The best restaurants Crete

The address, always lively, is frequented by many Cretans of all ages. With its terrace on the promenade of Sitia, Me-raki is the nice address to taste freshly cooked Greek mezzedes (dishes), as well as delicious home-made raki: seafood or shrimp and saffron risotto, shrimp pasta with tomato sauce, delicious grills, various salads, zucchini fritters, fried salted cheese(saganaki), tzatziki, grilled meat platter... The decoration in blue and white is simple but original.

Opened in 1965, it was the first restaurant in this place called also «fisherman's square». This was the meeting of the fishermen who were feeding fresh fish daily. At the corner of the port, recognizable with its terrace, you can easily find this family restaurant. Taste seafood specialties and fresh fish. Be careful, as always with fresh fish in Greece: check the price per kilo so you don't have a bad surprise at the time of the addition that can rise very fast.

Family tavern, by the sea, in the heart of the central port of Bali. On the two terraces you can taste dishes of Greek and Cretan cuisine. Οone comes here especially to taste the fish of the day, shellfish, fresh seafood. Lobster spaghetti, grilled sea bream, mussels, lobsters, red mullet are delicious but quite expensive. Other specialties: meats and snails. Prefer the terrace on the^1st floor overlooking the port. Check the menu for the price per kilo of fish to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Stop above all for its situation below the main street, on the edge of the water, under plane planes. Average prices for an exceptional but correct food quality in a restful setting.

This is a good place to eat real Greek mezzedes, homemade(mizzithropitaki with cheese or spinach, dolmadakia vine leaves, keftedakia meatballs, hydropitakia with spinach) and various snacks and salads. Olive oil and raki are homemade, as for any self-respecting address, and wines from famous Cretan and Greek estates are available. And all this at low prices! With its shaded terrace, this establishment is a simple and authentic Greek brasserie, just the way we like it.

Not necessarily refined, that's why you're advised to go for a quick snack, share mezzedes for example, or take a gyros. It is especially the setting that is very pleasant, even if in a pedestrian street. The shady terrace allows you to enjoy a pleasant break. Service and proper atmosphere. A little tourist machine but the courtyard and tables on the street offer a profitable framework.

Akrogiali in Greek means "the edge of the sea". Nikos and Despoina Zervaki, the managers of this tavern, offer traditional cuisine on the terrace shaded by a huge tamarisk tree, only a few meters from the seaside. The dishes are prepared with care and with local products. Among the dishes not to be missed, the zucchini flowers stuffed with rice, the snails or the fried small fish. The wood-fired grills of fresh fish (more expensive per kilo) and meat are very good. Dishes and salads are also on the menu.

La Bouillabaisse, famous since 1970, is the star restaurant of the Minos Beach Art Hotel. The restaurant is very famous for its fine Mediterranean cuisine, with a special mention for the rotisserie and fresh fish in one of the most chic hotels in Crete. You will enjoy choosing from several traditional Cretan dishes and various gourmet specialities. The setting is particularly pleasant: the tables are set up facing the sea, under the pine trees. The dishes are complemented by an exceptional wine list.

Here is a simple ouzerie where tourists and Cretans mingle to taste fish, grilled octopus, but also shellfish and seafood. All the dishes, to the rhythm of the ouzo and raki decanters, are of excellent quality! We eat outside copious dishes, unpretentious but succulent. Among the dishes, seafood pilaf and lobster pasta are to be tasted. The occasion is ideal to savour fresh fish. Friendly welcome and quiet service that makes no regrets about the meal. We'll go back with our eyes closed.

As its name indicates this tavern is located close to the sea. And serves all its specialities of grilled fish or in soup, flavoured octopus or on the grill (marinatos or psitos), fried anchovies, salad salad and squid in sauce… Fish are chosen before cooking and are determined by weight.

In the shade of centuries-old plane trees, this tavern in the village of Spilia offers typical Cretan cuisine, succulent, prepared with quality ingredients. Sometimes crowded during big celebrations or weddings, it will be an opportunity to get in touch with local life. Among the dishes to be tasted: baked aubergines, au gratin, with tomato sauce and cheese, grilled lamb chops, chips (homemade), pork in wine, fried zucchini, meatballs, baked lamb, etc. A very good address!

Overlooking the sea at the foot of the Venetian fortress, the Thalassographia offers a splendid view and basic but good Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant is housed in an old Venetian building that has recently been converted and renovated. For a meal, a coffee or a drink, the establishment is a guaranteed inspiration for your postcard break! The waterfront is trendy and enjoys a good reputation. The wind is more agitated there than anywhere else but the location, a little isolated, promises you an appreciable calm in Réthymnon.

