A Foodie’s Guide to the best Restaurants in Chania, Crete.

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I am a huge fan of Greek food even though I only ‘discovered’ it quite late in my travel life. But once I did I was immediately hooked and I think it was Crete that did the trick. Ever since I first came to the island a few years ago I have been wanting to put together a little guide for the best restaurants in Chania and now, after my 3rd visit, I thought the time was right.

Some tips when eating in Chania: don’t eat alone or adjust your order accordingly. I said it before and I will say it again – whoever complains about the portion sizes in America has clearly never eaten in Greece. Cretan food is, just like Greek food, meant to be shared. If you are a solo traveler/ solo eater like myself it is pretty hard not to over-order especially if you want to try everything. Luckily you can ask and many restaurants will let you order half portions of the mains or salads. Mind you, do check for the prices because I often found that to be an expensive option. So maybe order the whole thing and get a takeaway.

Check out my Chania travel guide

Where to eat in Chania? Where not to eat! I think it is hard to find a truly bad meal but obviously, some are better than others. From fast to fancy, traditional food to Greek with a modern twist – there is something for every tastebud. While I don’t consider myself an expert on Chania restaurants (yet) and have many more to try I wanted to share my favorites with you. We shall call them the best restaurants in Chania, Crete according to Annika – in no particular order…

The best restaurants in Chania, Crete –  popular spots & my favorite restaurants

To Maridaki

To Maridaki came recommended by Greg from J&G Suites as it is just up the road. After I realized that it is a real hidden gem and many locals know and love it. The location at a busy corner is a bit awkward, but it has quickly become my favorite Chania restaurant.

If you are looking for an inexpensive lunch, they have vitrine with daily specials – perfect if you are on a budget. I went for their regular menu instead which is full of typical Greek and Cretan favorites done to perfection. I wish I could tell you that I tried my way through the menu, alas, I did not. I found my favorite meal in Chania and went for repeats. 

To start with a spinach and manouri salad, alternatively an avocado salad. I like that they offer half portions for their salads which are not only cheaper but already quite big – perfect if you want to eat something else after. In my case that was the grilled octopus with with fava bean puree and capers. I only eat octopus when it is done really well and this was one of the best I have ever had. Juicy, soft, with the tiniest amount of crunch where it was charred – perfection. In addition, the capers made a lovely addition to cut through the starchiness of the fava beans. 

They also make some nice pastas and grilled fish. After your meal, you get a serving of yummy strawberry sorbet or a coconut halve – on the house of course!

By the way, if you want to come to To Maridaki for dinner get in line – I passed by a few nights and there were always many people waiting. Their reasonable prices are another highlight worth mentioning. 

SALIS

Salis is another favorite restaurant in Chania and I could have easily eaten there every day of the week. It is one of the Chania harbour restaurants (not the old harbour but the harbour next to it) but is a welcome change from the typical Greek fish tavernas and touristy restaurants there.

Traditional cuisine with modern, creative twists and a wine list to match await. If you are looking for a fine dining restaurant in Chania this is it!

The menu is set up in the typical Greek fashion of mains and meze which can either function as a starter or be shared. It offers a mix of traditional dishes from Crete and some with an innovative, international twist.
The setting is also beautiful and combines the best of both worlds: modern sleek interior and maritime atmosphere all around.

Whatever you eat, you must try the Salis Cacio e Pepe, a pasta dish I could happily eat for the rest of my life – Salis is definitely one of the best restaurants in Crete! And after returning after a two year hiatus, I can say that while the prices have definitely increased by quite a lot, the quality is still awesome. And maybe even more importantly – my favorites are just as good as I remember them.

TAMAM

Tamam Chania came recommended by my hotel and is one of the best restaurants in Chania Old Town, a short walk from the Old Venetian Harbor.

It was the first place I had lunch at after I arrived and it ticked all the boxes of what you want in a Cretan restaurant: a carafe of delicious yet inexpensive house wine, a Greek salad with feta AND mizithra cheese, and a plate with lamb kofte that makes you realize you most definitely ordered way too much.

My second time around I discovered the joys of their stuffed sardines served in a clay pot. After making my way through many plates of grilled sardines including heads, tails, and bones, I was delighted to get a dish that didn’t involve any work. Ask for some extra bread (their bread is awesome) to mop up the oil and the accompanying fava bean puree.

Unfortunately the sardines are not on the menu anymore as I have recently discovered. That is a bummer but order some lamb kebabs or prawns with salad and a homemade cheesecake with strawberry coulis and you will be just as happy.

