You may have not noticed, but I left my readers hanging. I do not think it is hyperbole to say it is a bigger let down than the delay in the last two Game of Thrones books. A while ago I did a Eating in Greece post, it was supposed to be a two part piece, one section Athens (click this link to read it), the second post was to concentrate on Santorini food. Yet here it is about two years later and still no word on what I ate on this beautiful Greek island. Well this post will remedy that mistake. Picking the best restaurants in Santorini is not an easy task, there are plenty of good things to stuff your face with on the island, I will give you my highlights.
If you read most of my food posts, I may sound like a broken record when comparing America to the rest of the world. This is especially true when talking about areas in the Mediterranean. I go on and on about the Seafood and freshness of the ingredients worldwide. It is true that Santorini cuisine is seafood heavy, but there is a lot more to it than that. All the ingredients were fresh, whether it was wine, meat, or produce, which is a difficult task for an island. Greece has a wonderful food culture, Santorini may be a bit touristy at times, but the food was unusually good for a place with so many visitors.
My goal is to direct people to the best things to eat in Santorini. It is safe to say that I did not have any bad meals in this area, but there were also a lot of “must try spots.” Let me preface this, as I have with all my recent posts, I am not guaranteeing that a lot of these places will be still in business after this terrible year. If you were to read this today most of Europe is closed and many restaurants have shuttered for good. It is my hope you discovered this post in better times and it still provides value. Below is where to find the best Santorini food and some of the things to order. FYI…If you’re feeling like you do not want to read the whole post I provided a table at the end.
Seafood
Any place near the water in Europe is going to have outstanding seafood and Santorini is no exception. Most seafood is amazing here, but my preference was always the grilled calamari and octopus. Americans usually only have calamari fried, this way you cannot even tell what you are eating. I like my calamari to look like the sea monster that attacks ships in old movies. The more tentacles the better! The same goes for my octopus, it needs to creep you out.
The good news is Santorini is swimming with seafood (pun intended). The octopus is fresh, many times you will watch the ships bring it in while you are sitting at your table. The boats are out all night so you can eat well, the least you can do is oblige them! Santorini meals should start with seafood… I had it all over the island, but one of my favorites is the below spot.
Katina Fish Tavern (Taverna Katina)
Katina Fish Tavern was one of the best restaurants in Santorini for seafood that I visited. There is a more popular, but also more touristy place right next door (Ammoudi Fish Tavern) it is good, but they dropped the ball on the Octopus. Katina Fish Tavern delivered a home run in terms of freshness and a relaxed atmosphere. There is nothing fancy about this spot. Just delicious, extremely fresh food that will have you coming back for more.
Katina Fish Tavern was one of those places you order the same meal twice. This is exactly what I did, after polishing off a full arm of an octopus and some delicious calamari (and multiple Greek beers) the check came. Oh no I said, please deliver me the same meal (beers included). The views are amazing, but amazing views are a dime a dozen in Santorini. Katina Fish Tavern is located in Oia, right on the water, on the lower port. Keep walking down the many stairs until you come across it. If you are a seafood lover, you will agree this is one of the best restaurants in Santorini.
Gyros/Souvlaki
First, I want to point out that although one might find them similar there are certainly differences between these two meat sandwiches. It comes down to how the meat is cooked, a Gyro is peeled off a giant cone and a souvlaki is cooked on a spit, it is in more of a tubed form. Hope that clarifies it, sure it kept you up at night. Both are delicious and are classic Santorini sandwiches. Most of the best ones I tried are in Fira, here are my top three.
Lucky’s Souvlakis
So many of a drunken night (and day) I spent enjoying Lucky’s Souvlakis. Most likely you will find the owner hanging around, I remember him being a friendly guy. The souvlakis are outstanding, and very cheap. To be fair they are cheap in most places in Santorini. I really enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food. Maybe it was just all the good memories, but when reminiscing about the best restaurants in Santorini for Souvlaki or Gyros, Lucky’s pops into my mind.
