The best restaurants Iles grecques

Elena and her sister took over from their parents in the family tavern! They share the days in the kitchen to offer their guests the same traditional recipes they prepare for their grandchildren: green beans in tomato sauce, tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice, stuffed vine leaves, beetroot salad, lamb chops grilled over a wood fire. Several dishes based on shellfish and fresh fish on the menu as well. The covered terrace is nice, so you don't lose anything of what's going on in the village square.

Although this restaurant is not at all in the centre of Rethymnon, it is definitely worth venturing out into the countryside during your stay in the city. Kostas Hamogiorgakis, the owner, is a passionate gastronome, a talented and creative restaurateur. The traditionally inspired recipes, taken from an old drawer, all have a little "je ne sais quoi" in them. The raw materials are of undeniable quality. A very good address for gourmets and lovers of authentic and inspired cuisine. Impeccable service.

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...

Close to the port, in this tavern whose owner is a fisherman, you can have fresh fish but also other traditional dishes at any time. If you prefer simmered dishes, opt for giouvetsi, (meat cooked slowly in the oven with Greek pasta that looks like rice) or the delicious stuffed vine leaves . White wine, from the monastery of Toplou and served chilled, is recommended. Every evening, the speciality offered is the mechoui: melting! Friendly and efficient service. Very good value for money.

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?

This is the restaurant of Maria Beach Hotel, located by the beach. On the shaded terrace, overlooking the sandy beach and overlooking the sea, you can enjoy dishes based on seafood and fresh fish. The restaurant also offers traditional Mediterranean specialities and tasty grills. Home-made cakes. Varied wine list. Also offers daily dishes to be enjoyed for lunch and dinner on the beach, lulled by the waves. It is advisable to book in high season.

Peskessi is established in the manor of the Kapetan Polyxigkis, a character who participated in the uprising against the Ottomans. The renovation of the building in 2014 has earned it a place among the 10 best bar-restaurants in Europe. In its stone-built rooms you can enjoy authentic Cretan cuisine: just taste the Peskesi salad, made with organic products from the owner's farm, to find out. You can also choose the habiba snail dish or the sindrimades . The list is long, original and impressive.

Just a few kilometers from the center of Agios Nikolaos, here's a family-run taverna, popular for the quality of its grilled meats and traditional Cretan dishes. All raw materials are of the highest quality: the owners take great care of their loyal clientele. Excellent dishes include kebabs, lamb chops and wood-grilled kebabs. The homemade raki is also of excellent quality. Impeccable, attentive and efficient service. We'd love to go back.

As soon as you enter the village of Krousta, you pass under an arch of mulberry trees before reaching the square. There, we discover the Xatheri, an unmissable tavern whose name, well deserved, means "excellent quality". The dishes are succulent according to the Cretan culinary tradition, prepared with local raw materials and quality. Among them, we recommend lasagna with fresh local cheese, goat stew, lamb stir-fry, pilaf, grilled lamb chops. Wine list. Home made ice cream. We will gladly return!

In an exceptional setting, on a terrace of the old port of the city of Hania, on the edge of the Venetian walls, with a full view of the sea, this restaurant-wine bar offers moments of relaxation during a meal or an aperitif-dinner. Stylish, respecting the rules of hospitality and good Mediterranean cuisine, the establishment has become a reference for lovers of quality Cretan wines and the dishes that accompany them. Among them, the mixed salads, remarkably fresh and tasty. A good address.

An associative place, a sort of cooperative, offers a few tables inside and on the terrace. You can drink a very good coffee and enjoy some good, classic dishes. The menu is not very big but it will be enough to calm the small cravings after visiting the fortress of Réthymnon, just a few meters higher. In addition to being in a nice street and offering a pleasant and quiet setting, we like even more the idea that we are running a humane place and engaged in social struggles. Smiling and available staff.

Not easy to find but the place is worth it! Good reputation for several years, it is an authentic family business and far from the crowd: mom is in the kitchen, son in the dining room and everyone in a courtyard in the shade of a superb fig tree. The specialities are Cretan and international but the whole reputation of the house is made around the lamb and pork baked with tomato, feta and mushrooms, sprinkled with white wine sauce. In the evening it is a friendly atmosphere with soft light and soft music.

