Quest Greek Islands

Greek Island Restaurant Reviews

The Greek Islands are renowned for their healthy diet and testimony to this fact is that the Islands have very low rates of cancer and heart disease. Health specialists believe this is due to the fact that the islanders eat a well balanced diet rich in seafood, honey, fruit, vegetables and olive oil. Even the Greek restaurants adhere to these principles serving quality fresh food at prices far lower than home. We take a look at some of the best restaurants on the islands.

Crete

If you are heading out to Chania be sure to stop off at the Maruvas Taverna in Vamos. It’s on the left hand side as you enter the village and is always packed with local diners.  You can dine both inside and alfresco, both have benefits; the interior décor is absolutely beautiful right down to the spotlessly clean toilets and the brilliant white table linen and deep red table cloths and outside the views over Kalyves bay and the hills and olive groves are simply wonderful. The service is excellent and the menu typically Cretan with plenty of fresh fish, grilled meats, tasty salads, pasta and dishes baked in the oven. Every diner receives a basket of homemade bread fresh from the oven along with a tasty vegetable dip. There is a good selection of wines including plenty of local varieties all at reasonable prices. Recommended is the mixed salad, the stuffed mushrooms filled with cheese, the char grilled chicken marinated in honey and the grilled lamb chops. Don’t be in a hurry to pay your bill; they always serve you with a complimentary carafe of Raki.

Mykonos

If you’re heading for Mykonos town then be sure to dine at La Maison de Catherine on Ayios Gerasimos, but be sure to take your wallet because this place whilst one of the best restaurants on the Greek Islands is far from cheap. The owner Katarina offers excellent service and tasty cuisine and a menu combining typical Greek fayre with French cuisine. The interior is decorated in a typical Cycladic style with whitewashed walls and arches and a touch of French shabby-chic. The air is one of romance with dim candlelight and soft background music, which sets tone for the delicately prepared meals. Recommended is the stuffed baby squid, cheese and seafood soufflé, leg of lamb (with mint sauce!) and lobster pasta.

Santorini

Santorini is home to a charming village restaurant located in the northern village of Oia. Restaurant 1800 is housed in a late 19th century white houses, once the home of a wealthy ship owner. It was tastefully restored in 1986 by leading architect Ioannis Zaggelidis.  The restaurant serves authentic Greek food combining local produce with traditional Mediterranean cooking methods. Each year the menu is reviewed and new innovative dishes added. Recommended is the roast fish platter with local cheese, the egg-roe of Messologgi, grilled lamb chops with sweet-and-sour green apple sauce and fillet of fresh white grouper. The 1800’s chef presents each dish like a work of art using a different, but complimentary palette of colour. The restaurant also serves a wide selection of wines but the one to try is the local Santorini Vinsanto. The décor here is magnificent as is the incredible view of the island’s volcano from the rooftop garden. Each table is beautifully laid with a brilliant white cloth, atmospheric candle light and delicate crystal and china. The restaurant furniture is also fitting with the era and style of the house and the volcano from the terrace.

Kefalonia

Watch the mesmerizing sunsets from the Byron Taverna in the village of Lakitra, which lies 4 km from Agostoli. This small restaurant isn’t renowned for its scenic views; although the festoons of pink red and purple combined with the fragrance of wild thyme do help you to forget that you are too close to the airport for that but the view of the dying sun combined with the quality food more than makes up for this. The restaurant serves traditional Greek cuisine; recommended is the spicy Greek sausage in a wine sauce, the Greek salad made from rich feta cheese, the lamb kelftiko and the Moussaka. The wine selection is good including the fruity house red wine. Don’t rush to order a dessert; the waiters serve large portions of juicy, fresh watermelon after the main course. A two-course meal for two with wine costs around 30 Euros, which is excellent value and far better than some of the more commercial restaurants on the island.

Kos

If you really want to experience genuine, authentic Greek food, then head for the Taverna Ampeli in Zipari village, just 8 km from Kos town. The restaurant has an idyllic location facing the sea set in its very own vineyard. The interior is equally spectacular, with beautiful wooden beams and a romantic air about it. The service is also good and discreet. There are so many tasty dishes to choose from on the menu you will be spoilt for choice; recommended are the dolmades, the pliogouri – a type of gruel, the casserole known as giouvetsi and the meatballs or revithokefteves. At the weekend during the daytime, the Easter-style goat is the best dish to try; it is baked at a low temperature and tastes delicious.  There is a wide selection of alcoholic drinks including the local wine – try the house white, which is light and dry or the retsina, which is incredibly sweet. A meal for two with alcohol costs around 30 Euros.