Nick the Grill
A close second is Nick the Grill, which is about twenty feet away, this restaurant was better at Gyros than Souvlakis (although both were good). One advantage to this establishment was that it ventured into some Americanized foods (hamburgers, hot dogs, fries) if you are with some picky eaters, this might be helpful. Nick the Grill had food that was just as satisfying as Lucky’s, but the atmosphere was maybe a step down. I am splitting hairs, both places are incredible
Obelix
Maybe a step behind the other two, Obelix is a great alternative for your meat in pita needs. Obelix was a bit more crowded and a bit pricier than the other two (probably due to its location), but still great. All three of these spots are in Fira, I am sure Oia has one or two that can be competitive.
Wine in Santorini
I know this article is about Santorini food and where to find the best Santorini restaurants, but I think discussing the wine scene is a must. First, because the wine is so delicious in Santorini and secondly, most of the wineries serve food. In most cases extremely good food. There are 18 wineries throughout the island (most of which you need to get a ride to from the more popular areas). My favorite was the Venetsanos Winery.
Venetsanos Winery
This is the type of place you go for a 5-euro tour and end up unable to dial a cab 4-hours later. It is still my favorite winery that I have been to worldwide. The view alone is something special, for some reason it felt even better than the rest of the island (may have been a wine memory). The wine itself is incredible, I did a tasting that allowed me to figure out which bottle or two (or three I believe) I wanted to end the night on.
Venetsanos Winery doubles as a Santorini restaurant, at least from May 1st – Oct. 1st. The cafe serves a variety of cheese as well as much of the Santorini food you have grown to love, such as Greek salads and saganaki. If you are a drinker and love good food head to Venetsanos Winery.
Other Santorini Foods to Look out For
Santorini food has a great variety. There are several other items one should look out for when visiting this island. Let me give you another six. These are in no particular order and found throughout the island.
- Fava me Koukia – Traditionally mashed up, although I had one of my best Fava bean experiences in a place I will get to in a minute, and they were not. This is a staple in most Santorini restaurants. It seems like a simple dish, but when done right it is outstanding.
- Tomatokeftedes – Tomato fritters are another common food found in Santorini. I had mine at the Ammoudi Fish Tavern, as mentioned it is a bit of a touristy place located next to Katina Fish Tavern in Oia. Have a batch of these and a nice Greek salad then move next door for the main course.
- Roasted Lamb – Once again something the Greeks excel in; the lamb is delicious all over Greece and Santorini is no exception. If you get tired of sea monster, you will not be disappointed with some local lamb.
- Pomegranate– You can just pick these from the trees (or probably buy one from someone on the side of the road, otherwise you may be stealing). I love Pomegranates and they are growing everywhere on the Island.
- Saganaki – Fried Cheese with honey, enough said! Enjoy your hardened arteries.
- Kofta meat balls– Delicious lamb meatballs in a red sauce. Seasoned differently than Italian meatballs, they have more of a middle eastern flair.
The Best Restaurants in Santorini
I have given you a list of Santorini foods to try, let me expand on the best restaurants in Santorini. As mentioned most places on the island were great, but there were some exceptional spots as well. By far my favorite restaurant in Santorini was this one below.
METAXI MAS
Certainly, one of the best restaurants in Santorini, if not the best. Far and away the most exceptional meal of my trip and I was lucky enough to end my time on the island with such a high note. Grab a cab, if I remember correctly this restaurant is about a 20 minute or so drive from Fira. It is worth the extra expense of a taxi and the drive to a faraway location. As much as I loved all the food in Santorini, sometimes it was a bit repetitive. Metaxi Mas is a local favorite, where you get the best and most unique versions of traditional Santorini food.
