26 Best Restaurants in The Cyclades, Greece

A walled courtyard garden full of climbers and greenery, with well-spaced tables under the stars, is the setting for some similarly elegant and refined dishes. An imaginative and creative take on Aegean cuisine, the ingredients are local and traditional but are handled with a light touch with contemporary influences—this is very modern food. Presentation is a joy, befitting a chef who has worked in some of the finest European establishments. 

Romantic and rightly popular, Barriello has an enviable position with views of the sea and the village square. A 150-year-old mansion has been repurposed to good effect by charismatic owner Takis, where local ingredients, mostly grown on their own farm, are confidently presented. It's more fine dining than traditional taverna but the tastes are refined and recognizable and it is generally regarded as some of the best food on the island.

French-trained chef Kostas Bougiouris lends his expertise to this waterside restaurant. Almost on the beach, the setting is elegant and the cooking focuses on seafood and local Syros products, presented in a modern, creative style. The most gourmet of Syros eateries, crisp linen and a sophisticated white design are the background to the immaculately plated dishes. Romantic and intimate in atmosphere, attentive staff ensure that every visit is memorable.

The old open-air cinema, steps away from the main street, has been lovingly reimagined as the island's gastronomic hot spot. A romantic pastel-painted courtyard festooned with greenery fronts the clearest expression of Tinos's outstanding produce, where clever contemporary trends are married to traditional techniques and recipes. Elegant and beautifully plated, dishes are offered by a brother and sister team proud of their island heritage. Every Greek child knows the song "There was a little boat" (Itan ena mikro karavi) and every visitor to Tinos should know its impressive namesake.

Refined Aegean cuisine with jewel-like presentation is the order of the day—this is food that you devour with your eyes first. There is culinary magic on the plates here, too, though, as this is five-star cooking. A bright and fresh room, wistfully painted with sea creatures and cacti, is the backdrop to this bijou establishment on the main street. The owners and staff are warm and keen to explain the details of every dish. Kalokeri means summer in Greek and the sunshine shines out of every dish. This is an unmissable and unique place.

Chef George Mavridis is an expert at merging the flavors of traditional Greek dishes with contemporary tastes to offer an exciting menu that is beautifully presented. The dining space, a whitewashed indoor room and garden dining area shrouded by vines, is inviting. Menus change seasonally but expect Asian and Italian flavors to sit aside the best Greek produce. Attentive and unhurried service makes for the best dining on the island.

An old ceramics factory with a jewel of a courtyard—all stone arches and climbing greenery—is the theater set for the most beautiful restaurant in Ermoupoli. With inspiration from around the globe, this is a very modern iteration of Greek food; there are ceviches, tartares, and foams, and some dishes are deconstructed to their constituent parts. As dusk falls the romance notches up as gentle music plays, lights twinkle, and the ambitious food matches the dramatic setting.

A pastel-yellow courtyard hidden among the sea captains' mansions is where those in the know come to eat in Ia. Elegant and delicious, these modern Greek updates on classic cooking are rays of sunshine among the more tourist-oriented fare elsewhere. Rooted in island ingredients, this is food to make you smile. Friendly and down-to-earth staff help to make the experience memorable and the all-Greek wine list is particularly strong on the local Santorini offerings.

For many repeat visitors a trip to Paros is unthinkable without a visit to Siparos. This storied eatery is along the coast of Naousa Bay in the beach town of Santa Maria and well deserves its reputation as one of the island's finest. A stunning seaside location is enhanced by an elegant and modern design. Bold, contemporary tastes are teased from traditional recipes but it is in the fish dishes that the local Paros flavors sing loudest.

The standout option for locals and visitors alike amid the tavernas that cling to Pollonia's pretty waterfront. Small plates showcase local specialties artfully presented, while mains update traditional recipes to luxurious gourmet dishes. Into its second decade, service is assured and friendly and it is one of the best places on the island to while away an afternoon or evening.

Located right on the beach in Kini, on a raised, whitewashed dining space lined with pretty white curtains, Allou Yialou is known for its spectacular sunset dining. It's also where everyone goes for Greek dishes that take on a delightful and delicious gourmet twist. Chef Lina Fournistaki and her husband Yiannis pay close attention to service, and the presentation is impressive—it is rightly an island favorite with the locals for a special meal.

Tucked in a quieter corner of Ornos Bay, Apaggio is romantically decorated with a ceiling of hanging lights and lined with large open windows for a perfect, unobstructed view of the sea. Octopus dry in the sun as you peruse the menu of Greek classics but it is probably wiser to ask about the selection of local fish. Fresh and simply grilled, this is the authentic way to taste the Island.

Overlooking pretty Platis Gialos Beach, Avli tou Thodori offers beachfront dining in an elegant Cycladic setting. More of a taverna than banging beach bar, the focus is on an eclectic Greek-centered menu and excellent presentation. The name of the restaurant translates to Thodori's yard, a dedication to owner Thanassis Kousathanas's late father, a Mykonian fisherman whose black-and-white portraits are hung with pride.

