Santorini Food & Wine
My two sons at a restaurant in Ammoudi Bay. Eating out in Santorini is a delight.
- 4-Hour Walking Food Tour
– Excellent Santorini food tour with tastings (much of it along the caldera) from Firostefani to Fira. Highly Recommended!- Santorini Sunset Wine Tour
– Santorini wines are wonderful and this gives a good overview of 3 of the best wineries on the island. Hotel pick up and drop off make it easy.- Santorini Private Cooking Class & Wine Tasting
– A super fun introduction to Greek food. Lots of hands-on cooking. Great for groups, couples, or singles.- Reservations are required at most of the restaurants listed below. Reserving 3 to 5 days in advance will be fine most of the time – but if it’s a really special occasion then book a table weeks (maybe even months) in advance just to be sure.
- Tipping in Santorini: Tipping is customary in Greece tourist spots. A general rule for a casual meal at a taverna is to tip about €2 to €5 or to round the bill up to the nearest number ending in a “0” or “5.” For example, if your bill is €27, leave a total of €30. For higher-end restaurants, tipping 5 to 10% is standard; 15% is considered generous. For bars and cafés if ordering at the counter, round up to the nearest euro; for table service, tip about 5 to 10%.
- My very favorite restaurants in Santorini: Metaxi Mas • Cava Alta • Ouzeri • Athenian House • Avocado • Candouni • Roka
- Best Santorini Restaurants with Caldera View: Athenian House • Naoussa • La Maison • Ambrosia. (In general the best restaurants don’t have caldera views but there are exceptions.)
- Best Restaurants with Sunset View: Athenian House • Naoussa • Elinikon.
- If you visit any of these restaurants please mention that you heard about them from Santorini Dave. Thanks!
Hotel Restaurants with Great Views
Many of the top Santorini hotels have restaurants with great food and fantastic views. These are my favorites:
• Kivotos Hotel (Mavro)
• Grace in Imerovigli (Varoulko)
• Mystique Hotel in Oia (Lure)
• Andronis Luxury Suites in Oia (Lycabettus)
• Cavo Tagoo near Imerovigli (Vezené)
• Charisma in Imerovigli (sunset champagne event at the bar)
• Andronis Boutique Hotel in Oia (Lauda)
• Astra Suites in Imerovigli (Five Senses)
• Carpe Diem in Pyrgos (Exaltis, wonderful panoramic view)
•Athina Luxury Suites in Fira (Esperisma, stunning volcano views)
The Best Restaurants in Santorini
Metaxi Mas – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 31323
This is the best restaurant on Santorini. If you ask at your hotel, “where is the best place to eat in Santorini?”, they’ll probably send you here. Reservations strongly recommended. The views are of Kamari beach and the airport. A perfect evening (away from the caldera) would include a meal at Metaxi Mas and then a late-night movie at the outdoor cinema in Kamari, about a 5-minute drive away. Metaxi Mas is located in Exo Gonia, down the hill behind the impressive Agios Charalambos church. There are parking lots on both sides of the church.
Best Restaurants in Fira
Selene – $$$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 22249
Fine dining located inside of a converted monastery within Fira’s only 5 star hotel, Katikies Garden. In its 35th year in operation, now newly led by the Michelin-starred chef Ettore Botrini.
Naoussa – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 21277
Wonderful traditional food and wide caldera views at the north end of pedestrian Fira. Reservations recommended.
Ouzeri – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 21566
Good food in a relaxed setting. The big bright sign makes it look very touristy (almost questionable) but the food is delicious and moderately priced. Reservations recommended for dinner but not usually necessary for lunch.
Cacio e Pepe – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 24971
The best Italian restaurant in Santorini. Good Italian wines. Fun and friendly.
Lucky’s Souvlaki – $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 22003
One of my favorite things to eat on Santorini is a gyro from Lucky’s. Cheap and delicious. Perfect for lunch. You order at the cash register then place your receipt on the bar near the cook. Seating is very limited in the restaurant itself, but right across the street there is a public seating area with a little shade, perfect for peoplewatching. Don’t miss this!
