462 Best Restaurants in Greece

A standout among the many affable places along the harbor front, Elia is a little more sophisticated than its neighbors and with a modern European focus offers a refreshingly eclectic take on Greek cuisine with a big nod to local flavors. Fish-focused, the dishes are meticulously presented and as pretty as a picture. As you would expect, the wine list is full of Samian vintages as well as a few of the best from the rest of Greece.

A 10-minute walk south of the center takes you across the river and into the suburbs, where you'll find this friendly, effortlessly retro neighborhood taverna. Inside, jazz music echoes the vintage ad posters for 1950s Greek cigarettes and long-gone liquors, while the menu is a treasure trove of hearty classics, from Spartan dishes like pork with olives and orange to the lightest of moussakas. It's great value and a peaceful break from the cramped plateia terraces.

The young trio of owners—Yiannis, Kostas, and Alexandros—energize this beach taverna just 30 meters (100 feet) from Vlichos Beach with friendly, attentive service. Traditional fare ranges from ntakos and lively salads to shrimp linguine, each pairing nicely with house wine or an ice-cold beer. All-white walls with cool-blue accents pop against cascades of pink bougainvillea, and at the rear you’ll find the Hydra Diving Center’s Vlichos base.

This breezy place brings a modern, soulful twist to the classic Athenian tsipouro bar, combined with the aesthetics and philosophy of a French bistro. Serving a choice of mere dishes—some served "blind" as a surprise and others on the menu, it pairs a romantic, art-filled interior with a vibrant mix of Greek and European, mostly French, wines—often served from dramatic magnum bottles. Start with fresh oysters and ceviche and ask for the dish of the day. As the night deepens, the cozy space buzzes with conversation and candlelight. A stylish, intimate spot for lingering, best reserved ahead after sundown.

This place transforms Greek culinary essence with a creative Balkan fusion cuisine that is unique to Greece. Albanian-origin, Michelin-starred chef Elvi Zyba's avant-garde plates, served in a modern, tranquil ambience, awaken the senses with bright, fresh, flavorful yet delicate touches. Dishes like marinated or crispy seafood are enhanced with herbs, citrus fruit and flowers. Here, comforting, as well as tantalizing takes on classics from Albania, Greece, and Bulgaria, take center stage. Don't miss out on the mouthwatering dolma stuffed with beef tartare and the feel-good giaourtotavas, lamb sweetbreads served with rice and yogurt.

Perched just below Corfu's brooding New Fortress, whose name it borrows, this restaurant serves up knockout traditional Greek dishes with a side of rustic romance from its lovely surroundings—all soft lighting and swaying trees. Tables are tucked beneath stone arches, with sunset skies over the harbor, and plates that really pop—like citrusy ceviche, rich seafood pasta, and fall-apart lamb. It's stylish but unpretentious.

At this chic, hip, sparkling, and artfully designed wine-lover's paradise, you can try food influenced from Greek and Scandinavian cooking, with starters like fresh, succulent oysters with champagne sauce and mains like venison on charcoal, Wagyu beef with shrimp tartare, and Ossetra caviar and lobster pasta.

Self-taught and ever-evolving chef Andreas Gavris creates seasonal delights fit for the gods in his justifiably popular restaurant. Standouts include the melon soup with prawns and mint; bourani, a rich rice dish with nettles, wild mushrooms, and a Gruyère-like cheese from Crete; and black pig of Olympus stew and mountain lamb, cooked with mushroom and wheat puree. People travel from far and wide to enjoy Andreas' creations, which help make the superb location become even more enticing. Choose between the classic menu or five a-la-carte options including one vegan selection. The wine list has more than 500 labels on offer.

Let's start with the view: the Acropolis, the distant mountains, and Syntagma Square below looking like a theater set from such a high angle. Add to that a sophisticated and modern Greek-Mediterranean menu of haute cuisine dishes and an excellent wine list, and you've got a winner. This classic and incredibly scenic restaurant on the rooftop of the legendary Grand Bretagne hotel, where a stream of world leaders, A'listers, and other major personalities have stayed over 150 years, makes for an idyllic fine-dining experience. Premium meats, hand-picked seasonal ingredients, and the freshest fish are served by gracious staff who know how to make guests feel special. Make the best of the stunning 360-degree views of the city by preceding your dinner at the buzzy outdoor Bar 8, sipping a beautifully mixed signature cocktail under a sky painted in sunset hues.

