Restaurants and Tavernas

Restaurants and Tavernas

Close to PURE CRETE accommodation

Eating out in Crete can be good value for money and there are a wide variety of restaurants to choose from.

Megala Chorafia

There are three tavernas in the village.

-Strata Taverna open all day and night.

-Taverna Aptera specialises in traditional home-cooking and is recommended in the Rough Guide to Crete. Open from 10.00am for breakfast through to the evening serving a full menu.

-The Cretan Corner taverna also serves traditional Cretan foods and is open throughout the day and evening.

Chania

The old harbour offers a picturesque setting and a wide selection of restaurants, which offer a variety of Greek dishes and seafood. In general head towards the east end of the harbour front for the best tavernas, or into the small alleyways behind the west end section. Here, tucked away in the narrow backstreets with outdoor courtyard dining, you will find taverns such as ‘Semiramis’ on Skoufon St., ‘Ela’ on Kondilaki st. (Both these streets run parallel, and to the west of, Halidon Street). ‘Tamam’ on Zampeliou St., a popular small taverna set in an old Turkish bath, is also located in this area.

On the main harbour front, a little to the east beyond the mosque is the ‘Monastiri’ taverna with a great harbour view. Continue east to Katehaki square and you’ll find ‘Karnagio’ taverna and also the fine Italian restaurant ‘Kariatis’.

For fresh fish go to the far eastern end of the harbour : ‘Apostolis and ‘Dinos’ amongst others.

The Tholos Taverna boasts a a special menu based on the famously healthy "Cretan Diet" prepared in a traditional way. They have an extenisve range of local wines and there is often traditional music.

Kalami

There is a local taverna on the main road in the village, the Vigla. It usually serves fresh fish lunchtime and evenings. Popular out of high season with the locals at weekends and Sunday lunch.

Kalives

There are many tavernas offering a variety of Greek dishes. Try 'Provlita' - take the seaside road to the left 1km after the the INKA supermarket (good home cooked fod). 'Zorbas' - in the square opposite the church or 'Medusa' - a beachside taverna.

Souda

Vlahakis Brothers offers good fish dishes, but is close to the road. Try their prawn omelette. Drive through Souda, turn right towards the airport and it is at the small crossroad just after INKA supermarket.

There is also a second taverna - as above and turn right at the small crossroads.

Stilos

There are three tavernas serving local people. The food is good if simple; often very little English is spoken.

Armeni

The Taverna Drossostalida in Armeni is very popular locally and has an excellent reputation for good food. The ‘Platanos’ taverna next door have occasional tourist Cretan nights, if you want a quiet evening meal it should be avoided if you spot coaches parked nearby!

Vamos

There are three traditional tavernas in Vamos. Two on the main street - the ‘Sterna tou Bloumosifi’ and ‘Marouvas’, and a third taverna has recently opened at the top of the main street by the park.

Douliana

A good taverna with shady courtyard dining.

Gavalohori

There are two tavernas in this pretty traditional village.

Traditional Crete, Organic Food & Wine Tasting

Malaxa

The Malaxiana centre in the village of Malaxa, 9km from Megala Chorafia, is a beautifully renovated former olive mill built into the hillside with spectacular views to the White Mountains. The owners, Demetrios and Katerina, are conservationists and have been involved in many environmental projects in Crete. Cretan culture and food evenings are usually held weekly at the centre; Demetrios talks about Cretan culture and diet while Katerina prepares fresh organic food and snacks. Details can be found on our ‘What’s On’ information sheet or from your representative.

Milia Village

Milia is a restored and protected old settlement located south of Kissamos and the Topolia Gorge, 4 kilometers from the village of Vlatos. It is built on a mountain slope which forms one side of a valley and is situated in an area unique for its expansive variety of plants and trees. The philosophy of Milia is to preserve the natural life cycle in such a way that is friendly towards both the environment and people, working according to the traditional principles and history of Crete.
The settlement has a taverna, guest house and an organic farm. Mostly run without electricity; lighting is by gas and candlelight, refrigerators run on natural gas and there are wood-burning ovens. All natural products are recycled. Edible fruit and vegetables end up in the kitchen, while their remnants and other plants feed the animals, who in turn provide milk and cheese, meat, leather, and wool.

The taverna offers year-round home-made delights made from produce cultivated organically on the farm.

Leonida’s Traditions in Xilioumoudou, near Samonas

The Taverna Lemonia is set on top of a hill in Xilioumoudou with breathtaking views and uses only fresh local produce, including organic meat, cheeses, olive oil and wine. The owner, Leonidas Rethemiotakis, has a small olive oil factory which produces organic olive oil by traditional methods using a donkey to turn the mill. He also makes the Cretan musical instruments, the lyra and laouto. Visit the taverna on Saturday morning or Monday evening (with live music) and you can take a guided tour of the olive oil factory as well as learn about the making of the Cretan musical instruments followed by lunch or dinner at the Taverna. Details can be found on our ‘What’s On’ information sheet or from your representative.

Wine Tasting – Heraklion

These three wineries are all near Knossos and you could combine them with a visit to Knossos.

Boutari Wines

The Boutari exhibition hall is inside an estate vineyard called Fantaxometocho.

The estate lies just outside the village of Skalani, on the road towards the village of Mirtia, birthplace of the famous Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, 8km from Heraklion.

Open to visitors every day from 10:00 until 18:00.

Peza Union

The Peza exhibition center is located a couple of km past Peza village on the left side of the road to Agies Paraskies village.

Open from 9:00 a.m. to 15:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.

Minos Wines

The wine tasting hall of the Milliarakis Winery is situated on the right side of the road close to the exit from Peza village.

Open Monday to Friday 09:00 - 16:00, Saturday 11:00 - 16:00

Pure Crete,
Bolney Place,
Cowfold Road,
Haywards Heath,
West Sussex
RH17 5QT

Tel: ++44 (0)845 070 1571

Fax: ++44 (0)845 070 1572