Best Restaurants: Where to Eat on Naxos
Wondering where to eat on Naxos? The best restaurants have a tables waiting right on a beach, by the seaside, along a quaint harbor and down the charming streets of the island’s historic old town.
Where to Eat on Naxos
If you’re lucky enough to be traveling to Naxos – my favorite Greek island – you’ll be in for some of the best Greek food you can find in Greece.
Actually, great food is just one of the many reasons to love Naxos.
Like Crete, it can feed itself. Cycladic island landscapes are typically rocky and not so fertile. For some reason, Naxos is the exception. Some say it is because it was where Dionysos, the Greek god of wine, fertility and merriment, was born. He wouldn’t want his island to be anything less than amazing, right?
If you’re thinking about where to eat on Naxos, you’ll have some great choices. Here are my favorite places.
The Delicious Typografeio – Chora of Naxos
Housed in a historical building which was once a printing company that used to publish the first newspaper on Naxos back in 1926, the Delicious Typografeio is one of those family restaurants which you simply cannot miss. Overlooking the historical Castle, the restaurant exudes a cozy, homey feel where guests can enjoy a traditional Naxian meal under the starry sky. The dishes are prepared using locally sourced Naxian produce and draw inspiration from traditional Greek cuisine.
We recommend trying their specialties like the pork shank cooked with fennel, vegetarian Moussaka, Naxian oven baked potatoes with pulled pork & orange, just to name a few.
Metaxi Mas
Also in Naxos Town, dine right in the charming whitewashed paths of the palia agora in the old town. At Metaxi Mas, the local Flerianos family prides themselves on home cooked taverna food.
Naxos Old Town; mains start at 12 euro
Palatia Island
This is a special dining experience because the dining space is tucked right under the island’s famous ancient landmark, Apollo’s Temple which is also known as the Portara.
From your dining spot you will take in a stunning view of the harbor. As for what you’ll eat, know that everything served here is fresh and locally sourced. Seafood plates like gouna, which is grilled sun-dried mackerel is a top main choice. So is the grilled squid stuffed with tomato, onion, peppers, and parsley.
Under the Portara archaeological site; mains start at 15 euro
Palatia Agia Anna
When considering where to eat on Naxos, go right on the beach. Head to Palatia Island’s sister restaurant on stunning Agia Anna. When I say right on the beach…
I loved dining outdoors here. I had my toes in the sand as we enjoyed fantastic dishes.
We started off with a tomato and cucumber salad topped with corn, greens and sesame seeds. Another great dish was the fried feta cheese drizzled with honey. The yellow split peas which is served with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, caramelized onions and balsamic vinegar is Palatia’s take on a Cycladic specialty.
For the main dish, we opted for a slow-cooked pork dish in garlic sauce and served with Naxian fries.
On Agia Anna Beach; mains start at 10 euro
Gorgona
The name of this Greek restaurant means mermaid. What you’ll be sure to enjoy here is a lovely view of Agia Anna’s tiny harbor and some of the best seafood dishes on the island. The family run taverna has been going strong since the 1970s.
We enjoyed dollops of Greek dips including a tuna salad, cheese, crab and eggplant. What’s really special here is the Gorgona seafood platter which is a generous tray of freshly caught seafood including calamari, shrimp and red mullet.
Agia Anna; mains start at 10 euro; www.naxosagiaanna.com
Santana Beach Restaurant
I stayed at the Santana Beach Resort which is a beautiful boutique beach hotel. Turned out that one of the highlights was being right by its lovely beach restaurant and café.
Like many Greek island beach venues, the place is designed with the sea view as the focal point. White and wicker veranda furniture is neatly set on an open-air but shaded wooden platform veranda. The décor is simple with beach inspired accents like hanging rope lightbulbs and round mirrors.
We enjoyed the hearty breakfasts, sipped cocktails on the beach as we relaxed on Santana’s cushy loungers and had a fantastic dinner with an gorgeous evening beach view.
Agia Anna Beach; mains start at 10 euro
Amorginos – Apiranthos village
If you find yourselves in the unique Apiranthos village, do stop for a meal at the traditional taverna of Amorginos. Apart from a moreish array of traditional dishes that are packed with flavour and goodness, you can choose to sit outside on the wonderful terrace soaking in the surrounding mountainous landscape. Although they will butcher the meat on site, they also have many vegetarian and gluten free options for non-meat eaters. A must try is their Kalogiros dish which is a fantastic combination of eggplant, beef, tomato sauce and yogurt.
Rotonda – between Filoti & Apiranthos village
If you are looking for a place that combines incredible scenery, classic cocktails, and local flavours with a fine dining twist, be sure to check out Rotonda. Set on the way between two villages, it occupies an amazing spot that commands fantastic views, and also runs as a cafe and a bar as well as a restaurant, so you can enjoy Rotonda’s ambiance on a variety of occasions.
Try the Naxian Wines
Although Naxos is not as popular as other regions of Greece for its wines, there are some noteworthy small wineries on the island that we recommend you visit.
The Saint Anna winery, located in the traditional settlement of Kato Potamia, is about a 20 minute drive from Naxos town. Run by Manolis Petrakis who takes great pleasure from his work, the winery started 15 years ago with the help of his grandfather. Pursuing knowledge of regarding wine making techniques and procedures, he took it upon himself to better his understanding of wine through study and work experience before returning to Saint Anna winery, restoring the old building and investing in new technologies.
Currently the winery produces red, rose, white, sweet red and semi sweet rose while the grapes that are cultivated are fokiano, monemvasia, moscato, savvatiano. For a more central place where wine is king, Oinoxoros wine bar in Naxos town is your destination. Decorated in a way that resembles a wine pub more so than a typical wine bar, it is also a store, and the staff know their wines very well. They are able to recommend and tell you about the story behind most labels. it is where wine lovers gather to taste various labels, paired with cheeses, cold cuts that fully bring out each wine’s flavour. Apart from trying a few wines as per their recommendations, they can also arrange fully fledged wine tasting events upon request.
Oinoxoros carries between 150 – 250 wine labels, gaining a reputation beyond the island’s confines. While there you should definitely try their own wine called Tranampelo, a dry white wine variety.
Things to do on Naxos:
Full-Day Catamaran Sailing Tour Around Naxos
For more about Naxos, including where to stay, what to see and do visit my mini-guide to Naxos on this blog.
That sums up where to eat on Naxos which is my favorite Greek island. Have you visited Naxos? Would you add any eateries or restaurants to this list?
Nice place, Naxos. The food you described at Popi’s sounds delicious. Happy Travels young lady.
In Naxos Town I like the Restaurant Popi’s Grill. It is situated on the waterfront. This Food is great, fresh salads and classic taverna fare. Nice change from the main tourist spots. I would definitely recommend Popi’s Grill.