Crete for first-time visitors

Best restaurants

Eating well on Crete is mostly a matter of timing and nerve: knowing which kitchens open early, which run late, and which are worth crossing town for when the easy option is right outside the hotel. This list makes no claim to cover the whole island. Its 12 addresses sit in three places, Nea Alikarnassos, Ηράκλειο and Hersonissos, chosen for range, not uniformity. There are Greek grills, regional kitchens, a sushi and wok counter that serves until 01:00, and one beach bar listed as open 24/7. Some of these are dinner-only rooms that open at 18:00; others will feed you from 08:00. The list is for travellers who would sooner plan around a kitchen's real hours than around a brochure. Where the verified details run thin, we say so, and we give you the phone number instead of a guess.