Greek Isles: Fresh Fish, Fresh Veggies, and Lots of Wine

Greek Isles:
Fresh Fish, Fresh Veggies, and Lots of Wine

With each island specializing in a type of ambience (adventure vs. culture vs. relaxation), we bring you the best places to eat for each location. Dinner in Greece may begin at 7pm, 8pm, or even 9pm and often includes the whole family so it’s a great time to make friends. If you normally eat at an earlier time, we suggest picking up fruit or snacks in the afternoon because the stores may not be open from 5-7pm.

Tomorrow, we will focus on where to sleep. For us, this decision has made the difference between fab (!) and filing a police report.
- Cris

Crete

• $: Taverna To Thalassino (Rethymno): Even at the most affordable price point, this restaurant gets rave reviews for their fresh fish and vegan meals.Located in the Old Town of Rethymno, it offers great views and fantastic food. Try the Souvlaki: Grilled meat skewers served with pita and tzatziki.

• $$: To Pigadi (Rethymno): Sample traditional Cretan dishes made from fresh, local ingredients. Try the Dakos: A traditional Cretan salad with barley rusks, tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives.

• $$$: La Vigne (Naxos Town): Located inside of a Venetian castle, it is run by two French friends who fell in love with the island after visiting it and decided to settle there permanently. It is a small, homey establishment that showcases the traditional Cycladic architecture combined with bold strokes of color and pretty flowers. Because of its size, tables are limited, so booking one beforehand is highly recommended. Try the Cretan Lamb with Herbs: Tender lamb infused with local herbs, served with seasonal vegetables.

Santorini

• $: Mama’s House (Kamari): Located near Kamari Beach, it’s an ideal spot for a casual and satisfying home-cooked meal after a day by the sea. It gets mixed reviews and people either love it or hate it. Try the Spanakopita: Spinach and feta cheese in flaky phyllo pastry.

• $$: Metaxi Mas (Exo Gonia): Offering a blend of Cretan and Santorinian cuisine, people love this place for the fresh ingredients that are grown in their kitchen garden and raki (the grape-based brandy of Crete). Try the Keftedes: Greek meatballs served with tzatziki.

• $$$: Selene (Pyrgos): Located in what used to be an 18th century Catholic Monastery, their Wine Master is one of only 400 in Europe and they take food and wine very seriously. Book the Mnēmes Experience, a unique experience exclusively for one party of 2-4 guests per evening. This unrivaled experience begins to unfold within the captivating tunnel of the 18th century monastery with a brief guided exploration of the restaurant’s intriguing history accompanied by small bites, indicative of Santorini’s culinary tradition. The storytelling tour is followed by dinner at the Atrium, Selene’s most privileged spot with a majestic ambience right next to our fountain. The dinner presented is a special variation of Selene’s Full Moon menu, matched with a premium wine pairing experience. You only live once and can eat cheap for the next few weeks to pay for this. It’s worth it.

Life Skills

Run: Probably should have mentioned it earlier.
Warning: Your family will take a lot of photos of you if you do this.
Strategy: Make sure you have a reservation and maybe keep candy in your bag.

Paros

• $: Hellas Restaurant (Parikia): Many visitors come back here several times on their vacation because the food is good, the atmosphere is casual, and the prices are modest. Try the Saganaki (Fried Cheese): a crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside cheese dish.

• $$: Taverna Glafkos (Naoussa): Located right next to the sea, this is a wonderful place to watch the sunset as you sip local wine and enjoy fantastic food. They do not accept reservations and so some strategy will be required to get into line and get a coveted table. Try the Seafood Risotto.

• $$$: Yemeni Wine Restaurant (Naoussa): Their specialty is rustic food and the ambience is cheerful, friendly and unpretentious. You sit in a busy alley, which makes it great for people watching. There is no way you will get a table prior to 10pm without a reservation - this place is in high demand. Try the Lamb Moussaka: A refined take on the classic Greek dish, featuring layers of tender lamb, eggplant, and béchamel sauce, baked to perfection.

All locations

One of the ways that I afford to see everything I want - including shopping - is by eating out of local grocery stores for 80% of my meals. The remaining 20% are typically from $$$ restaurants because, for me, that is part of the experience of travel. This is particularly true in Greece because fresh produce, cheeses, and bread are abundant in shops between the hours of 10-12am and 2-4pm. Personally, I don’t like to wait in line or curb my hunger until dinner is served at 9pm and so picnicking works great for me.

Tomorrow, we will explore where to sleep. In most European cities, it’s helpful to have a little perspective regarding the amount of space available in hotels. These are islands and so every square foot is at a premium. We’ll show what good looks like in the Greek Isles.

See you tomorrow.

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