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Kali Kardia ("the good heart") is a typical traditional tavern at the square in the middle of the village of Afrata. They serve simple Greek dishes, the owners are very friendly. We order several dishes such as tzatziki, pork chop, souvlaki, chicken from the oven and spinach pie. The Greek salad is very nice and contains an onion, olives, tasty feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, peppers and wild purslane.
Our verdict: an 7,5 out of 10
Afrata Restaurants - Taverna Kali Kardia
The Agia Fotia Restaurant is situated at a 10 meters distance from the beach of the village with a view of the sea. There is plenty of choice in appetizers and main courses and the service is friendly. It is also inexpensive. We ordered tzaziki, cheese pies, spinach pies and a tuna salad (without the sauce but with oil and vinegar instead) for our lunch. The bread was good and fresh and the tzaziki was thick and with plenty of cucumber. No complaints.
Our Verdict: an 8,5 out of 10
One of the nicest restaurants that we encountered on our travels through Crete. The River Taverna is located on the right hand side of the road that leads the main road along the south coast to the beach below. It is indicated by a sign. You have to go down a long staircase and then walk along a path that goes through the kitchen garden of the tavern.
The service is most friendly by a very sweet and modest man who is also the owner. We ate here a few times because it was very good. All the food is fresh and made on the spot, the portions are ample. The first time we got even such large portions that we had few dishes packed up to take home.
We tried during our visits the zucchini balls, spinach pies, the River Salad (very nica and a huge bowl), the tzatziki, stuffed cabbage leaves, fries and rocket salad with walnuts and Parmesan cheese. As desert they gave us some home made ice cream! Everything was fantastic and the prices are quite right: highly recommended.
Our verdict: a 9,5 out of 10
Restaurant Pantheon is a fairly large restaurant in the port of Agia Galini (up the stairs). There is beautiful view over the bay from the terrace. We eat the dorade and the swordfish fillet, a Greek salad and wine. Everything is just fine and the fries are good too.
Our verdict: very good, a 9 out of 10
Kostas Taverna is a fairly large restaurant located right on the beach, near the bridge that runs over the river. Due to its size it may be slightly less intimate, but the restaurant is popular, the service is very friendly and smooth and the food is excellent. We order the dorade (which is served pre-cut), the tuna fillet, the avocado salad and the white wine. A bottle of cold water is immediately put on the table and so are some small appetizers that can be combined with the bread. The fish is very tasty and the fried potato slices are perfect. The avocado salad contains avocado, tomato, lettuce, dried tomato, fresh dill and tuna and it is served with a delicious lemon sauce.
Our verdict: very good, a 9,5 out of 10
Alykes Taverna is located along the path that runs from the port of Agia Galini to the beach. We order the sea bass, grilled sardines, the Alykes salad and half a liter of white wine. The salad contains potato, tuna, egg, onion rings, feta, olives, cucumber and tomato and a sauce. Everything tastes fine.
Our verdict: good, a 9 out of 10
This cafe has a terrace in the port next to the street where you take the stairs that take you inside the villages. We asked for an "English breakfast" here and were not disappointed. The china was beautiful and the portions were large and good, including eggs and bacon, sausages and baked beans. There was a choice of fresh bread or toast. Freshly squeezed orange juice and a good cup of coffee finished it. The service was friendly. Inside is an internet corner where you can check your e-mails at a cheap rate. Everything was good an with a nice view.
Our verdict: good, 9 out of 10
The Bravo taverna is situated on the main beach of Agia Pelagia. We somehow always passed it and missed in all the years we have been coming to Agia Pelagia. We went there because it belongs to Antonis, the owner of the fabulous Attalos apartments where we stayed in 2021. There was such a good vibe, some free raki and laughs, attention to the guests, great hospitality and wonderful food. I had the best chicken giros ever, the pastichio was super good and so was the Ceasar salad that we ordered. They gave us a mouth watering crepe with vanilla ice for desert. We had such an enjoyable evening with super friendly people and fabulous food. Made our stay in Agia Pelagia complete.
