Tavernas in Santorini
Apr 10th, 2007 | 02:51 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2004
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Tavernas in Santorini
I will be staying in Oia but hope to be travelling around the island.
I would like to know about some casual tavernas for lunch and dinner in Oia and other parts of the island.
We'd like to try local specialties, grilled meats, seafood, vegetables, cheeses, etc. We'd like to find places that have relaxed, friendly service; somewhere we could sit and enjoy a bottle of wine and hopefully a great view.
If we were to visit Ancient Thira...is there someplace you would recommend for lunch?
Thanks for any suggestions.
I would like to know about some casual tavernas for lunch and dinner in Oia and other parts of the island.
We'd like to try local specialties, grilled meats, seafood, vegetables, cheeses, etc. We'd like to find places that have relaxed, friendly service; somewhere we could sit and enjoy a bottle of wine and hopefully a great view.
If we were to visit Ancient Thira...is there someplace you would recommend for lunch?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Apr 10th, 2007 | 04:01 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
From my 2005 trip to Santorini (and we stayed in Oia at Esperas):
**DINING IN OIA**
CANDOUNI: My favorite restaurant for both food and service, and we ate here twice. This place is off the main road and therefore is harder to find and has no view. From Esperas, walk on the main village road and then take a left at the bell tower. You can also reach it by following signs to Karma – Candouni is a bit past Karma. The terrace is beautifully decorated, and the inside dining room is also lovely. The owner spent time in Canada and is so incredibly friendly and fun to engage in conversation.
The first time we had roasted layered eggplant, grilled Haloumi cheese, veal wrapped with bacon and served with béarnaise, lavender chicken breast with mustard sauce, amazing grilled veggies (baby corn were amazing), red wine, and homemade almond cake with strawberry ice cream for 96Euros.
The second time we had grilled Haloumi cheese, mushrooms on crouton (with soft cheese mousse and dill on top), fried perch fillet with coconut milk and curry sauce (served with rice and cauliflower mousse – divine), penne with vegetables and chicken in a white cream sauce (served with peppers, sundried tomato, leek and garlic) and Sigalas red wine for 77Euros. Best meal of the trip! Towards the end of our dinner we felt more like friends than customers, and it was hard to leave. We will be back!
KASTRO: Very near the Venetian castle. We ate here for lunch twice. View is fantastic – they advertise an unobstructed view of the sunsets, and reservations at that time of day are required. We didn’t have dinner here because the restaurant is somewhat unprotected – evenings brought chilly winds so our evening picks had more cover. Kastro wins for the best (IMO) appetizer award: Stuffed Olives. Take giant olives, stuff them with cream cheese, dip them in beer, wrap them in dough, fry them, eat them, gain 2 pounds. Repeat. Our meals here averaged 39Euros and always included an appetizer or two, a salad, a main, and either beer or sangria. Over the course of our two lunches we enjoyed the stuffed olives, greek salad, penne with grilled veggies and tomato sauce, and fresh ravioli with cream cheese, arugula, tomato, feta, and basil.
KATINA’S (Ammoudi Beach): The Esperas bartender said that the Sunset Taverna and Katina’s were basically the same, but I chose Katina’s based on Europhile’s trip report (thank you!). Our dinner was just as expensive as restaurants in Oia because we chose the lobster – 70Euros per kg. We shared a fried melted tomato appetizer, one lobster, chocolate cake with pistachio, and a bottle of red wine for 105Euros. The lobster was absolutely gigantic, and its feelers were sticking straight out of the grill – very entertaining watching the grillmaster at work. The people at Katina’s were so friendly and treated us to the chocolate cake.
AMBROSIA & NECTAR: Used to be Oia’s Café (I think). So good we ate here twice. The view is a bit obstructed, but the restaurant is so beautiful it doesn’t really matter. We ate outside both times, and even though it was chilly, it was not too cold. The décor reminded me of restaurants in Miami – lots of white. Very simple table decorations – white tablecloths, candles, and a flower – but gorgeous.
First time we had tzatziki, roasted white eggplant (layered with white cheese, tomato, and olive oil), chicken medallions (served with tagliatelle, 3 kinds of peppers, crème fraiche, and a touch of curry), beef filet (with caramelized onions, rice, and a white wine sauce), a bottle of red wine (Lazardis winery?), chocolate walnut cake with vanilla ice cream, and cappuccino. This meal was 111Euros.
Second time we had fava, caramelized onion and leek tart, Napoleon (layered dish consisting of beef, cheese, chicken, cheese, pork, more cheese, tomato and veggies), chicken roulade (YUM – stuffed with cheese and served with eggplant puree and sundried tomatos), panna cotta with chocolate sauce and blackberries, red wine and 2 cappuccinos for 85Euros. We enjoyed our second meal even better than the first – both dishes were fantastic. The price difference between the 2 meals was due to our wine selection. We had a cheaper but better bottle of wine (Sigalas winery) the second night thanks to the great advice of the restaurant.
