462 Best Restaurants in Greece

It's not hard to see why this humble restaurant, nestled among a slew of eateries and bars along Trion Navarchon, has found favor—particularly with visitors. It's crowd-pleasing Greek-Turkish menu is just ambitious enough to excite (think chicken stuffed with metsovone cheese; stewed pork and celery root puree) and its friendly owner emerges periodically to drown you in amuse-bouches in between courses. You walk away stuffed, your senses struggling to comprehend how you spent so little on so much. 

Apart from the summit of Mt. Zas, there is no better viewpoint on Naxos. Next to the church of Panagia--Ai Giannis, a series of terraces give 360-degree views of the island. Open from midday, it is a great place for a coffee or a glass of wine to survey the lush green land beneath your feet or for a longer sojourn, the cuisine is hearty and traditional, strong on local meats and cheeses.

A local favorite for lunch in town is located near San Rocco Square in the center of Corfu's commercial district. It caters particularly to residents—many of them lawyers and other white-collar professionals from local offices—who savor Chef Stamatis' tasty and filling traditional dishes of the day, like bourdetto or pastitsada.

This spot is the city's haven of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free lunches and brunches. Buddha and poke bowls, open-pesto mushroom burgers, vegan ramen, and (the real lure) a gooey range of free-form desserts make this a welcome break from the hot streets.

A pleasantly boho take on modern Greek and Italian fare. A huge bar dominates the interior, wrapped in stone and with a roof of upturned glasses, reminding you this is aperitivo country. The wine list is excellent, while the menu dishes up a steady barrage of juicy steaks and elaborate pastas that go a little further than most and make good use of local treats like the excellent smoked pork.

On the corner at the end of Agios Fokas beach, San To Alati—"like salt"—looks over the water and seven different islands are visible on a clear day from this whitewashed little taverna. The menu is wrapped in a fairy-tale book cover, and magic continues in the kitchen as the gifts of the sea are transformed into crowd-pleasing local cuisine with modern touches and super presentation. For once, the desserts and wine choice are not an afterthought.

There are two big rivals in the eyes of locals for the crown of best seafood in Glyfada: Barbouanki and Sardelaki. The former is fully franchised across Greece now; Sardelaki (meaning "sardine"), on the other hand, has stuck to the region where it all started, with restaurants in both Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, and feels a little more authentic because of it. It's also excellent. The Vouliagmeni branch might have the views, but this is where it began. A menu packed with fried anchovies, classics like saganaki shrimp (shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce with feta cheese), and grilled sardines with tomato and onion ticks all the comfort food boxes at a good value.

If the wind is up, the waves sing at this magical and lively spot, set on a far tip of land below the famous windmills of Mykonos. The preferred place for Greek shipowners, Sea Satin Market's fine seafood dishes are enjoyed on a beautiful seaside terrace, and even onto the sand of the beach bordering Little Venice. When it comes to fish, prices vary according to weight. Shellfish is a specialty, and everything is beautifully presented.

This sunny beach bar and deck is a great place to swim and soak up some rays after visiting the aquarium. Use of the sun loungers is free when you spend €10 each on the café's range of coffees, cold drinks, ice creams, and snacks. Use of showers and changing rooms is also free.

Belly-busting portions are served up at this crowd-pleasing restaurant—with dishes that cater all kinds of tastes. The stars of the show are the creamy, herby, seafood-laced pasta dishes, enough to feed two and brimming with local flavors. There's plenty more beyond, from mezedes and gyros to burgers and steaks, but the grilled whole-fish is a real knockout.

The balcony overlooking the caldera on top of this café-cum-bakery-cum-pizzeria is a prime spot for lazing over breakfast, a coffee, or a home-baked pastry. Open all year, too, for soothing summer ice cream or warming winter waffles.

There was room in Vouliagmeni for a more hipster-friendly café. This avo-toast, açaí bowl, smoothies, grains, and sandwiches joint certainly fits the bill and has quickly developed a zealous following among Vouliagmeni's younger set. A welcome change of pace. 

Very cool and chic, the industrial-style decor wouldn't be out of place in New York, never mind sleepy little Samos. A cosmopolitan, international menu serves up brunch-style dishes, alongside freshly roasted Brazilian coffee. At night, the lights dim and creative cocktails are served as the trendy crowd watch the sunset on the small upper deck.

The enormous anchor and octopuses drying on a line outside are signs that you are in for some seriously good seafood. Tables set on a wooden deck are just a skipping-stone's throw from the break of the waves. Walk past in the morning and you will see last night's catch being delivered as the chefs lovingly stuff grape leaves on the terrace. Authentic and traditional, this is the ultimate farm-and-sea to table taverna in town.

On the backstreets of Naousa, this is the place for healthy breakfasts and brunch. A white-tiled interior is decorated with goofy art and handwritten blackboards extolling the superfoods used in their dishes. Think home-baked granolas, avocado on toast, fruit smoothies, and quinoa salad. Replenish your vitamins and minerals, then return in the evening for delicious cocktails until the early hours.