The Kalidon restaurant is located by the sea, near the small port of Elounda. On a floating platform you can taste traditional Greek dishes as well as international cuisine arranged to local taste. A wide variety of fresh fish is always on the daily menu. The reception is really friendly, in addition to the originality of the restaurant on the water. On the other hand, for typical dishes, you pay a little more than elsewhere.

This tavern opened its doors in the first building built in Elounda in 1906. It is a family tavern located in the town square by the sea. The locals proudly recount that Victoria Hislop, author of The Island of the Forgotten, whose plot is set on Spinalonga Island, is said to have sat there. A restaurant of fish, shellfish, fresh seafood and Greek specialties, copiously and generously served. The tavern has a varied wine list of wines from the regions of Crete and Greece.

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.

Established in 1978, Kri Kri is a Greek cuisine restaurant offering excellent grilled meat (especially lamb chops grilled over a wood fire), fresh fish and various mezzedes of excellent quality. From its spacious and well-shaded terrace, with a panoramic view of the picturesque bay of Ormos, you can enjoy, among other things, grilled swordfish served with steamed vegetables and lemon sauce, with 500 ml raspberry and blueberry cider. Ask for advice on local wines. Impeccable service.

Traditional Cretan cuisine from father to son since 1930. Among the most popular dishes, baked lamb with potatoes, gamopilafo (pilaf with lamb: the typical dish served at weddings in Crete). The tavern is also recommended for its grills. In season, every Saturday, from 8 pm, the Cretan evening begins with traditional dances to the rhythm of the lyre and lute. The tavern is a real folklore museum where you can also buy local products to take away. Very good address.

On the beach, this is a place not to be missed in Kato Gouves. Both beach-bar and restaurant, people come here for the lounge atmosphere that reigns all day long and that becomes more festive in the evening. At the edge of an almost private beach with comfortable deckchairs, you come for breakfast, a coffee break, lunch at noon... The sunset invites you to a romantic dinner at around 8 pm. It is an elegant place as we like them, offering a light refined cuisine, at quite reasonable prices.

Stachi is a family tavern where the Cretan diet of the past is followed, when meat was scarce on the table. Most of the raw materials come from the organic vegetable garden of Stelios Michelakis, the owner, and he makes the bread every day with his own yeast. A no-frills establishment, but already well known for the quality of its dishes: mushroom stew, stuffed zucchini flowers, home-made yoghurt, herbal turnovers... The menu varies according to the season. Very good value for money. Vegans. Vegetarians.

This restaurant serves typical Cretan dishes flavoured with the island's many herbs. The waiters are professional and will advise you very well, both on the choice of wines and on the refined dishes. We also offer meat roasted over a wood fire, slowly cooking in front of your eyes. Some dishes are covered with a bell to keep them warm but, above all, the inside is covered with herbs which, thanks to their aroma and flavour, give the meat a unique aroma and taste. Do not miss this experience, which is highly recommended.

It's a beach restaurant - the one at the far end on the right as you enter Bali. Here you can eat simple but good Cretan food, lulled by the sound of the waves. The grilled meat mix for two is recommended... but there are also homemade dishes, fresh fish and a varied menu. The dishes are carefully prepared and the food is hearty, which is not always usual in this kind of establishment. The setting is friendly and pleasant, as is the staff. Complimentary deckchairs and parasols. We'll come back to this with pleasure!

If you are looking for quality, elegance, freshness and a breathtaking view of the sea, 7 Thalasses is the ideal address. It is the restaurant of the Thalassa boutique hotel and since 2000 it has placed Rethymno among the best gastronomic destinations in Crete with its menu. It offers Mediterranean and Cretan cuisine: fresh fish and shellfish platters, delicious salads, dishes for lovers of the flavors of the sea. First class wine list. Reservations are recommended.

Distinct from the classic taverns in the surrounding area, this restaurant offers modern Cretan cuisine in a chic lounge atmosphere with a view of the blue sea. The restaurant offers quality dishes and the beach bar offers snacks and breakfasts all day long. Contemporary decoration and trendy music on the beach. Very pleasant setting for a cocktail by the sea. Slightly higher prices for this unique place in Agia Pelagia.

For over 50 years, this restaurant has been a favorite for the quality of its fish and shellfish dishes. By the sea, you can take your time over an aperitif or a meal accompanied by a fine house wine. When the season is right, opt for sea urchin roe salad! Marinated anchovies, lobster, squid and wood-grilled fish are a delight. Enjoy the marvellous sunsets as you savour the riches of the crystal-clear Cretan sea.