Cretan, Greek and international cuisine creatively executed by a chef trained in France. In an ideal setting right by the water, on the beach, you can enjoy tasty and refined dishes. With an extremely warm and sincere welcome, the restaurant offers a varied and original menu. It is modern, high quality cuisine prepared with the best local products. Constantina Voulgaris Kontesopoulou who officiates in the kitchen has received the best culinary awards in the country. The set is very affordable for the quality offered.

At Hippokampos you will find fish and seafood specialties at unbeatable prices. In particular, we recommend the unmissable grilled octopus, always a pleasure. But lovers of Cretan cuisine will not be outdone with good traditional dishes as well. To be tasted in front of the sea (and unfortunately also the road!), and just a stone's throw from the old Venetian port. This address is frequented as much by tourists as by locals for years: you can go there with your eyes closed.

It is an institution of the city, a little set back from the tourist terraces of the port. It offers traditional and family cuisine. Cretan cheeses and Cretan meats are featured on the menu. It is one of the best places to discover the local gastronomy, without forgetting that the quality-price ratio is unbeatable! Not to be missed. The atmosphere is particularly friendly because the place is frequented by locals, not just tourists. A jovial and lively evening in perspective.

Since 1982, they have been serving excellent assortments of Cretan mezzedes . This is the great specialty of the house in addition to the fresh fish served all day long in front of the sea. Meat, Cretan and Greek specialities, grilled lamb skewers, snails... are also offered. Special mention for the pork accompanied by grilled mushrooms and Graviera cheese. All topped with a butter and parsley sauce (the portion is very well served to the point of delighting two people). Ideal for contemplating the boats on the large air-conditioned terrace.

Between Palaiochora and Hania, this tavern owes its well-deserved reputation to the hospitality and organization of Samantha, the manager. Sit under the plane trees of Kandanos Square and enjoy Cretan cuisine worthy of the name: tsigariasto (mutton cooked in olive oil and oregano), sautéed snails(bourbouristoi) with rosemary and vinegar, zucchini flowers stuffed with rice, homemade yogurt, baked eggplant, three-cheese pate(kreatopitta), etc. The portions are generous. Excellent value for money.

With panoramic views over Souda Bay, the Vamos village valley and the White Mountains, the Aétopholia tavern (eagles' nest) offers authentic Cretan mountain dishes: lamb in wine (Sfakia recipe), rabbit stew, pork fricassee or, especially on Sundays, baked piglet. The grills are exquisite, and the food and salads are of the highest quality. Don't leave before you try the meatballs! The bread is sourdough and baked over a wood fire. A very good address.

Agamemnon, the owner, has been running this pleasant tavern off the beaten track since 1988. Here you can discover the authentic Crete, perched 600 m above sea level, in the small village of Kentrohori. The view of the neighbouring villages and the Siderotas mountain is splendid: something to breathe and recharge your batteries during a meal. As for cooking, it is nothing like the tourist taverns that are so often found on the seaside. Here everything is tasty, prepared with care from day to day and with good local products.

This spacious, warm and welcoming stone tavern offers delicious dishes at incredible prices: grilled meats, salads, stuffed vine leaves, smoked pork and Cretan puff pastries as well as some dishes simmered according to the recipes that the Greek refugees from Asia Minor brought back in their luggage are among the most original culinary options. Just 4 km from the center of Rethymnon, you can sit comfortably on the shady terrace or inside and have a good time. Ideal for families.

You'll recognize this tiny tavern by all the colorful umbrellas hanging on the awning that protects you from the sun! Take a seat on the pedestrian street and enjoy the succulent, home-made dishes, prepared day by day with great generosity. The stuffed vine leaves are a delight. Stews, casseroles, soups, stewed dishes, yoghurt with candied fruits, offered at the end of the meal, bring the authentic Cretan flavors to your plate. Don't leave without a jar of home-made jam!

In the heart of the historic Platzia, this chic bistro offers a simple and refined menu in an elegant yet casual setting. The chef revisits the great classics of international and Mediterranean cuisine and has already won over locals and those in search of authentic, gourmet cuisine. Ideal for those who love great wines and delicate dishes. Alternatively, you can sit peacefully under the ancient plane tree and enjoy your coffee or cocktail. The establishment offers brunches, snacks and various desserts.