Descend into the rustic interior of this bakery and you will feel like you have stepped back in time; Gioras dates back to the 18th century and is the oldest working wood-fired bakery in the Cyclades. Take a couple of pies for the beach, or sit with a coffee and a slice of baklava and breathe in the history.

In-the-know locals will patiently queue here to get their fill of a fantastic, freshly made sandwich stuffed with deli ingredients of their choice. This small, family-run 1980s place is both vintage and progressive, and despite its huge fan base remains completely unpretentious. Choose among ingredients like cheeses, chutneys, cold cuts, pickled or marinated vegetables, and seafood to create the sandwich of your dreams, made with fresh artisanal bread. You can also buy fresh salads and freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices.

A finger of rock stretches into the sea on the edge of Chiona Beach with a handful of blue-check-clothed wooden tables. It's a magical location with kids diving into the clearest water nearby, and fishermen tying up to the jetty to unload a fresh catch. Those fish are grilled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon for you, along with a menu of traditional Cretan dishes. It's a simple proposition but one that few do as well as here. Choose a local Sitia wine from their list and snooze off the afternoon at the nearby beach.

Take a water's edge table at Skala Sikaminia’s oldest taverna, under the shade of the mulberry tree where Myrivilis used to write, and watch the fishing boats track in and out of the tiny harbor. You would be remiss to not eat fish here; ask what the catch of the day is and order some fried zucchini to go with it, maybe some calamari, the house Skamnia salad, and, of course, some ouzo.

As is the case with much of Kefalonia, many of its dining gems are found outside of the larger towns. Il Borgo lies in the lee of Agios Georgios Castle, 15 minutes' drive south of Argostoli, and makes for a dramatic pit stop. Its vine-shaded terrace has easily the best dining views on the island and the food isn't far behind, with homespun pastitsada (one-pot pasta) and lip-smacking youvetsi (slow-cooked lamb leg and orzo) soothing both belly and soul.

French-trained chef Kostas Bougiouris lends his expertise to this waterside restaurant. Almost on the beach, the setting is elegant and the cooking focuses on seafood and local Syros products, presented in a modern, creative style. The most gourmet of Syros eateries, crisp linen and a sophisticated white design are the background to the immaculately plated dishes. Romantic and intimate in atmosphere, attentive staff ensure that every visit is memorable.

Progressive chef Georgianna Halidaki, Greece's only female chef to have been awarded two Michelin stars, helms this elegant, seafood-loving place combining contemporary techniques with traditional Greek and Mediterranean concepts. Dishes like fish tartare yiouverlakia and dolmades wrapped in wake instead of fig leaves, grilled langoustines, pasta with Greek bottarga, and green pepper sauce oysters, are luxurious, refined, and packed with authentic tastes of the sea. Desserts are great, too, created by patissier Manolis Stithos who plays with nostalgic Greek childhood sweets, reintroducing them in a memorable new light. Think caramelized nori milk pie (galatopita), the chocolate "Chicago" ice cream (a vintage Greek) or a signature pistachio ice cream. The intuitively curated wine list includes Greek and European wines that pair excellently with the menu.

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.

This centuries-old landmark on the main thoroughfare between the old and new harbors dates back to Ottoman times, and is perhaps the best place in town to sip ouzo—you'll be sat beneath a vine-shaded terrace with fresh flowers on your table and plenty of old-world relics to eye while you wait. A long list of mouthwatering and excellent-value mezedes are on the menu, such as smyrneika soutzoukakia (spicy meatballs), octopus in wine sauce, long-cooked chickpeas, baked aubergines, and homemade sausages, plus traditional desserts.

