36 Best Restaurants in The Cyclades, Greece

Since 1922, three generations of the Roussos family have offered hospitality and fine food in this tiny blue-and-white taverna. Outside tables overlook the caldera, inside murals and paintings are by the owner. Traditional recipes and local ingredients are given room to shine and are presented well by the attentive staff. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation, the cozy atmosphere may well find you chatting with fellow diners who are just as pleased with their choice.

The old open-air cinema, steps away from the main street, has been lovingly reimagined as the island's gastronomic hot spot. A romantic pastel-painted courtyard festooned with greenery fronts the clearest expression of Tinos's outstanding produce, where clever contemporary trends are married to traditional techniques and recipes. Elegant and beautifully plated, dishes are offered by a brother and sister team proud of their island heritage. Every Greek child knows the song "There was a little boat" (Itan ena mikro karavi) and every visitor to Tinos should know its impressive namesake.

The oldest family tavern in Naxos, established in 1948, remains true to the Margartis family traditions of cooking authentic Greek dishes with homegrown vegetables and local products. With wonderful views across the harbor to Paros, be sure to check out the historic black-and-white photos inside of Naxos Town as it grew around the taverna over the decades.

At the tip of Ia in a 19th-century mansion is one of Santorini's most storied eateries. A traditional white exterior and glossy painted door lead to a chic interior with Maria Callas photographs and a stupendous terrace with caldera views on all sides. People call to not only make reservations but to request specific tables. The food is a match for the surroundings; assured and confident, it is an elevated take on the traditional island cuisine with a very seductive wine list to complement it.

Tucked in a quieter corner of Ornos Bay, Apaggio is sparsely decorated and lined with large open windows for a perfect, unobstructed view of the sea. Romantic fairy lights twinkle overhead as you peruse the menu of Greek classics but it is probably wiser to ask about the selection of local fish. Fresh and simply grilled, this is the authentic way to taste the Island.

A jasmine-shaded front garden, candle-lit at night, and an antique-filled salon are the charming settings in a centuries-old sea captain's house for this traditional family taverna. All the classics are there but perhaps the best approach is to order from the sizeable meze selection, wash it down with the very palatable house white, and soak in the cozy atmosphere.

The hangout that is such a caldera-side hit in Fira also has a welcoming presence in Pyrgos, where cocktails and light snacks are served on breezy terraces overlooking the village, vineyards, and the sea. This spot is especially popular at sunset, but does a brisk business throughout the day, when the bar brews great coffee.

Dimitris and Koula Kapris's beachfront taverna is popular both with sun worshippers on Ayia Anna Beach and locals from Chora, who come here year-round to get away and sometimes to dance until the late hours, often to live music. The daily-changing menu is extensive and the fresh fish comes from the caïques that pull up at the dock right in front every morning. The house wine comes from their own vineyards.

With no telephone number or signs, this simple little family-run garden taverna would likely be missed if there wasn’t a constant line of people waiting to grab a table—in the summer, expect to wait up to an hour. The sea views of Ayios Sostis Beach are relaxing, and the perfect thing to gaze at as you wait for your meat and fish dishes that will be expertly grilled on a barbecue. The specialty is the pork cutlet but most traditional Greek tavern dishes are served with salads and creamy dips. To find it, head down a few steps toward Ayios Sostis, but before the beach, off the paved walkway, follow the smell of barbecue and look for a line of hungry people.

This traditional taverna's stone terrace, which sits in the old hilltop town of Ano Syros, offers one of the best panoramic sea views beyond Ermoupoli and the port. The tavern has been in the Roussos family for three generations, establishing it as a local favorite. Trained chef Leonardo Roussos has taken over and still believes in the simple beauty of local flavors and it shows, with classic flavorful dishes such as a caper dip and local sausage with anise. Try his homemade kokkinisto, a tomato beef stew. Below the restaurant the original enclosed tavern space, opened by his grandfather, is filled with memorabilia including a working jukebox and original tavern furniture. It's still in use and gives a glimpse of what original taverns and rembetika places were like in their heyday.

For a calming view of Naousa harbor and a taste of Greek seafood specialties done to perfection, head to Mediterraneo. Here's the place to try traditional Greek taverna appetizers, including fresh grilled octopus and marinated anchovies, and dips like taramosalata (fish roe dip) and fava dip topped with caramelized onion, before mains that add a bit of contemporary creativity. A favorite is the dark and delicious black risotto with cuttlefish. Also delightful is the seafood orzo as well as a marinated grilled squid, crisped to perfection with the right dash of Mediterranean spices.

It seems that just about everyone in Santorini looks forward to a meal at this village taverna. Even though the name means "between us," the secret is out and the key to success appears to be to keep it simple—the kitchen sticks to traditional home-style cooking from Santorini and Crete. You can only reach this rural outpost by car or taxi, though Fira is just a 10-minute ride away, so do make a reservation before you leave.

In the winding alleys of the Palia Agora in Naxos Town, Metaxi Mas is the local favorite for home-cooked taverna specialties year-round, making the meaning of its name, "just between us," very appropriate. For more than a decade the Flerianos family has focused on the local flavors that Naxos has to offer—fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, and seafood cooked in the traditional ways.

On a trellised lane by the harbor, this family-run taverna is a Tinos favorite, serving a wide range of Greek traditional and Tinian dishes. Main-course favorites include spicy lamb cooked in paper and calamari stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, and peppers. Starters such as local artichokes in vinegar sauce or hot eggplant slices wrapped around cheese, mint, and green pepper, and a light, rich mille feuille dessert might bookend a meal here. The name means "between us," and a friendly air prevails. The decor is traditional—pale stone walls and high stone arches—the staff is welcoming, and a fireplace in winter and summer air-conditioning keep it open year-round.

Legendary Psarou beach restaurant that is the place to go on the island for a healthy dose of excess—superbling, self-conscious, and selfie-central, Nammos is the spot for late lunches next to the sea with the jet set. The eye-poppingly expensive Mediterranean fusion cuisine is good, but it's not really about the food and drink: tables are for dancing on rather than eating at, and champagne is for spraying over your fellow diners, racing-driver style. Depending on your sensibilities, you will either love it or hate it.

Old-fashioned Greek fare, made with care and served by a friendly and accommodating staff, can be enjoyed on a breezy balcony; tables at one end get a caldera view. The decoration won't win prizes but the view will. Many consider the moussaka, served in an earthenware pot, to be the best on the island.

This charming little taverna, all pastel colors and spindle-backed chairs, is a cozy retreat from the busy streets outside. Named after the chef and owner's grandfather, traditional hearty recipes are delivered with charm and while there is no knockout view to distract you, the food works hard to keep you entertained.

Giorgos Vidalis's café and restaurant occupies a sophisticated and well-preserved neoclassical building on a pedestrian-only street. Select from international- and Mediterranean-influenced dishes, to be enjoyed daytime on the upper terraces that overlook the Turkish fountain and the passing scene. At night, it's interior is an ambient blend of pastel colors, elegant furnishings, and marble-topped tables. Try the Symposium salad, a delightful mix of French lettuce, avocado, grilled shrimp, and citrus vinaigrette. Main dishes include the sole fillet with parsley and basmati rice, and the Tinian veal fillet with peppercorns and roasted vegetables. The Greek wine list is impressive.