Since 1988, this tavern has been offering an excellent, simple and local cuisine, right by the sea, at the foot of the Venetian fortress. Unforgettable homemade fries, spaghetti with lobster, grilled lobster... as well as a wide variety of traditional Cretan and Greek mezzedes, homemade, prepared according to the rules of the art, served quickly and without fuss. The tables are all outside because the inside is tiny and cluttered by the service and the kitchen. An authentic address, caught up by success, where you always come twice!

Very nice, this small family tavern with traditional decor in pastel green tones is installed on the port. The simple but quality dishes are well served. Daily fresh fish on display in the window: sea bream, sea bass and lobster are all delicious. Special mention: the mezze platter for 2 people to fall on the floor! Taste, among others, the kleftiko (lamb melting in the oven), grilled cuttlefish, grilled swordfish, tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice... Very good value for money and a warm welcome.

In the village of Kaliviani, here is a gastronomic discovery that we are delighted with. Here, all products are fresh and carefully prepared. Rustic and authentic cuisine, but also sought-after for this very good establishment. Among the dishes: pork ofto (baked, with wine and garlic), veal osso buco, pork ham cooked slowly on branches of the vines, chicken with sage, coq au vin, tomatoes and vegetables stuffed with rice. Also taste the salads and dishes, prepared on a daily basis. A pleasant stopover on the peninsula.

In a more refined and modern setting than the taverns found in places overrun by tourists, you will taste tasty dishes for reasonable prices. On the terrace by the water, the smiling and multilingual staff will be on hand to offer the best service and the best fish. Among the dishes: spaghetti with prawns and seafood, zucchini fritters, grilled meats, etc. Home-made pastries. Sign of quality: the locals prefer to wait for a table and wait in line rather than go elsewhere.

In this modern and bright fish tavern, taste excellent seafood from the market. The menu changes every day, depending on the catch of the day, of course: a guarantee of freshness. The fish are very well prepared and, accompanied by a glass of homemade white wine, what more could you ask for? Also on the menu are some traditional meat recipes. Very pleasant atmosphere and attentive service. Very good value for money for this address in Splanzia, appreciated by the Haniotes.

Bohemia is located in a beautiful shady courtyard, in a quiet area. The restaurant offers unpretentious but refined cuisine prepared with good quality products. The food is very good and the atmosphere becomes languid on hot summer afternoons. We would like to stay for hours in this beautiful setting, and this is what we recommend you to do since this restaurant also serves as a café during the day and a bar in the evening. A good excuse to stay there more than reasonable. Once night falls, a little music accompanies this good time

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.

Famous tavern since 1986. The tables carefully set up in the shaded and flowered patio are of the most beautiful effect. What awaits you on the plates is also very appealing; refined Cretan specialties, grilled or stewed local mountain meats, veal fillet carpaccio, snails or even sea bass fillet. Our favorite is the Chateaubriand for 2! Very well located on one of the arteries of the old city between the old port and the fortress. Excellent address where the locals come to eat meat.

Located at the beginning of the promenade of Sitia, this restaurant has a beautiful view of the marina and the old town. Open all year round, this traditional restaurant, or tavern, offers Greek and other dishes. They are hearty and cheap. A starter and a salad are enough to cut your hunger. Try the Cretan salad for a change from the Greek, it is delicious, or the fried mushrooms, courgette or meatballs, baked aubergines... among others.

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.

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.

This restaurant was founded around twenty years ago by Stelios and Katina, with the ambition of bringing the finest local produce and recipes of traditional Cretan cuisine to your plate. In a peaceful, quiet and remarkably clean setting in the shady courtyard, you can enjoy dishes prepared daily (including ragouts), grilled or fried fish and vegetables. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes and hearty portions. Consult the wine list. A good address.

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.