MELENIOS: Best bakery in Oia! It’s located on the main street and has an upstairs terrace as well as a bakery for “to go” orders below. We had drinks at Melenios several times thanks to their amazing view and large menu. On two occasions we picked up items below for picnics on our terrace. I highly recommend the spinach pie, baklava, and chocolate soufflé (the latter two we enjoyed for a measly 5Euros total). Prices upstairs on the terrace are twice that of the bakery prices for to go orders. This place is a gem.
AMBROSIA: We ate here for Easter Sunday dinner. Excellent food and super friendly service. We had the corner table upstairs and outside and were protected from the chilly wind. Similar décor to Ambrosia and Nectar – gorgeous restaurant and gorgeous view. We enjoyed the Ambrosia tart of carmelized onions (with feta and tomato), roasted white eggplant layered with cheese, tagliatelle (with 3 peppers, fresh mushroom, courgette, carrot, soya, and white wine sauce), traditional Easter lamb stuffed with herbs and feta, tiramisu, and red wine for 132Euros.
SKIZA: Great for a drink break. Nice size menu with lots of frappe options (we had ours with kahlua or bailey’s) and good selection of tasty sounding vittles (pizza, salad, waffles, crepes). Nice view and a great place to hang out.
**DINING IN FIRA**
SENOR ZORBA’S: Had to try this place based on mentions here. It was a 5 minute, 5Euro fare from the Fira taxi stand, and the restaurant called a taxi for our return. The outside dining area was closed, so we ate inside. Had margaritas (would not get them next time – too watery), a chicken chimichanga, and a chicken enchilada. We sat outside with giant mugs of Mythos while waiting for our taxi to take us back to Oia. I forgot to write the price down, but I believe it was around 50Euros. It was surprisingly very good and the view is fantastic.
FRANCO’S BAR: Yes, the tropical drinks average around 14Euros, but you’re also paying for the ambience. We went twice and each time had Pina Coladas and Singapore Slings. The Singapore Sling was the best 14Euro drink that my husband ever spilled on our digital camera (doh!). The view from Franco’s is incomparable, and the classical music just enhances the whole atmosphere. Franco’s is open from 12-12.
NIKOLAS TAVERNA: Eat here for lunch!!! Very entertaining and extremely delicious. Two men were working out front while I spotted 2 women working in the kitchen – food tasted better than homemade. One of the guys was a bit reminiscent of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. Wow. One unfortunate (and rude) man made the mistake of using the bathroom and not eating there, and he was promptly tossed out of the establishment. Don’t let this be you. The menu is written on a chalkboard in Greek, but they are recited in English (or French, and probably German too). Best bread we ate the whole week, greek salad, baked eggplant, pastiticio, beer, and water for 21Euros. They also serve lamb with lemon, artichoke with lemon sauce (looked incredible), roast chicken, fried or grilled calamari, grilled shrimp, stuffed tomato and pepper, mousaka, tzatziki, and fava.
**THE BEACHES**
The Nets: We ate here at the recommendation of Esperas. It’s located on the black beach of Vlihada. The menu was entirely in Greek, so our waiter just told us what they served. Very traditional fish tavern fare included fish balls, grilled octopus, boneless grilled fish filet, greek salad, etc. We ate fava dip, fried tomato balls (I love these things), Santorini Salad (beware the surprise anchovy) and some spicy pepper dish that was baked in a little clay pot with feta and tomato. With 2 Mythos the bill came to 28Euros. We were treated to a tasty little dessert courtesy of the restaurant, and it remains a mystery that maybe someone can solve. It had the texture of cornmeal, was served cold, was flavored with honey and cinnamon and cut into little squares…tasty and mysterious!
Chili Bar: Obviously a happening beach hang out. We hang with the uber cool beach crowd for a while and nursed the tastiest Pina Coladas on our trip.
**DINING IN OIA**
CANDOUNI: My favorite restaurant for both food and service, and we ate here twice. This place is off the main road and therefore is harder to find and has no view. From Esperas, walk on the main village road and then take a left at the bell tower. You can also reach it by following signs to Karma – Candouni is a bit past Karma. The terrace is beautifully decorated, and the inside dining room is also lovely. The owner spent time in Canada and is so incredibly friendly and fun to engage in conversation.
The first time we had roasted layered eggplant, grilled Haloumi cheese, veal wrapped with bacon and served with béarnaise, lavender chicken breast with mustard sauce, amazing grilled veggies (baby corn were amazing), red wine, and homemade almond cake with strawberry ice cream for 96Euros.