The atmosphere was amazing, I went on a cool October night and the tables were glowing with candlelight. It is right next to an old church, you do not have the traditional views of the water, but the views are great none the same. The food was exquisite, starting even with the bread and the appetizer (had the best Fava beans of my trip here). There was nothing I did not like. There Is a reason Metaxi Mas is voted one of the best restaurants in Santorini by so many locals. Great food, great atmosphere, and nice people. It was a perfect end to the trip.
Taverna Tzanakis
This is another one that is out of the way a bit. Taverna Tzanakis was about a 25-minute walk north of Fira. This spot also offered a unique dining experience. Not that I have anything against squid, I clearly love it. It is just a man needs some roasted lamb every now and again, and they had a good one.
Parea Tavern
This was a staple for me in Fira, Parea Tavern served some consistently great food at good prices. It happened to be right near my hotel the Athina Luxury Suites (read my review at the link) it is a bit more upscale than some of the other spots. Still the prices were very good overall, and the food was excellent with a lot of variety. Given I went there so many times I got to know the waiter very well, the poor guy wanted to jump off the balcony after 6-months of working 7-days a week, dealing with hordes of cruise ship zombies! Parea tavern is a great place to stop if you are in Fira and hungry.
Honorable Mention (For Drinks): PK Cocktail Bar
Not a place I ate at, but if you are looking for a bar after a day of walking and eating highly recommend PK Cocktail Bar. The prices are high when compared to the cheap Greek wine, but nothing out of the ordinary, especially if you are coming from the United States. It is an extremely classy establishment, with really well-made drinks. I needed to slip this one in here considering how much time I spent drinking at the PK Cocktail bar.
Tips for Finding the Best Santorini Restaurants
If you want to find authentic food in Santorini, you need to take some preemptive action. I did not have many bad meals here, but some were better than others and some meals you paid twice as much for lower quality food. If you want to find the best Santorini restaurants follow the below:
- Go Inward my Son: Remove the great view from the equation and the food must be stellar for a place to survive. There for go toward the center of the island. Santorini is all about the atmosphere, a place cannot have no view and bad food. They will work harder to make for a better experience if they are further from the water.
- Trust Locals (be weary of the hotel Staff): Whenever you can ask a local where they like to eat. Who else but someone who lives on the island can give you the inside scoop to find truly traditional Greek food at a reasonable price? Hotel staff can be tricky, many times in the past I have had people send me astray for a kickback from the restaurant. Not so much in Greece, but in other countries. I was lucky enough to get to know the woman who worked at my hotel and she gave me some great advice.
- Be Weary in Fira and Oia: Maybe a bit contradictory since I recommended so many places in these areas. Still, these towns are the most expensive areas and they cater to cruise ship zombies that mull around. When an eatery knows they will not be seeing a guest again they may not put forth your best effort.
- Do not put down the Hotel Breakfast: I usually hate to eat at the hotel, but the Athina luxury suites gave me a great experience every morning. Fresh fruit, eggs greek yogurt delivered to my door along with Champagne. who can complain? At least check it out, see how it holds up.
Before I go let me give you a quick chart if you do not want to read my long-winded post!
| METAXI MAS | The Best Restaurant in Santorini |
| Parea Tavern | Solid Establishment in Fira |
| Lucky’s Souvlakis | Perfect Spot for a Souvlaki |
| Venetsanos Winery | Best Winery of my Trip |
| Nick the Grill | Great Gyros |
| Katina Tavern | Wonderful Seafood in Oia |
| Taverna Tzanakis | Solid Unpretentious Greek food |
| PK Cocktail Bar | Great Place for Drinks |
Conclusion: Santorini Food: The Best Santorini Restaurants
Finally, my masterpiece is complete! I am looking forward to HBO making a T.V show about it! This post brings back memories. I cannot wait for the time when we can travel again to faraway lands and enjoy paradise. Santorini food is amazing because it is fresh and uncomplicated. Soon we will be back in the swing of things and enjoying great European destinations. In the meantime, all we can do is read about them while fantasize about being away.