A jasmine-scented front garden, candlelit at night, and an antiques-filled salon are the charming settings in a centuries-old sea captain's house for this traditional taverna. All the classics are there, but perhaps the best approach is to order from the sizable meze selection, wash it down with the very palatable house white, and soak in the cozy atmosphere.

In a former tomato cannery off the Agios Georgios section of Perivolos Beach, Forty One is a chic, stylish destination for fine Mediterranean dishes, with a calming sea view. Besides creatively presented favorites like regional salads, risotto, pasta, and freshly grilled seafood plates, there is a sushi menu and a host of creative cocktails that make a fine accompaniment to taking in the black-beach sunset.

With no telephone number or signs, this simple little family-run garden taverna would likely be missed if there wasn’t a constant line of people waiting to grab a table—in the summer, expect to wait up to an hour. The sea views of Agios Sostis Beach are relaxing, and the perfect thing to gaze at as you wait for your meat and fish dishes that will be expertly grilled on a barbecue. The specialty is the pork cutlet but most traditional Greek tavern dishes are served with salads and creamy dips. To find it, head down a few steps toward Agios Sostis, but before the beach, off the paved walkway, follow the smell of barbecue and look for a line of hungry people.

For more than 50 years this fresh-fish taverna is where those in the know (as well as many fishermen themselves) come for solid, no-frills food. The best choice is the catch of the day; you can pick your own fish or seafood and ask for it to be simply grilled. The menu depends on the weather, but there is always a grilled meat option if the weather is bad, and there are fine classic side dishes to choose from.  Attentive service, a more than adequate wine list, and a quiet setting add up to a recommended destination.

The colorful taverna-style restaurant is set in a bougainvillea-laced courtyard at the end of the "Dining Mile" in Ermoupoli. Local Cycladic ingredients are fused with modern techniques and cooking styles to good effect on the menu, with influences from Thessaloniki and the further Mediterranean. Presentation is intricate and picturesque and the service is welcoming from the proud husband and wife owners.

Good food is enhanced here by the pretty location, a few feet from the fishing boats on Naousa's harbor. The taverna specializes in fresh fish (from the fisherman a few feet away) and also fine cuisine. Such starters as tuna carpaccio with aromatic oil and smoked salt, and grilled octopus with bucovo and caper sauce segue to complex entrées like seafood pasta with diced asparagus and saffron, or fresh fresh fish baked in a salt crust (order this in advance). For dessert, try the traditional spoon sweets made by Mario's mother.

It seems that just about everyone in Santorini looks forward to a meal at this village taverna. Even though the name means "between us," the secret is out and the key to success appears to be to keep it simple—the kitchen sticks to traditional homestyle cooking from Santorini and Crete. You can reach this rural outpost by car, a 10-minute taxi from Fira, or on the Fira-Pyrgos bus.

At one of the best seafront locations on the island, with Little Venice on one side and the windmills on the other, farm-to-table Mediterranean cuisine is the scene-stealer. The menu is plentiful, with diverse choices, but the philosophy is simple—the best organic ingredients from Greek producers cooked simply and with respect. Greek craft beers are well represented as are local wines on the drinks list. While the sea view is very Mykonos, the restaurant's overall design and concept is infused with 1950s Hollywood icons, thanks to the influence of one of the owners, a former LA restaurateur.

Apart from the summit of Mt. Zas, there is no better viewpoint on Naxos. Next to the church of Panagia--Ai Giannis, a series of terraces give 360-degree views of the island. Open from midday, it is a great place for a coffee or a glass of wine to survey the lush green land beneath your feet or for a longer sojourn, the cuisine is hearty and traditional, strong on local meats and cheeses.

The balcony overlooking the caldera on top of this café-cum-bakery-cum-pizzeria is a prime spot for lazing over breakfast, a coffee, or a home-baked pastry. Open all year, too, for soothing summer ice cream or warming winter waffles.

A lovingly decorated mansion is home to one of the island's best cellars with a deep and extensive international list. The food is no afterthought though; eclectic and creative magic goes on in the kitchen as a mainly Mediterranean menu is put through its paces. The rooftop terrace is a favorite for sunset views, but the vaulted-ceilinged dining room can be a wiser option on blustery summer nights—either way, it is a wonderful place to spend an evening.

Giorgos Vidalis's café and restaurant occupies a sophisticated and well-preserved neoclassical building on a pedestrian-only street. Select from international- and Mediterranean-influenced dishes, to be enjoyed daytime on the upper terraces that overlook the Turkish fountain and the passing scene. At night, it's interior is an ambient blend of pastel colors, elegant furnishings, and marble-topped tables. Try the Symposium salad, a delightful mix of French lettuce, avocado, grilled shrimp, and citrus vinaigrette. Main dishes include the sole fillet with parsley and basmati rice, and the Tinian veal fillet with peppercorns and roasted vegetables. The Greek wine list is impressive.