Ftelos Brewery – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22861 86627
Cutting-edge brewery with a rooftop garden (seen above) serving a beer-themed, modern Mediterranean menu and a playful range of craft beers made with local, seasonal, and unorthodox ingredients. Offering tours, tastings, pairings, cooking classes, and a course in home brewing, a visit to Ftelos in any capacity is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Located in Karterados, about a 15-minute walk south of the main square in Fira.
Argo – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 22594
Recently moved from the caldera’s edge to a countryside location about a 20-minute walk to the northeast of Fira. One of my favorites. Reservations recommended.
Best Restaurants in Oia
Candouni – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71616
Warm and romantic vibe with traditional Greek food and live music most nights. Reservations recommended.
Roka – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71896
My favorite restaurant in Oia. Charming, quiet location. Wonderful food. No caldera view. Reservations recommended.
Elinikon – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71994
The best restaurant in Oia that has sunset views. Delicious food. Specializes in meze, small dishes ideal for sharing. Reservations recommended.
Karma – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71404
Charming restaurant with some of the best dishes in Oia. Reservations recommended.
Ambrosia – $$$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71413
The most romantic restaurant in Oia and maybe all of Santorini. Make reservations far in advance.
Panorama Terrace – $$$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71453
OK, maybe this place is more romantic, but there’s only one table and one seating per night (8 to 11pm). Reserve at least 27 years in advance at info@canaves.com.
Lotza – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71357
A small cafe with good food (the Oia Spaghetti is delicious), reasonable prices, and a patio with spectacular views. The baklava is great. Most of the Oia restaurants I mention here are only open for dinner making Lotza a good option for lunch. But don’t order the souvlaki (always get souvlaki or gyro from a specialized gyro/souvlaki shop, never at a sit-down restaurant). Reservations usually not required.
Ammoudi Fish Tavern – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 72298
Ammoudi is the port below Oia and there are four restaurants here, all with super fresh seafood. The Ammoudi Fish Tavern is the best of them but they’re all good choices with wonderful seafront views. Walk down to the waterfront, and have the restaurant call you a taxi to avoid the climb back up. Reservations aren’t needed for lunch but a good idea for dinner.
Oia Vineyart – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 72046
Romantic restaurant serving seasonal, fresh dishes using products almost entirely sourced locally in Santorini and the Cyclades. Their impressive wine cellar boasts bottles from every vineyard on the island. Reservations recommended.
Pitogyros – $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71119
The best place in Oia for gyros, souvlaki, and kebabs, along with their house-made pork sausage. A small, covered seating area is across the lane from the restaurant.
Dimitris Taverna – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 71606
Amazing seaside taverna in Ammoudi Bay serving a simple menu of fresh-caught fish alongside local delicacies, including fava (a grass pea dip) and tomatokeftedes (fried tomato fritters). Reservations recommended for dinner. For lunch, just walk in (though there may be a little wait).
Lefkes – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 72211
Beautiful restaurant set in a 19th-century wine cave in traditional Finikia village just outside of Oia. The menu features creative takes on traditional Greek fare. The moussaka croquettes are among their most popular dishes, along with their slow-simmered lamb (cooked overnight). Reservations recommended for dinner.
Best Restaurants in Imerovigli
Athenian House – $$$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 36420
The best caldera and sunset views of any restaurant in Santorini. The gourmet menu features contemporary takes on regional Greek cuisine with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Beverage offerings highlight the best Santorinian and Greek wines along with creative co*cktails. Book months in advance.
Avocado – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 36183
Along with the Athenian House, this is my favorite restaurant in Imerovigli. Delightful food and people, but no view. Reservations usually not required for lunch but a good idea for dinner.
Anogi – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 21285
Wonderful restaurant with a trendy yet casual vibe and an authentic menu of local Santorinian dishes and Greek comfort classics.
La Maison – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 25649
The best restaurant in this area of southern Imerovigli. Modern Greek with French flair. Desserts are amazing too.
Best Restaurants in Firostefani
Aktaion – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 22336
The best restaurant in Firostefani and the oldest in Santorini, owned and operated by the same family since 1922. Charming atmosphere with tables spilling out onto the sidewalk when it gets busy. Reservations recommended.
Remvi – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 28200
There are several restaurants with breathtaking views in Firostefani. Remvi has the tastiest food. Reservations recommended if you want a table along the edge.
Da Vinci – $$
Website • Phone: +30 69460 03463
Very good Italian food. Views look east, not into the caldera. Reservations usually not required. Good for last minute seating and large groups.