The second time we had grilled Haloumi cheese, mushrooms on crouton (with soft cheese mousse and dill on top), fried perch fillet with coconut milk and curry sauce (served with rice and cauliflower mousse – divine), penne with vegetables and chicken in a white cream sauce (served with peppers, sundried tomato, leek and garlic) and Sigalas red wine for 77Euros. Best meal of the trip! Towards the end of our dinner we felt more like friends than customers, and it was hard to leave. We will be back!
KASTRO: Very near the Venetian castle. We ate here for lunch twice. View is fantastic – they advertise an unobstructed view of the sunsets, and reservations at that time of day are required. We didn’t have dinner here because the restaurant is somewhat unprotected – evenings brought chilly winds so our evening picks had more cover. Kastro wins for the best (IMO) appetizer award: Stuffed Olives. Take giant olives, stuff them with cream cheese, dip them in beer, wrap them in dough, fry them, eat them, gain 2 pounds. Repeat. Our meals here averaged 39Euros and always included an appetizer or two, a salad, a main, and either beer or sangria. Over the course of our two lunches we enjoyed the stuffed olives, greek salad, penne with grilled veggies and tomato sauce, and fresh ravioli with cream cheese, arugula, tomato, feta, and basil.
KATINA’S (Ammoudi Beach): The Esperas bartender said that the Sunset Taverna and Katina’s were basically the same, but I chose Katina’s based on Europhile’s trip report (thank you!). Our dinner was just as expensive as restaurants in Oia because we chose the lobster – 70Euros per kg. We shared a fried melted tomato appetizer, one lobster, chocolate cake with pistachio, and a bottle of red wine for 105Euros. The lobster was absolutely gigantic, and its feelers were sticking straight out of the grill – very entertaining watching the grillmaster at work. The people at Katina’s were so friendly and treated us to the chocolate cake.
AMBROSIA & NECTAR: Used to be Oia’s Café (I think). So good we ate here twice. The view is a bit obstructed, but the restaurant is so beautiful it doesn’t really matter. We ate outside both times, and even though it was chilly, it was not too cold. The décor reminded me of restaurants in Miami – lots of white. Very simple table decorations – white tablecloths, candles, and a flower – but gorgeous.
First time we had tzatziki, roasted white eggplant (layered with white cheese, tomato, and olive oil), chicken medallions (served with tagliatelle, 3 kinds of peppers, crème fraiche, and a touch of curry), beef filet (with caramelized onions, rice, and a white wine sauce), a bottle of red wine (Lazardis winery?), chocolate walnut cake with vanilla ice cream, and cappuccino. This meal was 111Euros.
Second time we had fava, caramelized onion and leek tart, Napoleon (layered dish consisting of beef, cheese, chicken, cheese, pork, more cheese, tomato and veggies), chicken roulade (YUM – stuffed with cheese and served with eggplant puree and sundried tomatos), panna cotta with chocolate sauce and blackberries, red wine and 2 cappuccinos for 85Euros. We enjoyed our second meal even better than the first – both dishes were fantastic. The price difference between the 2 meals was due to our wine selection. We had a cheaper but better bottle of wine (Sigalas winery) the second night thanks to the great advice of the restaurant.
MELENIOS: Best bakery in Oia! It’s located on the main street and has an upstairs terrace as well as a bakery for “to go” orders below. We had drinks at Melenios several times thanks to their amazing view and large menu. On two occasions we picked up items below for picnics on our terrace. I highly recommend the spinach pie, baklava, and chocolate soufflé (the latter two we enjoyed for a measly 5Euros total). Prices upstairs on the terrace are twice that of the bakery prices for to go orders. This place is a gem.
AMBROSIA: We ate here for Easter Sunday dinner. Excellent food and super friendly service. We had the corner table upstairs and outside and were protected from the chilly wind. Similar décor to Ambrosia and Nectar – gorgeous restaurant and gorgeous view. We enjoyed the Ambrosia tart of carmelized onions (with feta and tomato), roasted white eggplant layered with cheese, tagliatelle (with 3 peppers, fresh mushroom, courgette, carrot, soya, and white wine sauce), traditional Easter lamb stuffed with herbs and feta, tiramisu, and red wine for 132Euros.
SKIZA: Great for a drink break. Nice size menu with lots of frappe options (we had ours with kahlua or bailey’s) and good selection of tasty sounding vittles (pizza, salad, waffles, crepes). Nice view and a great place to hang out.
