Favorite place to eat in Santorini and Naxos

Santorini: Metaxi Mas in Exo Gonia, Taverna Kallisti in Pyrgos, Skaramagas in Monolithos, Katina's on the wharf in Amoudi Bay (Oia), Skala in Oia.

In Naxos: L'Osteria for quiet, and excellent Italian. Scirocco for wonderful friendly and entertaining waitstaff. delicious hummus, prawns, lamb, pork, chocolate shuffle. Were there for the past few days and liked Scirocco so much we did it twice! The rooftop at 520 is a great place for drinks with an amazing view.

We took my son and his wife to Nostimon Hellas which is the number one taverna in Naxos according to the research my son did. Its upscale and has a twist on traditional Greek food.
We also took them to Taverna to Kastro. Its high up in the town just outside the Kastro walls. After that first visit they demanded that the last two nights were also at Taverna to Kastro. That makes it number one in my books.
I can also recommend Shirroco it is fun and well priced.

In Santorini, Lee has given you excellent recommends for top "cuisine" in Oia, and in other areas of Santorini that are best reached by car or taxi. If you happen to be in Fira Town itself, and feel like a lunch, or an early dinner with sunset view(remember sunset is 6:45 this week) , there's a very enjoyable rooftop restaurant with wonderful views of caldera, a looong menu of authentic Greek dishes, and amazing prices (you'd have to work HARD to spend more than €30 for 2, including a half-liter of wine). It's STANI, about 2 "lanes" back from the rim, but you'd be on high, 3rd floor terrace. http://www.stani.gr Off season, probably no problem getting a prime table, but u could always ask your hotelier to ring them up that day and ask for the best table for 2.

We really enjoyed the taverna in Naxos Town by the marina that had the boat of seafood (with fresh octopus and squid). You'll know it when you see it. But really, there's no bad food in Greece, IMHO.

Linda,

We agree with Stanbr: Favorite restaurant in Naxos last month was Nostimon
Hellas. We ate their twice in the garden area. The food and atmosphere were stellar. Make a reservation! They were packed both days.

Right on Janet! Favorite restaurant in Santorini (Fira) was STANI. Welcoming staff, wonderful Greek fare, and amazing view of the sunset. Walking distance from our hotel in Firostephani. We made reservations to ensure a good view table.

Janis

In Naxos we loved Boulamatsis. It's downtown near the Old Market and has a great balcony with fabulous views. This is one of those traditional Greek restaurants that we love, where they show you all the dishes they have prepared that day, in large baking dishes, and you can choose one or two or even an assortment of them for your meal.

We found another similar restaurant near St George beach, called To Elliniko, where we ordered a platter of mixed dishes from the assortment they showed us. The next night we returned & each ordered a full serving of our favorite. We were greeted like old friends, and given free raki & dessert.

In Thira - Mama's House

Naxos town - we enjoyed Boulamatsis - homecooked Greek food, overlooking the port with a balcony (enter through stairs off main street opposite port); nice family; reasonably priced. We also stayed out on the cape one night at Villas Faros and they are a family run hotel and restaurant - Faros Taverna. It had different specials each night and the wait staff always had great recommendations. It was full each night and great crowd at lunch too. The owner caught an octopus one day and hung it from a nearby tree; fresh catches every day; Mama is in the kitchen cooking incredible Greek food! Sweet family and staff.

Santorini - we really liked Thalassia in Oia and even got take out from there and took it to our accommodations and watched the sunset from our porch.

Santorini:

Taverna Kapari (?) in Thira, up the street from the bus station. No caldera views, but great food.

Whatever you choose on Santorini, make sure you keep clear of the walking radius of the cruise ship tourists! Overpriced, bad quality food within that radius. The restaurant owners know perfectly well that those tourists will be there for half a day and never again.

Naxos:

I wish I could remember the name of the place. In a second row street, not right on the waterfront. A fisherman brought the fresh catch while we were sitting there, getting ready to order. I am sure we have never eaten fresher fish in our whole lives.

And then there are a couple of those nice little breakfast restaurants which we needed on Naxos every single time, coming from a morning boat ride from Paros for a day trip and having lost our breakfast somewhere along the way...

Another in Oia where the owner and his friends play music, and sometimes there's dancing: Santorini Mou. It's always a fun place for dinner and and not at all expensive.

Another recommendation in Naxos Town: Kozi. Traditional Greek Food with a stunning view at sunset of the Temple of Apollo!