Refined Aegean cuisine with jewel-like presentation is the order of the day—this is food that you devour with your eyes first. There is culinary magic on the plates here, too, though, as this is five-star cooking. A bright and fresh room, wistfully painted with sea creatures and cacti, is the backdrop to this bijou establishment on the main street. The owners and staff are warm and keen to explain the details of every dish. Kalokeri means summer in Greek and the sunshine shines out of every dish. This is an unmissable and unique place.

Family run by the owners of the nearby Opera House hotel, Kavos has umbrella-shaded quayside seating for sunny days and for cooler evenings tables in the elegant setting of an old Symiot mansion. The Med-fusion menu emphasizes local seafood. 

An ice-cream workshop (dare we say laboratory) and store, Kokkion is the brainchild of a Cordon Bleu patissiere and serves ice cream like no other in Athens. The parlor uses only superfresh ingredients like cow's milk from a small farm in northern Greece, high-quality French chocolate, and homemade caramel, seasonings, and flavorings. Most exciting of all are the unique flavors, like milk chocolate with orange and pepper and coconut sorbet with chocolate steamed biscuit and chocolate pieces, as well as classics like bitter chocolate, salted caramel, and vanilla. Lactose-free vegan options are available, too.

If you're looking to sample Zakynthian specialties, you can't do much better than this place, which serves them up in the comfort of its sprawling, tree-shaded garden, complete with a dozen cats for company. The dishes, most including slow-cooked meats, are authentic, and the atmosphere warm, with regular traditional music played for diners, too.

A favorite stop in Chios Town is this cool ice-cream shop that has been making its best-selling ice cream for nearly 100 years. It is open from 10 in the morning until 10 at night and it is always busy. The praline is famed, but new flavors are given a trial every month and you have to try the mastica when in Chios.

Labyrinthos is an old favorite of locals and visitors alike. This stone-walled setting, tucked away off the main drag, sets the perfect pace for a whistle-stop tour through some classic taverna fare, from katsikaki (goat in olive oil) to fried anchovies, and even recognizes the region's Slavic influence with a tasty pork schnitzel.

Located in the depths of the countryside, Ladokolla is a magnet for locals and visitors in search of an authentic dining experience. Expect first-class charcoal grills, with mushrooms and vegetables on the menu if you don't eat meat. The setting suits the vibe; it has the style of a ranch grill-house, with wide-open spaces, lots of wooden furniture, and a family-friendly feel.

This inventive taverna, run by a pair of local twins, is well loved by islanders. The atmosphere is never less than bouncing, with the dying light accompanied by the old-world strains of Greek guitar and the husky accompaniment of moist-eyed diners. The hand-written, meat-heavy menu is capable of surprises, too, with house takes on traditional favorites (kleftiko, kreatopita, etc.). Booking is advised.

The late Mrs. Lela, once housekeeper for author Patrick Leigh Fermor, was famous for her simple, old-fashioned cooking using fragrant homemade olive oil and exceedingly fresh tomatoes and herbs. Her namesake taverna is an institution in these parts, and dinner beneath the trees on the seaside terrace of an oleander-covered stone house is a high point of a visit to the Mani. Chicken with rosemary, light moussaka, and fish soup are among Lela's dishes that her son Giorgos and his staff now prepare. Upstairs are simple but comfortable rooms with fine sea views looking out over the coast.

Chef George Mavridis is an expert at merging the flavors of traditional Greek dishes with contemporary tastes to offer an exciting menu that is beautifully presented. The dining space, a whitewashed indoor room and garden dining area shrouded by vines, is inviting. Menus change seasonally but expect Asian and Italian flavors to sit aside the best Greek produce. Attentive and unhurried service makes for the best dining on the island.

Spetses's most renowned restaurant has been evolving since it first opened almost three decades ago, and the owner, Giorgos—a local who grew up on the island working in his father's taverna—still loves what he does and it shows. Everyone from fishermen to Hollywood headliners know him by his first name, and a meal here is not to be missed, not only for the innovative upscale Greek-Mediterranean dishes and thoughtful wine list, but also for the elegant and romantic seafront setting and candlelit tables on a little pier jutting into the bay. Try the ceviche made with the catch of the day, the island's traditional fish à la Spetsiota and the grilled jumbo prawns. The restaurant also hosts events like weddings and parties.