7 Best Restaurants in The Cyclades, Greece

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 stupendous 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.

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—some of the finest dining in Greece.

Globe-trotting chef Fred Chesneau finally set down roots in Paros, bringing French-influenced dining to the island. A romantic flower-filled garden with white ironwork furniture is a pretty match for the bi-weekly changing fixed menu that features the best locally sourced seasonal produce. Just 30 lucky diners each night get to experience a food journey that may take them from Paros to Paris via Bangkok and Tokyo.

Overlooking the famous infinity pool of the Grace Hotel, Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou brings his iconic Varouko 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.

Hidden away in the Dilou quarter, this is one of the most reputable restaurants on the island, featuring the best of both French and Greek cuisine, which makes it well worth the search to find it. Once you're here you'll see a handful of linen-laden tables sat under a canopy of brilliant bougainvillea in an iconic Mykonos photo pose, while the lovely whitewashed candlelit interior features Cycladic arches and a faded 16th-century tapestry from Constantinople. It is very elegant, very sophisticated and very expensive but the fine food and excellent, hospitable service keep people coming.

Legendary Psarou beach restaurant that 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.

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.