**DINING IN FIRA**
SENOR ZORBA’S: Had to try this place based on mentions here. It was a 5 minute, 5Euro fare from the Fira taxi stand, and the restaurant called a taxi for our return. The outside dining area was closed, so we ate inside. Had margaritas (would not get them next time – too watery), a chicken chimichanga, and a chicken enchilada. We sat outside with giant mugs of Mythos while waiting for our taxi to take us back to Oia. I forgot to write the price down, but I believe it was around 50Euros. It was surprisingly very good and the view is fantastic.
FRANCO’S BAR: Yes, the tropical drinks average around 14Euros, but you’re also paying for the ambience. We went twice and each time had Pina Coladas and Singapore Slings. The Singapore Sling was the best 14Euro drink that my husband ever spilled on our digital camera (doh!). The view from Franco’s is incomparable, and the classical music just enhances the whole atmosphere. Franco’s is open from 12-12.
NIKOLAS TAVERNA: Eat here for lunch!!! Very entertaining and extremely delicious. Two men were working out front while I spotted 2 women working in the kitchen – food tasted better than homemade. One of the guys was a bit reminiscent of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. Wow. One unfortunate (and rude) man made the mistake of using the bathroom and not eating there, and he was promptly tossed out of the establishment. Don’t let this be you. The menu is written on a chalkboard in Greek, but they are recited in English (or French, and probably German too). Best bread we ate the whole week, greek salad, baked eggplant, pastiticio, beer, and water for 21Euros. They also serve lamb with lemon, artichoke with lemon sauce (looked incredible), roast chicken, fried or grilled calamari, grilled shrimp, stuffed tomato and pepper, mousaka, tzatziki, and fava.
**THE BEACHES**
The Nets: We ate here at the recommendation of Esperas. It’s located on the black beach of Vlihada. The menu was entirely in Greek, so our waiter just told us what they served. Very traditional fish tavern fare included fish balls, grilled octopus, boneless grilled fish filet, greek salad, etc. We ate fava dip, fried tomato balls (I love these things), Santorini Salad (beware the surprise anchovy) and some spicy pepper dish that was baked in a little clay pot with feta and tomato. With 2 Mythos the bill came to 28Euros. We were treated to a tasty little dessert courtesy of the restaurant, and it remains a mystery that maybe someone can solve. It had the texture of cornmeal, was served cold, was flavored with honey and cinnamon and cut into little squares…tasty and mysterious!
Chili Bar: Obviously a happening beach hang out. We hang with the uber cool beach crowd for a while and nursed the tastiest Pina Coladas on our trip.
Apr 10th, 2007 | 04:14 PM
#3
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,259
Likes: 0
In order to visit Ancient THira, first you have to drive (taxi) up about 16 switchbacks on a cobbled road to the turn-around. After that, it's about 20 minutes steep climb on a goat patht to get to the top.
When you arrive you'll see about 10 acres of tumbledown ruins of all sorts, including temples and ancient theatre seating... but no taverna alas.
Ancient Thira hasn't had a taverna in about 2,200 years I would guess. So I suggest doing what we did, take a nice picnic, because the view is Superb.
The beach town below (Perissa) has some sort of so-so places to eat... all I remember is buying ice cream before catching the bus back to Thira.
PLenty of places to eat with a view in THira or Oia but others will have to tell you about them--I know only some terrific bargain tavernas because I'm a budget traveler ...
I enjoy the view with a glass of wine at a caldera-side cafe (in Greece a cafe is different from a taverna -- Cafes are for snacks & drinks and have no tablecloths; the places with tablecloths are the dining places). After the sun sets, we get up and go to tavernas where we have relaxed, friendly service, lots of authentic Greek food, for about 10-12E per person + wine...but not on the pricey caldera.
OThers can advise on the meal with a view... enjoy your stay!
When you arrive you'll see about 10 acres of tumbledown ruins of all sorts, including temples and ancient theatre seating... but no taverna alas.
Ancient Thira hasn't had a taverna in about 2,200 years I would guess. So I suggest doing what we did, take a nice picnic, because the view is Superb.
The beach town below (Perissa) has some sort of so-so places to eat... all I remember is buying ice cream before catching the bus back to Thira.
PLenty of places to eat with a view in THira or Oia but others will have to tell you about them--I know only some terrific bargain tavernas because I'm a budget traveler ...
I enjoy the view with a glass of wine at a caldera-side cafe (in Greece a cafe is different from a taverna -- Cafes are for snacks & drinks and have no tablecloths; the places with tablecloths are the dining places). After the sun sets, we get up and go to tavernas where we have relaxed, friendly service, lots of authentic Greek food, for about 10-12E per person + wine...but not on the pricey caldera.
OThers can advise on the meal with a view... enjoy your stay!
Apr 11th, 2007 | 03:25 AM
#6
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
