30 Best Restaurants in Greece

Focused on the philosophy of making what's most comfortingly indulgent from the day's seasonal and fresh ingredients, this is a sophisticated yet unpretentious and quirky Greek restaurant with a gastronomically enticing repertoire. Known for its homey, contemporary feel, it has become a hot spot for the city's foodies. Try the "bread and fish" dish and the vermicelli cooked in a seafood broth with cuttlefish ink and served with steamed clams and sautéed langoustines. Microbrewery beer lovers will also be happy here, although there is a great wine list to match.

Though it's not situated in Votsi, the restaurant is just a 10-minute drive away, and it's one of the island's most unmissable properties, not least for its delightful restaurant serving up exceptional modern Greek cuisine. Merging in total complement to its natural surroundings, the restaurant's unobtrusive tables, chairs, and canopies are spread out across an olive grove on Leftos Gialos beach, one of the island's most beautiful, with pine forest springing from untouched headlands. The menu features Greek and Alonnisos specialties, and are expertly-cooked by chef Michalis Jovas. There are three luxury villas available to book here, should you never want to leave. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A century-old building on a tiny cobbled street hosts white-linen tables on a candlelit veranda. Chef and owner Panagiotis Menardos has worked in top kitchens across the Mediterranean, gathering techniques and ingredients to produce artful, contemporary interpretations of local dishes using the best produce from small suppliers. Comforting, sometimes surprising but always interesting and charming, M-eating is regularly regarded as one of the finest restaurants on the island.

The coffee here is pretty special, but what really steals the show are the delightful desserts. Treat yourself to one of the maison speciality waffles, the honey-soaked French toast, a chocolate cheesecake, or the deconstructed banoffee pie (a British pie made from bananas, cream, and caramel), all with an innovative twist inspired by pastry chef Dionisis Alertas. If you're feeling peckish you can grab a serving of the gastro-fare dished out here, more at home in a fine dining establishment than a café.

One of Volos's claims to fame is its tsipouradiko taverns (named for the regional spirit tsipouro, made by distilling the residue of the grapes after pressing them to make wine). There are plenty to be found in the city's nooks and crannies, including this one, near the waterfront, which has combined the tradition with a youthful spirit that draws from modern gastro-style restaurants, with Edison lightbulbs, copper tubing, and aged raw wood. In addition to dozens of varieties of artisanal tsipouro, ouzo, raki, and zivania; the kitchen turns out a host of traditional mezes, also updated with an inventive gourmet touch.

An intimate little garden, away from the wind and noise, is a secret culinary haven where candlelit tables carry dishes for the gods in the moonlit sky above. Nostimon means "delicious," and it doesn't disappoint as it offers tasty modernized Greek classics. The cooking is authentic but elevated with interesting flavors and textures—an average Greek taverna this is not.

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.

A 19th-century mansion is the stage for one of Santorini's most storied eateries; a traditional white exterior and glossy painted door lead to a chic interior and a 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.

A pastel-yellow courtyard hidden among the sea captains' mansions is where those in the know come to eat in Ia. Elegant and delicious, these modern Greek updates on classic cooking are rays of sunshine among the more tourist-oriented fare elsewhere. Rooted in island ingredients, this is food to make you smile. Friendly and down-to-earth staff help to make the experience memorable and the all-Greek wine list is particularly strong on the local Santorini offerings.

Back in Fira, the restaurant that set Santorini on its own gastronomic trail continues to entice and impress in its new incarnation in the imposing setting of an 18th-century Catholic monastery. The ingredients of the Cyclades are redefined under the watch of Michelin-starred chef Ettore Botrini for a one-of-a-kind experience—this is some of the finest dining in Greece.

This place shines with an original style of cuisine that the restaurant describes as an "earthy philosophy" (which has earned it Michelin's Green Star), because all of its fresh ingredients are organically grown in chef Tassos Mandis's garden in Aleopochori village just outside of Athens. Set in a beautiful 1920s mansion with a warmly lit two-level garden, Soil presents a gourmet set menu of 15 dishes that changes every season and transports diners from the sea to the land via dishes that honor seafood, meat, and fruit and vegetables in visionary and indulgent ways. Note that the beautiful ceramic crockery is all handmade by Mantis' wife, Elia Lampiri, at her MUD LAB studio.

Set on a platform on Ormos Isternion Bay, right up against the Aegean Sea with views of Syros, chef and owner Antonia Zarpa produces innovative, well-thought-out dishes that capture the local flavors of her beloved island. Just as pilgrims visit the cathedral, so do food worshippers head to Thalassaki for its ephemeral works of art—the restaurant has such a cult following that speedboats zip over from Mykonos for lunch.

Overlooking the famous infinity pool of the Grace Hotel, Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou brings his iconic Varoulko dishes to the island. The Aegean and all its bounties are the inspiration for the breathtaking dishes that truly express the exceptional ingredients. The food here revels in its Greekness, generous in color and flavor, matched to contemporary techniques and presentation.