One of the best addresses in town. A good family restaurant that is dedicated to welcoming its customers at lunch and dinner, facing the sea. Excellent Cretan cuisine cooked over an olive wood fire, in an elegantly renovated setting. Different dishes of the day, usually organically grown. It is prepared with olive oil... but it is also a restaurant of meat, salads and fish. The traditional Cretan dishes are highlighted, with succulent snails, octopus and pieces of lamb. Very affordable prices. We'll be back, with pleasure.

Small family restaurant, very well situated high up to admire the splendid view of the port. Among the large choice of dishes, we enjoyed the kleftiko (oven-baked lamb with cheese and vegetables). Good classic Cretan cuisine (tarama, garlic bread, saganaki shrimps, grilled sea bream, lamb in sauce...), with a welcome like the Cretans know how to make. The staff is smiling. The traditional glass of raki and the small plate of pastries are always offered with joy at the end of the meal. There are a lot of regulars, it's relaxed.

This tavern is well located, a little out of town, a few meters from the sea, on the peninsula to the east. You can't miss it: a small caique is in front of the entrance of the establishment! It serves traditional Greek and Cretan cuisine and fresh fish (depending on the arrival). The dishes are prepared on a daily basis. Among the specialties: kleftiko (lamb with vegetables and cheese in the oven), octopus with wine, cheese fritters, grilled lobster, sardines... You can digest on the small beach in front of the restaurant.

This tavern is located within the walls of a 16th century ruin, under cool and welcoming trees. The collapsed roof of the Venezia Loggia has never been rebuilt and people now eat outdoors. During the day, the restaurant is a pleasant break in the shade of the trees, while in the evening you come to listen to live traditional music and enjoy good food accompanied by a Cretan beer or a glass of homemade wine. An establishment and a good-natured atmosphere, for a pleasant culinary moment in Hania.

At the port, on the waterfront in the old town, this tavern was created in 1936 by the Frangiadaki family. It is run by Nikos, a French-speaking man, who prepares, with organic products from his farm, traditional cuisine at reasonable prices. Other specialties are stuffed zucchini flowers, snails in rosemary tomato sauce, good quality grilled octopus, cuttlefish in wine, keftés, or swordfish. The fresh fish is brought daily by his fishing buddies from Ierapetra. Map in French. Wifi.

Kertos is a fish and seafood specialty restaurant. On the promenade of Nea Chora, quietly, facing the sea, you can enjoy lunch and dinner, especially for seafood. Polite servers, good atmosphere, reasonable price: no reason not to go! In July and August you will need to think about booking because it is rare to find space, especially when you are in small group.

Very popular with locals and visitors alike, people come here to enjoy the authentic flavors of top-quality raw materials: grilled meats, salads, doughnuts with vanilla ice cream... and, of course, chicken in sauce, a unique dish. Here, in the center of the village lost in nature, traditional cooking classes are given in French: contact neighbors Mireille or Pierre on +30 697 562 6830 or +30 697 99 12034.

Take the small road in front of the church on Armeni square and you will arrive at this tavern located in an enchanting site. On hot summer days you can enjoy the shade of the ancient plane trees and the coolness of the surrounding streams. Here everything is about quality: the products are local and organically grown. Everything is fresh, home-made and delicious. You take your time, around a good meal or a coffee and contemplate the passing of time. To note: live music programmed some evenings.

A meeting place for young students from Rethymno, for young people from the city, for alternative clients... It is a kafeneio (café) of yesteryear where you can quietly drink your coffee, have a drink or satisfy your hunger with simple but good quality meals that are not lacking in flavour. Later in the day, the kafeneio turns into a bar and, with a bit of luck, you can attend improvised or organised concerts of Greek and Cretan music. In any case, the good mood lasts until dawn...

Two very clean and shady terraces overlooking the beach of the small port: this tavern enjoys a good reputation and an unbeatable location. It is frequented by locals as it is renowned for the undeniable quality of its fresh fish, seafood and shellfish. Some carefully prepared Cretan dishes based on local products are also offered in addition to all the tavern classics. We come back mainly for the setting and location, the cuisine is not breathtaking but is very honest.

This wine-restaurant bar has just moved into the premises of the Héracleion tennis club. From the top of the modern and renovated room, you can enjoy the dishes proposed by the chef Mr. Maniadakis with a full view of the tennis court or enjoy a good glass of wine. The tuna fillet is excellent, the sushi is a pleasant surprise as well as the Benedictine eggs served at brunch. A good address that is already making people talk about it thanks to the talent of the chef and the impeccable service.

