There’s nothing worse than having a bad meal on vacation. Here’s our guide to the best places to eat while visiting Chania from cheap eats to fine dining.
Hi! We’re Anna Maria and Vasili, owners of Chania Wine Tours and long-time residents of Chania. We’re also big foodies (maybe big eaters is a better description) and needless to say, we love wine. When we’re chatting with our guests on our tours and ask them how their time in Crete has been so far, the most heart-breaking thing to hear is that they had a bad food experience. To us, there’s nothing worse than having a bad meal on vacation. We literally only travel for food and wine! We immediately give them a list of best restaurants in Chania to remedy this tragedy. Chania has some of the best food and it’s a sin to have a bad meal here. So, we’ve compiled a list of guaranteed great restaurants to be sure you experience the best food and wine Chania has to offer.
(in no particular order)
Salis
Akti Enoseos 3, Chania 2821 043700
www.salischania.com
Salis is our favorite restaurant in Chania. We’re friends with the owners, so there’s a little bias here, but honestly, we’ve eaten there at least 100 times and have never had a bad meal or bad experience. Salis is located on the waterfront of the Old Venetian Harbour. It’s a largish restaurant that still maintains an intimate atmosphere. The service is excellent and friendly. The 1100 bottle wine list has won countless awards including two glasses from Wine Spectator and 3 out of 3 stars from World of Fine Wine, the only stand-alone restaurant in Greece to achieve this (this is a big deal). Don’t worry; their sommelier will gladly help you sift through all the wines. All the ingredients are locally sourced and the owners grow most of the produce themselves so everything is always fresh and the menu changes seasonally.
What we love about it: fresh ingredients, innovative recipes, outstanding wine list
Good for: couples, large groups, solo diners, wine
Favorite dishes: deconstructed pastitsio, flank steak, chicken salad, duck breast
Price: $$-$$$
Open: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Reservation: recommended
(Picture via Salis website)
The Five Restaurant
Akti Papanikoli 15, Chania
2821 086596
The best way to steal our hearts is through our stomachs, and The Five has done just that. The Five opened late into the summer season of 2019 and is quickly becoming a local-favorite. The owners Nikos and Kleopatra are a husband and wife team that are incredibly passionate about their new place. The Five is located on the newly renovated esplanade of Nea Chora beach. The endless sea views and breath-taking sunset, and amazing food, keep us coming back for more. Their menu is small but every dish is perfectly executed. Kleopatra is a certified sommelier that keeps a fun and rotating wine list.
What we love about it: incredible view, great atmosphere, unexpected flavor combinations, kid-friendly
Good for: couples, sunset dinner, families
Favorite dishes: fisherman pasta, taramosalata, chicken salad, squid
Open: lunch, dinner
Reservations: recommended
Oinoa
Theotokopoulou 63, Chania
697 608 9225
Oinoa is where we go for special occasions. It’s very romantic! Oinoa is located on the picturesque Theotokopoulou Street of Old Town. It’s a small, intimate bistro with a great wine list. The food is superb and the service is great. It is owned by two sisters who visited, fell in love with Chania, and decided to stay. We can relate to that! They are obsessed with finding the best ingredients, only top quality will do.
What we love about it: high quality ingredients, intimate atmosphere, friendly staff
Good for: special occasions, couples, small groups
Favorite dishes: salmon, tuna tartare
Price: $$$
Open: lunch and dinner
Reservations: strongly recommended/required
You can visit Oinoa on our Wine Tasting Walking Tour!
Ntounias
Dracona Village
2821 065083
Ntounias is an experience like no other. Located way up in the mountains, a winding road takes you back in time when food was what you yourself raised and grew. Walking up to the restaurant you’ll see Stelios cooking in clay pots on an open flame. This is slooooow food at its best. All the ingredients are found within walking distance of the restaurant. We’ve never actually seen a menu here, though I imagine one exists. We just tell Stelios or his wife Emi to bring us whatever they want. Then the small plates start coming a few at a time. The food isn’t stylized, not even a garnish, it doesn’t actually look good. It’s usually a scoop from a pot. But, my god, is it delicious.
