris is the friendly owner who speaks a little French. Relaxed atmosphere. Live music concerts. Fresh fish every day (watch out for the price per kilo!).

A dream decor at the Pirates of the Caribbean both inside and outside for this multi-colored, atypical restaurant. Here you feel relaxed immediately when you arrive, the view is splendid, we eat on the edge of the relaxing water. Fresh daily fish chosen in the window, but also original dishes. There is a wide selection of Cretan entries, five varieties of soups, various grills, Greek dishes… on the back of reggae music, of course. The atmosphere is so representative of Matala that we cannot miss it.

Alla & Alla is the kind of place you'd expect to find on vacation: a friendly atmosphere, where you can eat well without breaking the bank! Take a seat on Kaillambi alley, a stone's throw from the Fontaine aux Lions, and enjoy dishes prepared with quality ingredients: the salads are fresh and the small dishes inevitably attract a glass of chilled raki. Opt for the mixed grill dish for a meat-based meal. Bulk wine is of good quality. Efficient service. On the menu, solutions for vegetable lovers too.