4 Best Restaurants in Crete, Greece

In an herb-filled multitier courtyard that leads to a barrel-vaulted dining room, some of the finest food for miles is skillfully prepared. Refined, distinguished dishes are its calling card; sophisticated but true to their traditional roots. Most remarkable is that the same high culinary and aesthetic standards have been maintained for nearly four decades. The focus is on the ingredients, the majority of them local and organic, artfully transformed into a cooking of rare elegance. Reservations are essential in season.

In a restored sea captain's mansion, stone walls and arches provide the backdrop to some of the best food in Crete: traditional cuisine brought to life with modern techniques and presentation. A 24-acre farm is dedicated to supplying the restaurant with seasonal local produce, much of it organic, and the flavors really shine through. Stand-out bread is made from ancient grains, salads are creative, and there is pure theater when syglino, smoked pork chop, is bought to the table in a paper bag with smoldering thyme and sage leaves. Punchy cheeses, plentiful vegan and vegetarian options, and a brilliant wine list make this a must-go destination. Reservations are needed in high season as it gets very busy.

An open kitchen where the chefs practice their alchemy connects directly to the tables in the small dining room and on the pavement outside. A Cretan bistro, it draws influences from the great culinary tradition of the island and Asia Minor where the family of the chef hail from. Hearty cured fish and meats are a specialty—lamb prosciutto, beef pastrami, apaki (smoked pork), and piquant sausages are all prepared from free-range animals—and they are presented as modern dishes with artistry and finesse.

Almost like a boat tied to the land, Plima Plora stretches out over three floors with views of the city and the Fortessa, and, of course, the ocean that splashes mere steps away. Following the philosophy of an organic Cretan diet, ingredients are local with an emphasis on small producers. Vegetables and pulses predominate with seafood and meat used sparingly, while there is a small sushi menu for those in search of more exotic tastes.