5 Best Restaurants on Santorini

5 Best Restaurants on Santorini

Santorini
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Video by The Luxury Travel Expert.

Santorini is a dream destination that will enamor you with its romantic sunsets, beautiful beaches, and fascinating culture.

While there are tons of activities, attractions, hotels and luxury resorts here, what every tourist wants is a cultural immersion and food is definitely a big part of the culture. If cultural immersion is your goal then getting introduced to the unique Greek foods and flavors is going to be one of the highlights of your visit. 

Due to the large influx of tourists, restaurants have sprung up everywhere and you can find every imaginable cuisine having a variety of price ranges here. For a thoroughly immersive experience most would like to choose the authentic Mediterranean and Greek-inspired cuisines. But it can be difficult for a new visitor to identify the restaurants that will give the level of service and ensure the authenticity of flavors.

We have weeded out the untested and doubtful choices and listed the best 5 restaurants you can try out on your next visit to Santorini.  These 5 restaurants are where you will get the best quality food and a wonderful dining experience.

1.    Selene, Fira

Selene Restaurant
Photo: selene.gr

 

Award-winning Selene from the village of Pyrgos is one of the best restaurants in Santorini with a view of the caldera of the spectacular island. It offers an unforgettable dining experience with creative gastronomy and an amazing picturesque environment in Fira. 35 years old Selene is part of Katikies Garden Hotel, which is the only 5-star hotel one will find here. 

The unique arrangement of sitting offered by Selene in the beautiful courtyard, next to the fountain, and under the sky and stars, make it a romantic and lovely experience. The restaurant has a huge collection of fine wine and also offers cooking classes and wine tasting opportunities. It is considered as one the best restaurants in Greece that offers a nightly a la carte menu that starts from mid-October till spring.

Its menu features flavorsome Cycladic Spinialo with octopus, rabbit marinated in red wine, sea bass, sea urchin, Dorada with wild greens, a hearty meat dish with caper cream or grilled lamb with eggplant puree, the plates of ravioli, Santorian Tomato Can (signature dish), the brodedo and their ice cream with honey - these are their special so make sure you try them if you go there.

Address: Selene, Fira, 847 00, Greece

2.    1800, Oia, Santorini

1800 Restaurant
Photo:  oia-1800.com

 

1800 is one of the best restaurants in Santorini, Oia situated high up on a cliff in the north. From here one can get a panoramic view of the Aegean Sea, and the majestic view of the volcanic caldera which is rewarded with the view of the stunning sunset. This restaurant in Santorini is housed in a captain's mansion from 1885 beneath Floga Restaurant.

Its design and interior colors, furniture, and everything reflect the bygone era and remind the history of the 19th century. The ambiance of the dining room with a rooftop garden, sophisticated touch with the indoor and outdoor sitting facility is perfect for a cozy date night.

This is the best restaurant in Santorini for sunset from where you can witness and adore the dramatic natural beauty. 1800 restaurants offer great traditional Greek recipes with influences of Mediterranean cuisine. One should try their platter of mezedes with local cheeses, roasted fish, and grilled lamb chops accompanied with sweet-and-sour green applesauce. They are famous for offering an upscale gastronomic dining experience from appetizers to main course and dessert.

1800, Santorini Oia has won the Greek Golden Chef's Hat Award and the Gourmet Magazine Award. They also serve customers premium quality Santorini wines and Cuban cigars; 1800 Restaurant is a certified member of the "GreekWineResto '' network and first prize winner for serving the best Greek wines.

Address: Oia 847 02, Greece

3.    Metaxi Mas, Santorini Tavern

Metaxi Mas Santorini Tavern
Photo:  santorini-metaximas.gr

 

Metaxi Mas is the top restaurant in Santorini that offers the most scenic dining spots in Exo Gonia, a small village in south-central Santorini. This is one of the unexplored places in Santorini where people can enjoy authentic Greek cuisine peacefully without any noise in the background.

This is the perfect place to enjoy sweeping views of the island, the Aegean Sea, Mount Taygetus, the church of Agios Charalambos, Kamari Beach, the Airport area, and the monastery which was built around 1705. The place is simply decorated but serves the best Santorini’s local recipes and Crete dishes.

This is one of the best restaurants in Santorini, Greece which serves the most flavorsome pork chops, seafood “giouvetsi, ginormous lamb shanks accompanied with local tomatoes, meze with cheese, olives, bread, and classic al fresco Hellenic patio.

One should taste their Dako salad loaded with fresh tomatoes, and cheesecake topped with raspberry sauce. This is the best place to drink “Raki”, the famous alcoholic drink of Greece.  It is a must-try if you are into trying out local foods.

Address:  Exo Gonia 847 00, Greece

4.    To Psaraki, Santorini

To Psaraki
Photo: topsaraki.gr

 

To Psaraki, Santorini sits next to the beach of Vlychada and is one of the best restaurants in Santorini. It has also received a number of awards for serving delicious seafood and Greek recipes. It is the perfect choice for those who love to enjoy soothing air with a view of the blue sea and the gorgeous view of Santorini beach. To Psaraki is the best sunset restaurant in Santorini.

The restaurant looks divine with a blue wooden pergola and its minimal aesthetic ideas. This 20-year-old restaurant serves the simple yet delicious Mediterranean cuisine with exclusively seasonal ingredients - fish, meat, salads, and seafood and with the great sea view - one can dream of. 

One should try exclusive dishes like carpaccio, ceviche, stuffed vine leaves, seafood, and meat, and salads, fresh bounty, grilled sardines stuffed with herbs, barracuda, lobster, and grouper. They also serve homemade white cod roe tarama, paprika-flavored Bonita, and grilled octopus which tastes so yum! Don’t forget to taste baklava, their traditional Greek dessert. It is just mind-blowing!

Address: Marina, Vlichada 847 00, Greece

5.    Ambrosia, Oia, Santorini 

Ambrosia, Oia, Santorini
Photo: restaurant-ambrosia.com

 

Ambrosia is the most romantic and the best restaurant in Santorini for serving Mediterranean cuisine and Modern Greek cuisine. It is a nice quiet place, where you can sit and enjoy the breathtaking view of the whole caldera. Ambrosia is perfect for people who want to enjoy an inmate dining atmosphere inside a cave with a candle-lit table. Remember to reserve in advance for a smooth and hassle-free experience.

The rooms are beautifully decorated in Greek antiques from where one gets a view of the perfect sunset - just perfect for a couple. Ambrosia's menu includes fava beans, figs, lambs, and chickens. One should taste their exclusive Greek walnut cake and dark chocolate soufflé. To enrich the dining experience, complete your meal with a glass of a rich collection of Santorini wines or the white Assyrtiko grapes. 

Address: Ambrosia, Oia, Santorini 847 02, Santorini, Greece

The restaurants we have listed will be an introduction to the unique flavors of Greek cuisine and will give you a taste of the awesome Greek hospitality that people talk about.

You may also be curious about the prices here. In Santorini, you will find restaurants ranging from low to super expensive. The listed 5 best restaurants in Santorini are in the mid to high range when it comes to prices. So it may not be cheap but it would not be too expensive as well. The food quality, the authenticity of the cuisine, ambiance, and the service were the major dimensions used for filtering through the restaurants. Yes, you can get tasty gyros and Fava or baklava elsewhere on the island but the dining experience may great and food quality can vary.

You could contact these restaurants for pricing and the best times to visit before your travel.

So make time in your schedule to include these 5 restaurants in your Santorini visit and let us know how your experience was.

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