Inside Tamam is quite spacious but I think the tables in the small alley are the best so I reckon to make a reservation if you are traveling to Chania in high season. The small roads in the old town are all part of the city’s charm!

GINGER CONCEPT

I came across Ginger Concept when I was searching for a nice place for seafood pasta in the old town of Chania and was not disappointed even though it is not a Cretan restaurant as such.

The food is international with some Brazilian dishes and you can even get Coxinha and an Acai bowl for breakfast here. The interior is modern and somewhat tropical and they have quite a bit of outside space as well as an adjacent boutique.

Mind you after a few more visits, I think they may have gotten a bit too trendy for their own good in recent years: it is always very crowded and apparently the food quality can be a mixed bag at times. But I dare say if you come outside the main dining times you can still get a pretty good meal here if you wanted something other than your classical Greek restaurant in Chania. Also, the staff is lovely and the cocktails, especially the passion fruit pisco sour noteworthy!

Note: They have just moved!

THE WELL OF THE TURK

The Well of the Turk is right next to J&G Suites and another one of my go-tos. It is one of those quintessential Chania Old Town restaurants: small tables, blue chairs, and bougainvilleas everywhere.

After some research, I decided to come back one night for dinner. The cuisine here is a medley between Middle Eastern, Turkish, and Greek food.

Check out these hotels to stay right next door!

I ate some lamb kofte with pita bread and yogurt sauce and it was delicious. I don’t eat much meat anymore but I was a fan of the meatballs and kofte in Crete. Another highlight is Lahmajun or what I like to call the lamb pizza. It is a flatbread with minced lamb and pinenuts and especially for those who usually forgo pizza for being too doughy a great option as there is definitely more meat than dough.

• Find a room at beautiful J&G Suites – book at Booking

PULSE

I read more about Pulse than any other restaurant in Chania and even non-vegans kept on raving about their

I read more about Pulse than any other restaurant in Chania and even non-vegans kept on raving about their plant-based food. I went there on a sunny day for lunch when I was craving fresh, good food that didn’t come slathered in cheese.

They had incredibly friendly staff and I immediately got a bottle of filtered water for the table, something I always appreciate. I ordered a salad with tofu ceviche which to be very honest was a bit too acidic and bland. Tofu needs a lot more seasoning than lemon juice especially if you are going to serve it cold, raw, and want it to resemble something like ceviche. Mind you I would definitely go back and try their vegan mezze platter something most reviewers had raved about.

I also really appreciate their fresh juice menu and health shots as I hadn’t had any jamu in ages when I was there.

• Stay at Fagotto Art Residences around the corner – book at Booking / Agoda

Neoria

If you want a eat at a lovely restaurant in the Chania Old Harbor that is not a tourist trap go to Neoria Fish Tavern. You will be sitting first row and can watch the world go by and if you are lucky find a kitten to play with. 

I went for lunch and ordered a simple meal of rice stuffed with zuccini blossoms that are served with thick creme on the side in Crete. Then I had grilled sardines which were served filleted (thank you) just with some parsley, onions, and lemon. Simple, delicious.

Prices for this location are more than decent and while the food is not innovative or fancy it is just really well done. And sometimes that is all you want from your meal. 

Want to learn more about the Cretan diet & discover the traditional cuisine?
Check out these Chania Food tours:

Botanical Park of Crete

Chania is not only a city but also a region and if you venture into the White Mountains you will find one of the best places to eat in Chania, Crete: the restaurant at the Botanical Park of Crete. While you will need to drive a little to get there it is so worth visiting and a good choice for a leisurely lunch. 

First, gather some appetite by walking through the gardens which combine 3 different climate zones and are home to many botanical treasures. Afterward, take a seat on the terrace which overlooks the mountains and olive groves – a stunning backdrop to a stunning meal.

The kitchen uses only local products and makes some of the best and most authentic Cretan cuisine you will find with many products coming straight from the garden. Especially vegetarians in Chania will be happy – I have rarely eaten such amazing, veggie focussed dishes. If you ask nicely you can even pop your head into the kitchen and see how dishes are made.

Maiami

Maiami is the latest venture by artist and winemaker Alexandra Manousakis. You may have guessed it but Maiami is the Greek spelling of Miami and so it doesn’t come as a surprise that the restaurant is located in an Art Deco building in Koum Kapi. 

Koum Kapi is one of my favorite Chania neighborhoods and at least for now it remains somewhat authentic. At the same time, you are just east of the Old Harbor but without all the noise. It feels like a world away. At Maiami you can eat right by the beach but there is little passenger traffic and it feels incredibly relaxed. 

