Crete

Whether it is the restaurant overlooking the beach, or the café-bar with its feet in the water in the shade of the palm trees, the place is particularly pleasant. Snacks and salads, fresh fish, traditional Cretan dishes... but also fruit juices, fresh drinks, coffee, beers... Upstairs, on the terrace of the restaurant you will enjoy seafood menus or Cretan specialties for a more complete lunch. The ingredients (as well as the wine) come from the Toplou monastery.

Some twenty years ago, Stelios Trilyrakis returned to his village, Drakona, from his studies at the School of Tourism, to create a purely organic paradise using old grains and production and breeding methods that bring rare species such as Cretan cattle back to the region. He took the time to create a café, which has since been transformed into a restaurant where raw materials from his farm are used, and where electricity is useless. It's a culinary and lifestyle experience well worth the detour.

Mouragio is a family-run fish tavern, located on the beach of Agia Pelagia. The mother of the family is in the kitchen while the men, Vassilis and Nikos, run the service with great efficiency. The seafood and fish are prepared to perfection, just seared and drizzled with olive oil. Typical Greek dishes and mezzedes are also on the menu, we recommend the pork or chicken gyros. Ideal for a meal or a drink, at any time, between two dives in the turquoise water. A good address.

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.

A restaurant whose menu is signed by the famous chef Yannis Baxevanis. Gastronomic, with its terrace on the waterfront, it is the most chic address in the city, but also the one that offers the most refined cuisine. Fish and seafood are put in the spotlight. Traditional cuisine too: try fried courgettes, lamb with herbs, chickpeas... A particularly recommended address. Hospitable welcome, affordable prices, romantic atmosphere. It's all there! The establishment hosted the filming of the series Who pays the Ferryman?

Grigoris and his son Yiannis have been boasting since 1980 that they have the best fish in the region. It must be said that they belong to a family of fishermen who like to cook different Cretan specialties in addition to the "king fish", always fresh. On the menu there is a wide variety of traditional dishes. The restaurant is located in the middle of the Paleo promenade and offers a direct view of the Libyan sea. You can sit back and watch the waves while enjoying the seafood. Check the menu for the price per kilo of fresh fish.

Traditional Greek cuisine for this family-run restaurant, which is already 25 years old, as we love them at the water's edge. You will enjoy tasty seafood pasta, octopus or squid grilled over a wood fire, fresh fish to choose from in the entrance window (as always with fresh fish, confirm the price per kilo before ordering to avoid salty additions), steamed mussels, grilled lamb chops... Impeccable, quick and polite service. Kostas and his family have been at it for ages.

This beach restaurant offers classic seaside tavern and snack dishes. The manager and waiters are very pleasant. As an added bonus, you can rent deckchairs and umbrellas to spend some time on the beach in front of the restaurant, for a few extra euros. Ideal for a relaxing afternoon, or for a drink in the evening, as the food itself is not particularly worth the detour. But we appreciate the location and the opportunity to grab a bite to eat during a beach day.

Charming little restaurant with a shaded terrace with your feet in the water on the beach of Ammoudi (not far from the city centre). Here reigns a beautiful atmosphere between bar and gastronomic restaurant. An annex of the famous Ble Katsoralakia restaurant where you can enjoy seafood as well as a salad, but also succulent traditional mezzes and some inventive recipes. An excellent address for a very pleasant dinner with friends in a typically Greek atmosphere. The menu is very varied and the prices are reasonable.

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.

Located in the heart of Hania's historic center, this tastefully decorated all-day café/bistro, distinguished by its white tablecloths and courteous staff, offers a varied range of dishes for an excellent breakfast or brunch, lunch or dinner for couples or friends in search of tranquility, good taste and good food. The establishment also offers relaxing moments to enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail. The pastries on offer (strawberry tart with a scoop of ice cream, among others) are also very good.

A family-run taverna with a great reputation, located in the port of Plaka. It serves excellent fresh fish all year round, and you'll meet plenty of locals, which is always a sign of quality and authenticity. It's the ideal place to enjoy a Greek-style lobster worthy of the name! Excellent fried anchovies and grilled calamari seasoned with olive oil and oregano, fresh salads and more. As always with fresh fish, ask for the price per kilo before ordering, as the bill quickly rises.

Located in a beautiful stone house, the restaurant enjoys a magnificent view of the sea and the mountains. Run by Dimitri and Kostas, it is warm and offers an à la carte selection of fresh fish and seafood. A home-made cuisine prepared on a daily basis with local products that will delight those who come in search of the authenticity of Cretan, Greek and Mediterranean flavours. To taste:apaki (smoked Cretan sausage marinated in vinegar), saffron risotto, pasta with shrimps and mussels, lamb with rosemary and feta..

An excellent address, isolated and quiet, located on the old port of Kissamos. The small terrace is right on the waterfront with its moored fishing boats. The fish is extra fresh and the squid or stuffed cuttlefish are to die for! The Greek salad is fresh and well-stocked. The service is family oriented, with the grandmother at the stove and the daughter in the dining room, while the granddaughter plays with the children passing by and the many cats, attracted by the smell. A nice and pleasant interlude.

The best fish restaurant in the village at moderate prices and with a view. On a large and very pleasant terrace right on the waterfront, you can choose fish and local specialities in the window. Everything is very good, the dishes are generous, the service is a little slow but really friendly, the French speaking waiter takes the time to detail each dish. This allows you to contemplate the boats and the crystal clear turquoise water while having a very good time. In addition to fish, seafood and a variety of other dishes are served.

In front of St. George's church, you can spot this charming tavern: a subdued atmosphere in an old house with a very nice shaded garden and an interior space decorated with care. Bougainvilleas, palm trees and a lot of flower pots make the evenings even more summery. You come here to eat fresh fish (more expensive per kilo) which is spread out on the pretty little caique in front of the entrance. Several dishes inspired by Greek-Cretan cuisine are also offered, as well as various dishes and salads. Perfect for a romantic dinner.

Traditional restaurant renovated in 2013 which enjoys a beautiful view of the sea and the caves. Fish specialities, cheap and of good quality (be careful, as always for fresh fish, check the price per kilo and choose your fish before ordering, so as not to have any bad surprises when you check out!) Large terrace where live bands play live music from time to time. The place is often full in the evenings, in high season, so we recommend that you book for large tables.