The owners of this spot are as unapologetic about the bad pun in their name as they are about the supertasty souvlaki they dish out. Order traditional gyro or souvlaki wrapped in a lightly grilled pita bread, to eat in or take out. They even cater to vegetarians, with haloumi, fresh summer veggies, or mushrooms wrapped in pita bread.

Perched on the cusp of Megas Lakkos Beach, with a garden terrace running to the shore, you couldn't get much closer to the water. The seafood is excellent, though demand often curtails the menu, so it pays to get there early. The monkfish tail wrapped in guanciale (Italian cured meat) is a particular delight.

A lovingly decorated mansion is home to one of the island's best cellars with a deep and extensive international list. The food is no afterthought though; eclectic and creative magic goes on in the kitchen as a mainly Mediterranean menu is put through its paces. The rooftop terrace is a favorite for sunset views, but the vaulted-ceilinged dining room can be a wiser option on blustery summer nights—either way, it is a wonderful place to spend an evening.

With views across the waterfront, the Sugar House's display cases heave with all manner of biscuits, cakes, and baked goods. From morning until night, locals and travelers alike come in search of the ultimate sweet treat. A coffee and a cake, or a bowl of ice cream, makes for an indulgent break in the day at this cute little patisserie. 

Spread out under a lovely wooden pergola and overlooking the harbor, this restaurant in the heart of town is one of few that serves up Zakynthian specialties, like its signature "village sausages." Flavor-packed dishes are made from local ingredients—and there's an excellent wine list, too. Portions are large and service is attentive.

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.

Sit among the pines, take in the view of the sea, and snack on the traditional pites (homemade pastry pies, typically stuffed with cheese and spinach) before indulging in the best fresh seafood in the area. The scent of grilled fish wafts in the air, whetting the appetite. Sample mussels infused with saffron; crispy, salty fried anchovies; tender octopus in a wine sauce; and tomato-slathered shrimp and orzo, then sit back and contentedly stare over the water.

All the food in this no nonsense little eatery is served on grease-proof paper, including the Greek salad, or else wrapped in it to take out. You'll find all types of flame grilled meats from kontosouvli pork loin, pork, chicken or beef souvlaki to kokoretsi lamb offal sausage. As you'd expect every thing is locally sourced and fired up to a crispy yet succulent perfection.

"The Chickens" has been a Samos institution for over 50 years serving simple yet delicious seasonal dishes throughout the day in a laid-back atmosphere. Unashamedly rustic and traditional, it is famous for its grilled chicken, obviously, but also for a homemade meze selection that remains faithful to the past.

Spirited brothers Andreas, Riginos, and Christophoros enthusiastically run this fourth-generation seafront taverna that has belonged to their family since 1896. Though the restaurant serves mostly traditional Skopelos recipes, some dishes are family favorites; dedicated to the brothers' grandmother whose name was Mahi, meaning battle. Her physical strength and towering height was said to ensure there was never any trouble at the taverna.

The food may be costly, because as the name (which means "the islands") hints, fish is king here. However, when you discover the quality, Ta Nissia doesn't seem overpriced thanks to the freshness of ingredients and artful preparations by owner-chef Yiannis Alexiou. You're in the city here, but the lightness and decor of this place may make you feel as if you've been transported to some Cycladic island. Dishes can be exquisite: taste sensations include squid stuffed with cheese and herbs, veal with smoked eggplant puree, and artichokes in saffron sauce. On the extensive wine list, check out the very pleasing house rosé

This place is serious about its coffee. It was the first new era, award-winning coffee brand from Greece, which not only selected excellent coffee bean varieties from around the world for its roastery, but also trains baristas in all that is coffee. Modern and ergonomic, it's one of the best spots in Athens for a cup, whether begotten by a variety of skilled hand drip and cold brewing methods or pulled from top-of-the-line machines.

Steps away from the busy harbor, Tamam feels like a giant leap back in time—it's an ancient Turkish bath that now houses one of the most atmospheric restaurants in Chania's Old Town. Tamam means "alright" in Turkish, but the plates presented are certainly more than okay. Under the former bath-house's cool arches and in the newer building opposite, Politiki Kouzina, Turkish-tinged plates from the Greeks of Asia Minor predominate. More than 40 wines are carried, mostly from Crete, and many are available by the carafe.

The queues that sneak around the block tell you who cooks the best fish in Tinos. At the far east of the harbor—Tarsanas means boatyard—a stylish wood interior and two outside areas are the setting for distinctive dishes prepared with the finest ingredients. The menu is based on fresh produce with respect to the traditional Tinian kitchen, and all the dishes are served in smaller sampling portions, with correspondingly small prices—all the better to do more sampling!

Set yourself down in the restaurant's plant-filled, shaded outdoor seating area for a serene escape from the burning midday sun. Freshly grilled seafood (including more unusual catch) and meats are the kitchen's strength here, but there are plenty of homemade dishes seldom seen on restaurant menus elsewhere despite their fame, like real gemista (Greek stuffed vegetables).