The heart of Maiami is a big outdoor terrace by the water though the inside is also worth visiting. You can buy Alexandra’s beautiful quirky ceramics and admire the centerpiece, an incredible fireplace. 

Maiami calls itself a brasserie. On the menu is an eclectic mix of Greek and Mediterranean classics with a touch of Levante. Think watermelon salad, fried olives, eggplant as well as mains like lentil stew, chicken skewers with couscous, and lemon feta cheese pasta. A highlight is the Persian Love Cake. In addition, wines from the Manousakis winery in Chania. While the food could turn it up a notch in my eyes, the setting is incredible and definitely makes Maiami one of the most beautiful restaurants in Chania. 

If you are a fan of red, definitely have a glass of their Nostos blend – it is wonderful!

• Book: 3 Hour Manousakis Winery Tasting with Shuttle 

BOHEME

I went to Boheme twice on my last trip, once for breakfast and once for lunch. The menu offers some bistro classics though I read that they get a bit more innovative for dinner. I ordered a Croque Monsieur big enough to feed an entire family and Cesar’s salad the second time around which was equally big but a bit underwhelming.

Mainly I would recommend coming here if you are looking for a leafy backyard option with some non-Greek food or a romantic dinner at night.

Tokyo Joe

While I was contemplating whether I should search for the best gyros in Chania I came across Tokyo Joe and all of a sudden my stomach was shouting for sushi and bao buns!

Honestly, it won’t win any prizes for the best fish restaurant Chania or most authentic Japanese but sometimes you just want a decent California roll and with that it didn’t disappoint. In my case, I also needed some bao buns in lieu of the gyros or local cuisine and their choices were quite yummy though could not be compared with my favorites from Cape Town.

The service was great but the one thing that really bugged me was their drinks prices. While I expected that sushi & co would cost more than the gyros I had budgeted for I was grumpy at the idea of paying 5 Euro for a Coke!

Kritamon 

Kritamon was a new restaurant for me in Chania, which I recently tried. It is tucked into a little side street in the old city and seems unassuming from the outside. 

The menu is a nice mix of Cretan classics with some not-so-usual suspects. I was in the mood for something fresh, so I ordered the sea bass carpaccio with mango and cashews. It was garnished with fried onions, sea lettuce, and a pesto-like sauce, and tasted delicious. That said, if you have allergies, definitely tell them beforehand, as the menu description was lacking half the ingredients. 

I also ordered some meat-pie croquettes that were filled with slow-cooked lamb and all the cheese they could find. Incredibly yummy but oh so filling. 

They have a great wine menu with some interesting options like an Amphorae Orange. This Asyrtiko looked like cloudy juice and was a real winner. 

Pita Goal

If you are coming to Greece, chances are you will want to eat a pita gyros. Since I stay in Koum Kapi often, I must have walked by a few times, but I never considered Pita Goal. The little grill is unassuming to say the least. 

However, I was told by a Crete local that it is a proper hidden gem with the best pita in town. I opted for the chicken pita, though I should have gone for the pork gyros in hindsight. Still, it was delicious and for 4 Euro an absolute steal! 

They have plenty of tables, but I actually recommend you get your pita to go and eat it down on Koum Kapi beach. Unless you are renting the Koum Kapi Boutique Apartment right across the street, where you can eat it on your couch. 

Cafes in Chania

There are plenty of cafes in Chania where you can get a good cup of coffee or something sweet.  For bougatsa (flakey phyllo dough filled with custard or creamy cheese) head to Bougatsa Iordanis. They are said to have the best bougatsa in Chania. In fact, it is also called Cretan breakfast here.

They have two versions, one original with cheese and one with custard. Both are best eaten when warm. You can eat it there though their dining area is cafeteria-style and not too cozy or take it to go and sit by the harbor which I would recommend.

The coolest bakery in town is the Red Jane Bakery. They also sell coffee and pastries in some other shops around town but their original location is worth a visit. It oozes big-city cool. The pastries are expensive, but really good if you are after a flakey, buttery croissant type of sweet. They also make great sandwiches and have cold brew in a can.

Sometimes there will be a line, but it always moves quickly, and the other day I went at 8.30 am and there was no wait.

For some seriously good coffee and the best matcha in Chania head to Monogram. They also have a few pastries and their coffee is beloved in the neighborhood. After 7 pm they turn into The Bar by Monogram and apparently make one of the best Negronis in town. As for me, I stuck to matcha which can compete with the ones I had in Japan. 

I still need to return and try Matzenta Kuzina del Sol, a Cretan-Mexican fusion restaurant. If you have other recommendations for where to eat in Chania, please share them in the comments so I can check them out. 

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