In the Halepa district, Tabakaria's seaside is home to the city's former tanneries. It is a particularly picturesque area that is really worth a visit. This very good fish restaurant has taken over part of the area and spreads its tables almost with its feet in the water. We are like out of time, especially when the sun sets in this unique setting. Beyond this decor, the fish is fresh and deliciously cooked. This very popular address of Haniotes fills up quickly in season: we recommend you to book

This restaurant offers a peaceful atmosphere and is one of the best restaurants in town. Here, the chef offers refined dishes based on fish, seafood and shellfish. Very popular with the locals, the 7 Thalasses is an establishment to be discovered. Opt for black cod, tuna fillet or crab pasta. The paella is exquisite as well as the lobster pasta. Do not pass, either, besides the vanilla ice cream of Madagascar. Impeccable service. A little expensive but the quality-price ratio is never disappointing.

This establishment, open only during the day, has been unanimously acclaimed by locals and tourists alike for several years. And for good reason, it offers home-cooked dishes, both traditional and refined. Not very fat and very digestible, they give the beautiful part to spices and delicate flavours. The owners are young and have chosen a resolutely modern, even trendy decor. Fast and very professional service. You choose what you want to eat by lifting the lids of the smoking pots, just like in the old days!

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.

With a full view of the bay of Mochlos, only a few kilometers from the beach, this tavern is well worth a visit. It is a family tavern, tastefully decorated in a dark yellow ochre tone, where the owners and staff are calm and friendly. Sit on the beautiful, shady terrace and enjoy the authentic, home-made Cretan cuisine. The quality of the raw materials and the know-how of the managers are the guarantee of a succulent meal with Cretan and Mediterranean flavors.

This gastro-pub bears this name because it was established in the ruins of old buildings. It is one of the best bar-restaurants in the city and for good reason. It is very posh, but it offers a nice atmosphere with locals who flock there to taste its specialties, cocktails and have peaceful moments that last until the early hours of the morning. The renowned chef N. Kassotakis offers brunches, fusion cuisine and snacks to accompany the original cocktails. An excellent address both for the service and the quality of the menu.

A very beautiful establishment that, beyond its modern decor, reinvents traditional Cretan cuisine. The ingredients are of the highest quality and the menu changes regularly to ensure more freshness and creativity. A refined address that fills up quickly in season

It is one of the oldest taverns in Crete, housed in an old Venetian mill dating back to the 14th century, which can still be admired today in the courtyard of the establishment, which is green and shaded by century-old trees for the most part. This popular restaurant offers excellent traditional and Mediterranean cuisine. All the dishes are prepared with local products and olive oil. Several of the wines on offer come from Cretan vineyards. Reservations are recommended in high season.

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.

In a relaxing atmosphere, this all-day café-restaurant is the ideal place to meet up with friends or to spend pleasant moments, far from the crowded tourist circuits and the noise of the city. The brunch, composed of home-made bread, is a reference, the dishes are succulent. Among the specialities are pasta with carrots with mushrooms and pieces of chicken fried in white truffle oil, with fresh thyme and a bit of garlic, all served with grated local cheese. The prices are unbeatable and the staff is very friendly.

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.

A small, simple but pleasant restaurant where tortillas and salads are prepared before the customer's eyes. Opened in 2019, Umami is a popular address for vegans, vegetarians and anyone who likes fast food but good quality. All dishes are prepared with organic raw materials from certified Cretan producers. The menu varies according to the season. The eggplant lasagne, the mushroom tortilla, the salad with coconut bacon are real delights. To take away or to eat on the spot.

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.

Change your perspective and discover the fortress from the west coast of Rethymno! Far from the crowds that crowd the old port, this waterfront restaurant offers a 180-degree view of the sea with a terrace on several levels above the rocks. Chic and simple at the same time, it attempts to offer Mediterranean cuisine, based on local ingredients carefully selected from nearby producers. All the products used are organically grown. The best address in town to enjoy sushi.

In front of the small beach of Kom Kapi, east of the old town, Estrella is a pleasant café-restaurant where the trendy young families of Hania meet for brunch on weekends. They love its freshly squeezed juices, its vegan or vegetarian options, its street food from all over the world and its modern decor. Relaxed and friendly atmosphere: you take your time with friends to drink coffee or have lunch. Here you will find contemporary Hania, with young people living in the city year round, far from the tourist city.