The best places to eat and drink in Santorini, Greece
One of the many great things about Santorini is the food. Whether you want a quick snack, a light lunch, or a fancy dinner, you’ll easily be able to find great options. But always book ahead! Even in the quieter period post-pandemic, we made the mistake of not booking the places we wanted eat in Santorini on our first couple of nights and couldn't get a seat on the door. However, with so many restaurants in town we were always able to find a great place to eat.
Where to eat in Santorini
Pitogyros
We had heard that Pitogyros was the best gyros in Oia and we were not disappointed. In fact, we went back more than once. Expect to queue, but the souvlaki and gyros here are definitely worth the way. In fact, this might be the best gyros we've ever eaten – not just in Santorini, but anywhere!
Fino
There are plenty of up market (read: expensive) spots to eat in Oia. But our favourite was Fino. We went here for my 30th birthday dinner and though it wasn’t cheap, the food was great. And it didn’t feel overly touristy, with a laid-back vibe on both the terrace and inside, fresh Greek food with a modern twist, and delicious cocktails.
Nico’s Place
For fresh, authentic Greek food, check out Nico’s Place. Like almost every restaurant in Oia, it’s basically impossible to get a walk in. So you will need to plan in advance to make a booking. But it's definitely worth it for the traditional Greek cooking and relaxed, homely atmosphere.
Roka
Set in a historic building and serving traditional Greek cuisine, Roka in Oia feels like a real taste of Greek life. Sunshine yellow walls, sea blue furnishings, and bold purple bougainvillaea give Roka the perfect mediterranean vibe. It's the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood, dips and bread, Greek salads, and wine.
Lucky’s Souvlaki
We spent a lot of time eating Souvlaki in Santorini. And in Fira, Lucky’s Souvlaki was our favourite. Not only did it have a vegan option (falafel) but it was open late at night. So when we left the bars, we were even able to get a drunken souvlaki for our stumble home!
Where to drink in Santorini
Catch
We didn’t eat at Catch. But we did come for cocktails on the terrace before dinner one evening. It’s a relaxed ambient bar that feels more luxury than some of the more traditional Greek bars in Oia. And the drinks are more expensive to match. But it's a great spot for a slightly fancier pre- or post-dinner cocktail on the terrace.
Santos Wines
We spent an evening at Santos winery, just outside of Oia, trying a range of local wines. It was a short bus ride out of town and we got a taxi back as the buses aren’t too regular. It’s possible, but it's not easy to time the end of your dinner with the sporadic island bus time table!
But for relaxed ambience, great wines (not that I remember the last couple) and good, fresh food, this is worth the excursion. It felt more like a day trip than just a dinner date.
The restaurant and bar is set next to a wedding venue, so it has a fancy feel and there’s plenty of suits and cocktail dresses around. But I didn’t feel out of place in a sundress and sandals either.
Perrissa beach bars
During our day at Perissa, we ate at The Volcano beach bar. To be honest, we stumbled across this thinking the bars along the beach would be much of a muchness. But the food here was delicious and fresh, and cooked on a grill on the beach which added to the holiday vibe.
We stayed here with cold beers and relaxed at a table on the black sand beach before catching our bus back to Oia. And despite being so low-key, I think this was one my my most memorable meals in Santorini.
It helps that eating fresh food with a cocktail on the beach is basically my favourite way to eat any meal. So it’s possible that my opinion is blurred by the overall experience. But if you’re in Perissa for a day or even longer, the beach bars are definitely worth checking out as a great place to drink or eat in Santorini.
Looking for more things to do in Santorini? Check out my blog: How we spent one week in Santorini.