24 Best Restaurants in Rhodes and the Dodecanese, Greece

Though known for its seafood, the handsomely decorated old rooms, beautiful walled garden, and panoramic view from the roof terrace found here are equalling enchanting. Mussels in wine, scallops in vodka sauce, shrimp risotto in an ouzo sauce, as well as simply grilled fish fill the menu. A side dish might be sautéed squash with wild glistrida (purslane), grown in the restaurant's own gardens.

Popular among locals, this venerable Turkish-Greek joint has a catch-all menu that hits every comfort-food high note. Zucchini flowers filled with lip-smacking Greek cheese, aubergines bursting with meat, and filling pastitsio (Greek lasagna) complement a vast choice of souvlakis and Turkish-style kebabs.

A native Patmian, Benetos Matthaiou, and his American wife, Susan, operate this lovely restaurant abutting a seaside garden that supplies the kitchen with fresh herbs and vegetables. These homegrown ingredients find their way into a selection of Mediterranean-style dishes that are influenced by the couple's travels and include house-cured sardines, the island's freshest Greek salad, and juicy slow-roasted pork atop a chickpea puree.

A cozy, family-run restaurant with an ambitious menu that does some very creative things with classic Greek cooking, with dishes like prawn saganaki and seafood couscous. A "krassotiri" crème brûlée makes the most of the island's famous soft cheese, while mains offer an even tenderer touch, with pork cheeks nestled atop a chickpea ragout stealing the show. Excellent value for such skilled, imaginative food.

Family run by the owners of the nearby Opera House hotel, Kavos has umbrella-shaded quayside seating for sunny days and for cooler evenings tables in the elegant setting of an old Symiot mansion. The Med-fusion menu emphasizes local seafood. 

Just around the headland west of Yialos harbor, Paradeisos nestles next to the closest stretch of beach to town, where it rents loungers for €5 a day and offers an array of water sports plus chilled beers, snacks, and dips, and even a small library of tattered paperbacks for beach reading.

Set on the shady square where Hippocrates reputedly once taught in the shade of a vast plane tree, Platanos is a breezy space with an airy inner lounge and outdoor tables. Try the spiced, grilled lamb chops or famous pork and crackling (ellasonitiko). Live music accompanies meals on some evenings, but Platanos is really at its best for brunch or lunch in summer. The ice creams and shakes are child-pleasers.

A seaside perch at the end of Yialos Harbor is the picturesque setting for an excellent meal, which often begins with such traditional appetizers as stuffed zucchini or boiled greens (the taramosalata here might just be among the best in Greece) and includes fresh grilled fish and other daily home-cooked offerings. You may want to arrive early enough to enjoy sunset views of the harbor, and reserve far ahead—during peak summer season it can be booked out days in advance.

Vegans and vegetarians aren't well catered for in Greece, where the "fish option" is typically your only alternative to a tombstone-size slab of fried cheese. But this ingenious restaurant from chef Mara Martinotti is the antidote, and she has a recipe book to boot. Vegan soy-and-lentil moussaka as light and cheesy as anything you'll ever taste accompanies the likes of bang-bang cauliflower on an ever-changing menu of bites and larger dishes. The €16 tasting menu is as filling and satisfying as anything you'll find on the island. Look out too for its new bar, Ono by Marouli, in New Town, which is also good for a veggie snack.

Choose between a table on the main square (perfect for people-watching) or the raised terrace out back with stunning views of the sea. Fresh grilled fish and lemon-and-oregano-flavored goat are specialties of the traditional kitchen, and other simple dishes such as mint-flavored dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) and tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip) are the way to go.

Meals at this simple taverna, as popular with locals as it is with tourists, are served in a high-ceilinged, whitewashed dining room or on a terrace that is partially shaded by a grape arbor and affords wonderful views over the sea and surrounding hills. Fish is a specialty, and simply prepared mezedes (small dishes), such as roasted peppers topped with feta cheese and fried zucchini, are a great start to a meal here.

A 10-minute walk east of the evening bustle on the main waterfront leads to this waterside gem. The accomplished Haritomeni has a lofty terrace with spectacular views over the bay. Like most places on the island, either eat early or book ahead as it fills up fast later on. The menu is decent value, with typical Greek mezedes dishes—calamari, fried saganaki cheese, papoutsakia (stuffed eggplant)—all crafted with no little skill and propping up meatier grilled fare.

One of the most enchanting places to dine is the garden of this small guesthouse, where you'll want to linger amid the foliage and flowers for an entire evening. The menu features a rich lamb souvlaki and a delectable sea bass fillet with trahanoto (Greek-style risotto). Desserts lean toward Italy—in honor of the largely Italian crowd here—including a masterful semifreddo.

With a large terrace overlooking the sea and Lindos Square, Mavrikos offers elegant simplicity through its flavorful Greek dishes, such as the chickpeas in orange zest, swordfish in caper sauce, black butter beans in carob syrup, and squid risotto. Third-generation chef Dimitris Mavrikos owns this institution along with his brother Michalis and has steadfastly maintained its stellar reputation.

This traditional Turkish coffeehouse claims to be the oldest of its kind in Europe, and has belonged to the same family for over 200 years. If the 14th-century setting and authentic decor doesn't hook you, the coffee will. This is also a shisha bar.

Considered by many to be the finest of the city's seafood restaurants, family-run Nireas comes with little fanfare or pushiness, just impeccable service and a peaceful vine-draped setting apart from the hubbub of the center. Prices compare well with lesser spots in the city, especially for the quality of produce, and staff won't try to hustle you into spending big, as is the case with many seafood restaurants here where bills can suddenly rocket. Good service and quality food rule. Try the Symi shrimp or battered whitebait for a hit of pure local flavor.

Occupying the same slot in the New Market since 1946, this traditional café has been trendily face-lifted but stays true to its roots with a menu of salty snacks, sticky sweets, and more substantial seafood dishes. 

The setting is the star here. Three brothers have created a calm oasis a few streets in from the hustle and bustle of Kos Harbor. A 150-year-old stone house provides cozy dining in cool months, and in summer, tables pepper a garden full of private nooks, fountains, and gentle music. The enormous menu lists Greek staples, such as zucchini pancakes and seafood pasta side-by-side with more cultured cuts of chateaubriand and stuffed pork tenderloin.

This is a nice little Greek bakery filled with myriad honey-soaked and cheese-covered treats, ranging from baklava to bagel-style kalouri and pizza-like peinirli. It's perfect for a midmorning snack or lunchtime treat.

When Rhodians want a traditional meal, they head to this simple little taverna on a residential street south of the walled city. Dining is in a plain room and on a sparkling-white terrace in warmer months, where you can compose a meal of such delicious mezedes as bakaliaros (salted cod) in garlic sauce, pumpkin fritters, and zucchini flowers filled with feta cheese. It's a bit of a walk, but worth it for the quality of food and to escape the hordes of the Old Town.

The excellent island cooking here is spiced up by the sea views, which you can savor from a seaside balcony table or right on the beach below. The mezedes menu includes such traditional favorites as leek pie, fried eggplant, and smoked pork. Grilled lamb chops and other main courses are served as well. Live music (Tzivaeri, which roughly translates as "my beloved," is also the name of a popular Greek folk song) is performed many nights, usually not earlier than around midnight.

The steep climb up to Zoe's all but guarantees a spectacular view, though it's worth booking ahead to secure a table with front-row seats. The food is equally breathtaking, with a strong adherence to traditional Symiot cuisine: think jugged hare, dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) the way granny used to make them, and meltingly tender five-hour slow-cooked lamb and potatoes. Many of the ingredients used come from the owner's own farm.