Our verdict: an 9.5 out of 10
Once my favourite restaurant in Agia Pelagia is situated about 25 meters off the beach on the first corner leading of the main road. It's called Irini, and it's a wonderful place to have a breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is the place where you will find us almost every morning to have a coffee and bacon and eggs, while we are trying to wake up. It is run by Giannis and he is fast and always in a good mood. The salads get that extra bit of care, looking beautiful, with fresh herbs and tasting delicious. The pizza's and the chicken with honey-mustard sauce are amongst our favourites. The cook left and went to the village of Bali now.
The old Irini Restaurant is open again under a different name. Today it is called The Home. It is in the main street, not far from the beach. The menu includes breakfasts, omelettes, salads, tortillas, burgers, pasta, fish and chicken dishes. The Cappuccino is by Illy and is fine and strong, but may it could be a little bit warmer. We ordered the special breakfast. Everything is fine, only we are missing the little stuffed pancakes as they are advertised on the menu. In 2021 the name of this taverna was changed again, so probably a different owner and different menu.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10
Stella and Nikos work in one of the nicer restaurants of Agia Pelagia: Mouragio, the 4th taverna from the beginning of the beach. Their fried zuchini's, tuna salad, gyros and chicken dishes are addictive, so is the laughter of Stella, and friendlyness of all of the people there. Stella's husband is the cook, and he's simply the best. They make a swordfish filet like you have tasted nowhere else, and actually everything that comes from the sea tastes better than anywhere else. You must also try the lamb chops, which are super! There is one big problem at the Mouragio Restaurant and I hope they will change this in the future: they give you too many complementary bottles of a high alcohol percentaged liquid called "raki" after you have stuffed yourself with their food, and your holiday pictures end up like this...
Since 2019, the design of the Mouragio Taverna has been somewhat changed and "modernized". You can now take away food, order ice cream and there is a kind of bar. The food is simple and faster, and the restaurant has more the idea of fast food place.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10
Taverna Cochili is also situated at the end of the beach, right next to Mouragio. The restaurant was taken over in 2017 by Vasilis and his wife. In April 2019 we have eaten there a few times and we are sure that we will come back here sometime soon. Vasilis is extremely friendly and his wife, who is preparing the food in the kitchen, undoubtedly loves good food, because it was really excellent. In addition to the usual white house wine, we also ordered grilled sardines, keftedakia (meatballs), Greek salad, tzatziki, stifado (stewed beef with onions) and baked potato from the oven. The sardines were delicious. I have rarely eaten them so well (maybe once in Tris Eklisies), the meatballs were also very tasty and actually there was nothing to criticize. Vasilis was freehanded with the free raki after we had eaten and was very committed to his guests.
Our verdict: a 9 out of 10
Piatsa is situated on the corner of the beach and the main street of Agia Pelagia. It is a cocktailbar, but you can for instance also get ice cream and off course a cup of coffee. For us it is a nice place to have a wonderful cup of Lavazza coffee with a metaxa or an Irish coffee at the end of the afternoon. The service is friendly, the seats are comfortable and there is nothing wrong with it.
Our verdict: a 9 out of 10
The Del Mar Cafe Bar is situated at the hand left side of the beach (when coming from the main street) of Agia Pelagia. It all looks quite modern and fresh. Only the toilet leaves something to be desired with a door that is impossible to close. It looks like it is from the 50's, but who knows by the time you read this it has been changed. The cappuccino was served with whipped cream instead of whipped milk (easy of course) and there was no glass of water. We ordered a club sandwich. The French fries were reasonably cruncht, the sandwiches were not toasted enough. Besides cocktails and coffee you can also order snacks here like hamburgers and pizzas. There is a beautiful view of the sea and the island of Dia that lies oposite the coast of Agia pelagia.
Our verdict: a 7 out of 10
Taverna Oregano is situated on your left hand side just around the corner if you come from the main street of Agia Pelagia to the beach. There are real tablecloths on the tables instead of the paper tablecloths that can be found in nearly every taverna in Greece. We order a fish and a mousaka and of course a carafe of white wine. The fish is fine and is served with a butter sauce. The salad we ordered was delicious. There are also fresh herbs in it. The fries are good and so is the mousaka. No complaints.