On a terrace shaded by a tamarind overlooking the sunrise and with sea view. Ideal for breakfast or snack. Also sells olive oil from Gavdos.

The Amphora restaurant has been in the harbour for about years, and it is the only one here that does not need rabatteurs. Its main quality in addition to the direct view of the port is the dishes cooked according to the ancient Cretan tradition. There's also fresh fish in everyday life, but today we've decided to taste the lemon stamnagathi lamb. The stamnagathi is a wild plant that grows on the rocks near the sea, only in Crete. It's a little dish available in the menus of other restaurants. In the plate, it looks like spinach, but the taste is different. Their famous recipe for fish soup is still kept secret; We only know that it's a broth of different fish that kaminraum with celery, olive oil and lemon. Dessert is available to all clients: it is a small glass of Greek yogurt teeming with candied grapes. A real treat and servers have lots of stories to share. Please note that there are a dozen nice rooms to rent in the hotel of the same name, just above the restaurant (see heading accommodation).

Very good pizzeria if you want to change a little bit from the Cretan diet, even if there is nothing better for health and taste! Quiet and romantic setting, it doesn't look good but it's always nice to enjoy a good pizza once in a while. The kitchen offers a menu of good quality Italian dishes, copious and inexpensive food. It will be an interesting alternative for large families who want to satisfy the little ones while paying attention to the budget.

A nice restaurant held by a mixed couple (Greek and German) who also owns the Blue Sky rental agency (cars and mountain bikes). They also offer a few rooms for rent.

An ideally placed tavern, almost with your feet in the water, where you can enjoy the refreshing sea breeze under the pleasant shady terrace. The owner will propose you a whole list of Cretan specialities according to the season: rabbit with small onions, grilled lamb, meat turnovers, spaghetti with shrimps and seafood, stuffed tomatoes... It also offers fresh fish and shellfish (lobster, crayfish, etc.), depending on the arrival. It also rents out double rooms at low prices. Playground for children.

Good Greek cuisine worked for over years in a very pleasant setting of the old Malia: a large wooden house that is open in many flowery terraces. Once a week, the island's traditional dancers and musicians are there. Very beautiful traditional decoration.

Translate the name of the restaurant as "cooking with love". In this tiny place of only a few tables, we choose our dishes in a showcase before they are brought to the table. Sofia, the owner, welcomes us in her restaurant as if we were at home. Traditional family cooking, copious and really delicious. If the place is a bit difficult to find, it is well worth the detour. Don't give up and make the small effort to find it.

Entering Sissi from Heraklion, on the right side is this family restaurant since 1988. Greek and international cuisine at reasonable prices served in a large garden with a fountain and a playground for children. Katarina, the owner's daughter, is French-speaking and will welcome you with a friendly smile. Practical side: the bus station is just in front.

Treat yourself to a sweet break on the sacrosanct Place Square which overlooks the Morosini fountain to taste local pastries: the bougatsa filled with custard cream or fresh cheese topped with sugar and cinnamon. If there are no more open tables, just sit next to the Kipkop terrace.

This tavern serves traditional meat dishes, dishes in the oven or oven, and beautiful grills. All kinds of salads and horta. During lent, the boss serves dishes adapted to those who respect fasting.

This restaurant offers a very large selection of Cretan, Mediterranean and international specialities at truly affordable prices: cooked dishes, grills, seafood, fish, salads etc. All products are fresh and portions are well served. Note that the staff is friendly. French menu. Ideal for small budgets.

International and Greek cuisine, with all kinds of meat. The olive oil used in the restaurant is produced by the owners, such as dressing and wine that we really enjoyed. It differs from other restaurants on the street by the refinement of modern style decor.

Here is a chic and stylish address on the port of Hania, for a break between friends or, more romantic, two. The tables are elegantly prepared and the view overlooks the fortress opposite. The dishes are simple but carefully presented and prepared. Glass of wine is a good surprise.

In addition to the fish and seafood that are here, there are traditional Cretan dishes, economic menus, many vegetarian dishes. Desserts and bread are freshly prepared in kitchen by the owner himself. It is copied in a beautiful setting facing the sea. You could be cooled by the downside of the servers on the terrace but the food does not disappoint. Very good value for money. It's the kind of place where you feel good and where you're happily coming back.

Kostas opened this waterfront tavern in 1998. Here you can enjoy the tasty dishes of Dora who works in the kitchen. Everything is extra fresh and delicious. In the quiet, we can only recommend you to come and enjoy the warm and serene atmosphere that reigns here. One last recommendation: come at the end of the day to see the sun set in the distance. Friendly atmosphere. Kostas also offers charming studios: see the site.