What we love about it: unique experience, fresh ingredients, the drive to get there
Good for: day trip, families, couples, small groups, vegetarian
Favorite dishes: Ntounias salad, fried potatoes, any meat dish
Price: $-$$
Open: lunch only
Reservation: recommended
Maiami
Akti Miaouli, Mesologgiou &, Chania 731 32
2821 020000
Maiami is located in the Koum Kapi seaside neighborhood of Chania. It’s doubles as an art studio for owner Alexandra Manousakis. The vibe is exceptional. The food is amazing and a nice break from traditional dishes. It’s a cumulation of all of Alexandra’s favorite foods over the years. The eclectic menu is just as eclectic as Alexandra’s art.
What we love about it: comfortable, reliable, amazing view
Good for: view, coffee, lunch, before dinner/after dinner
Favorite dishes: Afshin’s Chicken, spinach & artichoke dip, NY style cheesecake
Price: $-$$
Open: breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night
Reservations: recommended
Chrisostomos
Defkelonias & Ikarou Chania 731 32
2821 057035
Chrisostomos is the most delicious traditional Cretan restaurant in Chania town. This is how all of our Cretan grandmas used to cook.
What we love about it: traditional Cretan food, well-priced, comfort food
Good for: lunch, dinner
Favorite dishes: Snails, lamb with staka
Price: $$
Open: lunch, dinner
Reservations: recommended
Manousakis Winery
Vatolakkos
28210 78787
Manousakis Winery converted their old winery into a gorgeous tasting room with terrace that’s open for lunch and dinner. They serve traditional Cretan comfort food with ingredients grown just across the yard. Needless to say, the wines are amazing as well. The restaurant is on the winery property which is available to tour. We recommend doing a wine tasting and finding your perfect wine before ordering your meals.
Shameless self-promotion #2: We visit Manousakis Winery and have full lunch with unlimited wine on all our full-day wine tours. We also do a Dinner Under the Stars here weeknights. Vasili and I literally eat here every day in the summers and we never get sick of it.
What we love about it: beautiful property, WINE, traditional village feel
Good for: day trip, lunch, dinner, vegan/vegetarian, traditional Cretan food, families
Favorite dishes: stuffed grape leaves, beef youvetsi, fava
Open: lunch, dinner
Price: $-$$
Reservations: not required
Oasis
Voloudaki 4, Chania
Oasis is a hole in the wall. It’s filthy, you can barely sit, there’s no bathroom. But it is the best god damn gyro in town.
What we love about it: super fast and satisfying
Good for: quick bite, cheap eats, street food
Favorite dish: there’s literally only one menu item, pork gyro
Price: 3 euros per gyro
Open: Lunch only
Reservation: I don’t even think they have a phone
Match More
Platanias
2821 060988
Match More is located in the resort filled, very touristy area of Platanias. We only dare venture over there in the summer months for Match More. The food is creative twists on classic Greek dishes with some surprising fusions as well. The atmosphere is really colorful and fun. The owners are husband and wife team, Demetri and Fotini. Demetri is a very creative chef and Fotini is easily the kindest most hospitable person we’ve ever met. There’s a rotating art gallery upstairs for you art-lovers as well.
What we love about it: welcoming atmosphere, kid friendly, incredible hospitality
Good for: large groups, families, couples
Favorite dishes: chicken with peanut butter, seafood pasta, dessert!
Price: $$
Open: lunch, dinner
Reservations: recommended
(Picture via Match More website)
Bourakis
Kounoupidiana
2821 064254
I hesitate to include Bourakis because it’s become our favorite over the years…and I don’t want to have to start making reservations. Truth is, this gem outside of Chania has been a local spot since they opened, and we don’t really want to share. The food is so darn good, it’s quiet, outside of town, they have their own parking lot. It just a reliable, delicious place to get great Cretan food, exceptionally well-priced wines, relax & enjoy. If you come on a Friday night, there’s a good chance you’ll see us there.
What we love about it: incredibly reasonable prices, easy parking, great and inexpensive wine list
Good for: large groups, families, couples
Favorite dishes: veal steak, staka, salmon, lamb chops
Price: $$
Open: lunch, dinner
Reservations: recommended