Our verdict: an 8,5 out of 10
There are two taverns The Home, one just before the beach in the main street at Irini Apartments and this one, which lies directly on the beach. If you come from the main road towards the beach you turn to the right. The Home has an original menu with not the typical Greek dishes and this is quite nice for a change. We order a The Home Salad, a tuna salad and a tortilla with vegetables and feta cheese. The owner Leonidas is very nice and the food tastes good.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10 10
Snackbar at the Voulismeni Lake, the last in the row towards the sea (it's actually at the canal that leads to the sea). They serve toast, omelettes, hot dogs, crepes, club sandwiches, salads, hamburgers and all kinds of snacks, extensive menu and fast service. The French fries are crunchy and taste good and so does all the rest that we order. Large portions, cheap and good for what it is. The toilets are very clean.
Our verdict: a 8,5 out of 10
Caf� bar on the boulevard that runs along the sea. they serve a good Buondi coffee. The cappuccino comes with a glass of cold water. Nice and comfortable seats, nice music and beautiful toilets.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10
The Agios Pavlos Hotel has a large terrace overlooking the sea and the beach. Here you can sit down for just a coffee or a drink, relax in a hammock or have breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is a regular menu and usually there are also some "specials of the day" written on a chalkboard next to the entrance. The cappuccino is very good. The bread comes in one piece (so you are sure it has not been on another table before it was put on yours), the French fries are crunchy and you cannot complain about the rest of the food: it tastes good and the service is friendly.
Our verdict: good, an 8.5 out of 10
Here in this cozy restaurant on the harbor of Agios Onoufrios we had a delicious dinner. Super friendly hostess Ellen brought a large jug of cold water to the table right after we were seated. We ordered the tzatziki, the Cretan salad and we both had a fresh fish which we could choose from in the kitchen. It turned out to be a "fangri". I had never heard of, but he was lovely and came in a sauce with lemon, butter and fresh herbs. The Cretan salad also had fresh herbs, and the tzatziki was very good. When we asked for the bill, we were given some apples and a small bottle of raki. Absolutely great.
Our verdict: a 9 out of 10
This taverna is situated more up the hill in Agios Pavlos. Good food, friendly people and nice views over the sea. No complaints here as well, only the French fries were less crunchy than in the Agios Pavlos Hotel Restaurant.
Our verdict: good, an 8,5 out of 10
Okay, it's now official: There are no really bad restaurants in Almyrida, but for me this is the best restaurant in the village at the moment. Together with Elpis in the village of Plaka, just above Almyrida, it belongs to my favorite restaurants on the island of Crete. CostAnita is a fairly large restaurant located at the end of the village on the beach where it is the last tavern in the row. We only discovered it in 2017, but we had to go back right away. There is quite an extensive menu and of course we have not tried everything yet. The portions are large, the dishes are served as if it were a painting and the people who work there are extremely friendly. The "fish & chips" are finger licking good, the salads are a delight and the fries are deliciously crispy. A very big thumbs up for CostAnita (the only "10" I ever gave was for the To Steki restaurant on the island of Leros, but this also scores very high).
Our verdict: a 9,5 out of 10
This cosy eatery is located on the beach beside the Almyrida diving school and is a popular spot for both tourists and the Greeks. It is a place for dinner as well as a place for "entertainment" because of the humorous service of cheeky Myra who always says exactly what she thinks. She made us laugh several times. The patisserie serves simple but good and beautifully presented dishes which include sandwiches, club sandwiches, omelettes, salads and pizzas. It is not expensive and the portions are generous.
The English breakfast at Fran�oise is quite large and good. There is a tasty sausage, bacon and eggs, beans in tomato sauce, fresh orange juice, toasted bread, a big pot of coffee (could have been a bit stronger though), butter and jars or jam. You should not be in a hurry if you want to have something to eat at this restaurant, because it is popular and usually quite busy (but with comfortable chairs). It may take some time before your order makes it to the table. They will however always bring you a (free) bottle of water and glasses quite quickly.