Best Restaurants in Pyrgos
Cava Alta – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 33932
Hidden in the lanes below the castle in Pyrgos, this restaurant has some of my favorite dishes in Santorini. Reservations usually not required for lunch but best to reserve for dinner.
Kantouni – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 33474
Kantouni is arguably the best traditional restaurant on the main square in Pyrgos. Its open air seating, convenient location next to the bus stop, and excellent food make it very popular.
Rosemary – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 31262
Elegant yet relaxed Mediterranean restaurant focusing on Cycladic dishes and Santorinian wine. Beautiful panoramic sunsets from the terrace. Reservations recommended for tables with the best views.
Best Restaurants in Akrotiri
Misteli – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 27515
This boho-chic family-run restaurant serves delicious yet inexpensive food using ingredients grown in their own garden and restaurant. The decor, open layout, convenient location, and amiable staff make this an ideal place to wine and dine. Reservations recommended.
The Cave of Nikolas – $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 82303
Fantastic family-run taverna serving homestyle Greek food on Akrotiri Beach, just minutes from Red Beach. The restaurant uses fresh vegetables, dairy, and meat from its own farm and only fresh seafood caught in the morning in its delicious dishes. The affordable rates, large portions, open layout, and beautiful views of the water and sunset make this an excellent stop for lunch or dinner.
Kambia – $$
Website • Phone: +30 69806 77148
Small, family-run restaurant on Kambia beach in Akrotiri serving delicious traditional homestyle dishes. Open late morning to early evening. Closed on Mondays.
Best Beach Restaurants on Santorini
Yalos – Exo Gialos Beach • $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 25816
Fresh seafood and Santorinian flavors at an idyllic beach location about a 10 minute drive directly east of Fira. Trendy but friendly.
Seaside by Notos – Agios Georgios Beach • $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 82801
Luxury beach club with a gourmet Mediterranean restaurant, sushi bar, and co*cktail lounge. Eat in the breezy, open-air restaurant or opt for a VIP cabana or sunbed sets and dine with toes in the sand. Reservations recommended, especially for sunbeds and cabanas.
Savvas Popeye – Agios Georgios • $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 81332
Savvas Popeye features a casual atmosphere, traditional food, water views, and a very welcoming staff. Open for lunch and dinner through the week.
More Great Santorini Restaurants
Pentozali – Mesaria • $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 37383
A favorite among locals, this restaurant was opened by two friends from Crete and features a menu of authentic hot and cold mezedes (small dishes), along with raki, cheap house wine, and cold beer. Wonderful shaded patio, friendly staff. Reservations not necessary, though there may be a short wait for a table.
To Psaraki – Vlychada • $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 82783
Rustic seafood restaurant with a heavenly view over the marina in Vlychada. All fish is freshly-caught just off the coast, simply prepared, and offered alongside locally-sourced produce.
Aroma Avlis – Exo Gonia • $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 33395
Upscale farm-to-table restaurant attached to Artemis Karamolegos Winery. Almost all produced served in the restaurant is grown in the field surrounding it. Pair a meal here with a winery tour, wine tasting, or cooking class. The wine list includes not only Karamolegos’ varieties but also other Santorinian labels and Greek regional wines.
Taverna Gero-Manolis – Megalochori • $
Website • Phone: +30 22860 82892
Wonderful traditional food in the charming village of Megalochori. Popular with locals. Open lunch and dinner. Reservations usually not required.
Roza’s – Vourvoulos • $$
Website • Phone: +30 22860 24378
The family-run Roza’s in Vourvoulos features a traditional Greek menu with homestyle cooking. Options range from meat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes, with a wide selection of wine. The restaurant is located a couple of minutes from the bus stop on the main square. The food is delicious and the hosts are extremely hospitable.
Kiria Roula’s – Vlychada • $
Phone: +30 22860 82774
This is the best seafood restaurant in Santorini – but I don’t want it to be overrun by masses of tourists, so I put it at the end. It goes by a few different names (the sign says To Steki Tou Psara, Fisherman’s House). It’s right at the Vlychada port and you can often see the fish being unloaded from the fishing boats. This is an old school Greek taverna. Expect slow, friendly service. Cash only.