With a 100-year history and humble beginnings, Vassilenas was once a simple yet highly popular fish tavern in Piraeus that gained cult status among Greece's intelligensia and the world's glitterati for its 18-course set of mouthwatering seafood meze dishes. Today it has been taken over from the owner's grandson and modernized in every way, moving to the Ilisia location and taking a new conceptual direction, with polished decor and elegant service. The restaurant remains loyal to the authentic value of its traditional Greek-inspired dishes, tastefully made with premium quality and seasonal ingredients in a gourmet style, but also presents a highly contemporary perspective in terms of preparations. Seafood dishes like carpaccio, fish soup, grilled squid with cuttlefish ink and pulses salad, lead on to mains like grouper shoulders with kefir lime broth and braised veal with orzo. During summer the restaurant's garden, lit by strings of lights, makes for a particularly refreshing escape from urbanity. Vassilenas has since June 2022 also opened Vassilenas Blue  restaurant in Antiparos in the Cyclades.

The standout option for locals and visitors alike amid the tavernas that cling to Pollonia's pretty waterfront. Small plates showcase local specialties artfully presented, while mains update traditional recipes to luxurious gourmet dishes. Into its second decade, service is assured and friendly and it is one of the best places on the island to while away an afternoon or evening.

Located right on the beach in Kini, on a raised, whitewashed dining space lined with pretty white curtains, Allou Yialou is known for its spectacular sunset dining. It's also where everyone goes for Greek dishes that take on a delightful and delicious gourmet twist. Chef Lina Fournistaki and her husband Yiannis pay close attention to service, and the presentation is impressive—it is rightly an island favorite with the locals for a special meal.

Step out of Kallidromiou Street in edgy Exarchia and find yourself in a large, lovely courtyard full of little tables and abundant greenery. Ama Lachei has gained a loyal following for its decently priced, delectable Greek dishes always made with a fanciful flourish and with bona fide ingredients. You'll find scrumptious regional cheeses; seafood appetizers such as orzo pasta with Kozani saffron and tiny shrimps; succulent meats and sausages; and plenty of vegetarian options such as the makarounes Karpathou (a traditional handmade pasta from Karpathos island) with rocket and myzithra cheese. Do like the Greeks, and accompany them with a gratifying choice of regional wines and tsipouro (the local firewater), then linger on with your parea (group of friends) until late at night. Every day there are five to nine new daily specials.

Famously known as Zonars until falling into new ownership recently, Athenee is one of Athens's most established and elegant restaurant-cafés, where a multitude of international film stars, academics, and politicians have sipped their coffee since 1939. Located on the cosmopolitan Voukourestiou street, the plush Art Deco decor, elegant atmosphere, and sophisticated crowd create a feeling of nostalgic old-style luxury combined with modern urban liveliness. Throughout the day Athenee caters to all culinary desires, offering plush brunches, modern Greek dishes, exciting varieties of sushi, mouthwatering pastries, and perfectly mixed cocktails.

Here you'll find contemporary, flavor-packed, and elegant Greek dishes you'll want to linger over for hours. Housed in a Neoclassical building where in 1915 wine and coal was sold, and which in the 1950s turned into the classic Barbagiannis taverna, Cafe Boheme moved from its former base on Omirou Street and opened here during the quiet pandemic years and has quickly developed a loyal clientele. Using fresh, seasonal, and high-quality ingredients inspired by recipes from around Greece with a touch of artistic inspiration, the cuisine at this friendly restaurant is fresh, unpretentious yet sophisticated, and worth returning to try more of. Don't miss out on the succulent grilled sea bream with crispy skin that's served with horta (wild) greens, the goat cheese and dried fig salad, or the turkey meatballs with a cumin-tomato dip. 

This famous, historic restaurant has often been featured in movies due to its astounding location, looking out onto exquisite views of the Acropolis, and it has been a favored dining spot for the world's glitterati for decades. Today's plush establishment serves confident Modern Greek dishes with classic snacks and brunch dishes available during the day, while in the evening the restaurant offers beautifully presented plates that riff on traditional Greek ingredients allied to bold contemporary techniques. A far-reaching wine card and attentive service make this a must visit for those in search of quality cooking allied to an unforgettable view.

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.

This legendary Psarou beach restaurant is the place to go on the island for a healthy dose of excess—super-bling, 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 actually 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. It is a place to be seen spending conspicuously, and depending on your sensibilities, you will either love it or hate it. For those who want to live the full lifestyle, there is a 26 room and 3 villa Nammos hotel next door.

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.

Lobster, crayfish, all kinds of seafood, and fish at their freshest and in both classic and modern renditions are served at this elegant restaurant on the Peiraiki coastline, with pretty interiors and sumptuous sea views. Try the cuttlefish "ribs," fluffy taramosalata fish roe dip and seasonal ceviche, or the orzo pasta with mussels and clams.