Our verdict: we couldn't find anything wrong, simply good and great service - an 8,5 out of 10
Erotokritos Taverna is situated at the seaside in the village Almyrida. They have an extensive menu with various appetizers, salads, omelettes and many other dishes. The coffee is very delicious with tasty fresh whipped cream on it (so-called Greek cappuccino). The bread is fresh and is in 1 piece (ie no loose pieces that have previously been in other hands and baskets). The Erokritikos salad is original and contains endive salad, white cabbage. red cabbage, carrots, peppers, olives, tomatoes, onions and feta (goat cheese). All the dishes we tried were pretty nice and occasionally with an original touch, like the strange vegetables that we encountered in our Greek salad (samphire?). The zucchini balls, meatballs, chicken souvlaki and other dishes were just good and generous portions. Combined with the crispy fries and nice waiters: not bad.
Our verdict: the dishes sometimes come with an original accent, friendly service - an 8,5 out of 10
One of the restaurants on the sea shore in the village Almirida. Here it is usually quite busy and not without reason, because the food is good and the service fast and friendly. Also the cutlery is very good, with nice sharp knifes. We ordered the lamb chops here, zucchini balls, tuna salad and mousaka. The bread that came with the food is fresh and served in one piece (not pieces of bread from other tables that have been thrown together). There is a choice from white and brown bread. We also get a free bottle of water on the table. The ros� we have ordered - a house wine - is a simple, light wine. The tuna salad contains an onion, lettuce, egg, cucumber, tomato, cabbage, delicious olives, spring onion, chives, parsley and tuna of course. The French fries are home made and crispy. We get 4 large lamb chops with a reasonably good flavour. The mousaka is fine. After the meal we get a free (rather large) bottle of raki, and cold ice cream with delicious coconut cake.
And of course we came back again. Is it now suddenly Dimitris Fish Tavern? Or Dimitris Traditions Family Tavern, as the it says on the menus? We order a spicey cheese dip, a mixed salad, a chicken souvlaki and a turkey with pepper sauce. The menu is still extensive with meat, fish and chicken dishes, omelettes, pasta and many starters. We immediately get a bottle of water on the table and wet wipes to clean the hands. The bread comes with butter. The fries are clearly home made and crisp. Both the chicken and the turkey are very tender. Tasty sauce, a little bit on the salty side perhaps. Everything was excellent, and again after the dinner we get a dessert and a small bottle of raki.
Our verdict: not surprising that it is busy here, very good, we'll be back: a 9 out of 10
Lagos Taverna is situated on the road that runs into the direction of Kera beach, just opposite the excavation with the mosaic floor. In the garden behind the taverna you can sit peacefully. Very tasty are the triangles filled with cheese that are topped with honey.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10
Taverna at the sea front of Almirida (at the long beach). Lots of appetizers, lots of vegetarian dishes and fish. We tried the taramosalata (fish eggs), tzaziki and the Psaros salad (with shrimps, tuna, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions). The bread was fresh and in one piece.
Our verdict: an 7,5 out of 10
Tsunami Cafe Cocktail Bar is located at the end of the promenade (on the left hand side as you look at the sea), near the small beach there. They serve breakfast, snacks, omelettes, club sandwich, burgers and sandwiches and there are a few grilled dishes. The service is friendly and the cappuccino comes with a glass of water.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10
The Sirocco Snack Bar is located on the promenade of Almyrida. Here you can also check your e-mails or surf the web for free. The cappuccino comes without a glass of water and it could have been served slightly warmer. The fries that come with the club sandwich are crispy.
Our verdict: a 7 out of 10
This taverna is fairly new in Almyrida (2012 or 2013?) and is situated on the corner of the boulevard at the T-junction. There are seats inside and an outside on the terrace. The waitress is very friendly. They serve various fish dishes, original salads and grilled meat dishes. On the menu are original dishes and combinations. We ordered a beetroot salad, salmon and a fish. The dishes that are served really look like a painting. The fish tastes delicious and is served with a butter sauce and beautiful grilled vegetables and coleslaw. The salmon tastes excellent. We get wet wipes to make our hands clean. After dinner we get a free home made tiramisu and a rakomelo (raki with honey).
Our verdict: a 9 out of 10