Best Restaurants in Rhodes: 10 Exceptional Places to Eat

The best restaurants in Rhodes offer more than one kind of memorable meal. A garden dinner in the medieval Old Town, seafood beside the water and slow-cooked lamb in an inland village each reveal a different side of the island.

This guide brings together ten places across Rhodes Town and the east coast, plus an inland stop in Apollona. You’ll find traditional Rhodian cooking, creative Mediterranean dishes and a special-occasion tasting menu, with practical advice on choosing between them. Whether you are planning one memorable dinner or several meals around the island, start with the experience you want and the route you are already taking.

Quick Answer: Best Restaurants in Rhodes at a Glance

Choose Mavrikos for established Rhodian cooking, Marco Polo for an atmospheric Old Town dinner, or Paraga for a village meal. For seafood, consider Hatzikeli in Rhodes Town or Stegna Kozas beside the water.

The restaurants are grouped by location and dining style rather than ranked. Menus and opening arrangements vary seasonally; dish suggestions describe the kitchen’s repertoire and may not all be available during your visit.

Best Restaurants in Rhodes Town

Rhodes Town offers several distinct dining experiences within one base. The Old Town pairs naturally with an evening around the medieval lanes, while restaurants outside the walls provide alternatives for creative cooking and a more informal meal.

1. Marco Polo — For a Garden Dinner in the Old Town

Marco Polo’s enclosed garden, within a historic Old Town guesthouse, makes it a compelling choice for an unhurried evening. The setting suits dinner after exploring the medieval streets, when you can settle into one place for the rest of the night.

The kitchen draws on Greek and Mediterranean flavours. Its repertoire has included seafood salad with octopus and prawns, oven-baked sea bream with a fish-and-vegetable sauce, and grilled tagliata. These give the menu variety for a couple who want different mains.

Share a starter, choose your main courses and decide on dessert afterwards.

• Best for: Couples and an atmospheric Old Town dinner.
• What to order: Seafood salad followed by a fish main.
• Reservations: Reserve through the Marco Polo restaurant website and request garden seating if preferred.

Reservations and Access

A booking is particularly useful for a celebration, a group or a restaurant that is central to a short stay.

For Old Town meals, allow time to walk from your parking or drop-off point. If step-free access matters, ask about the route to the table and toilets; older buildings, courtyards and terraces can have different arrangements within the same venue.

2. Hatzikeli — For Seafood Within the Medieval Walls

Hatzikeli is a convenient seafood choice when you are staying in Rhodes Town and want to spend the evening within the medieval walls. Located on Solomou Alhadef Street, it has a long history as a fish restaurant, dating to 1982.

Fish, lobster, prawns and octopus feature alongside Greek appetisers. The most useful first decision is whether you want a whole fish as the centrepiece or several seafood plates to share.

For a whole-fish meal, keep the starters light and let the fish lead the order. For a more varied dinner, choose a small selection of seafood meze and add plates gradually. This avoids ordering a substantial spread before you know how much food is coming.

• Best for: A seafood dinner in Rhodes Old Town.
• What to order: Available fish, octopus and a vegetable accompaniment.
• Reservations: Recommended for a planned dinner, especially with a group. See Hatzikeli’s Facebook page for contact details and restaurant updates.

3. Tamam — For an Informal Dinner in the New Town

Tamam sits on Georgiou Leontos Street in the New Town, outside the medieval walls. Its cooking combines traditional and modern influences, making it an option for groups who want a broader choice than a dedicated seafood menu.

Dinner here is best approached with a flexible schedule. Avoid placing another fixed commitment immediately afterwards, and arrive early in the service if you want time to assess any wait.

For groups with different appetites, decide whether you want shared starters or individual courses before ordering. That small decision helps keep the meal balanced when everyone is drawn to something different.

• Best for: An informal dinner with a flexible schedule.
• Reservations: The restaurant states that it does not accept reservations; tables are handled on a walk-in basis. Visit Tamam’s Facebook page for restaurant updates.

4. Kerasma — For Creative Greek Cooking

Kerasma combines Greek ingredients with broader Mediterranean influences in an old mansion on Afstralias 100. Its menu suits diners who enjoy familiar ingredients presented with more elaborate sauces, textures and accompaniments.

Rhodian pita with seasonal dips makes a straightforward introduction. Calamari with kataifi and prawn linguine with ouzo and saffron offer a clearer sense of the kitchen’s style than a general promise of modern Greek food.

This is a good choice for a change of pace after several traditional taverna meals. A shared starter followed by pasta, fish or meat allows you to explore the cooking without ordering too many rich dishes together.

The restaurant’s published 2026 operating schedule runs from April to October.

• Best for: Creative Greek and Mediterranean combinations.
• What to order: Rhodian pita with dips, followed by prawn linguine with ouzo.
• Reservations: Use the booking options on Kerasma’s official website to arrange your preferred dining time.

How to Choose a Restaurant in Rhodes Old Town

The medieval setting can make almost any table look appealing, so give the menu as much attention as the surroundings. Look at the main-course prices before sitting down and distinguish dishes sold by portion from seafood sold by weight.

Choose a restaurant whose menu matches the meal you want: seafood, traditional cooking or a more contemporary dinner. A busy square or waterfront view can be part of the experience, but neither tells you how well the kitchen suits your preferences.

Best Restaurants in Lindos and Pefkos

Lindos and nearby Pefkos offer a useful contrast between established Rhodian cooking, contemporary regional food and scenic special-occasion dining. Choose according to whether the food, the setting or a combination of both is your priority.

5. Mavrikos — For Rhodian Cooking in Lindos

Mavrikos is a strong starting point for travellers interested in the island’s restaurant tradition. Its position near the entrance to Lindos makes it convenient for combining a meal with time in the village.

The restaurant has occupied its familiar location since 1933. Its pebbled courtyard and characteristic arches create a distinctive setting, while the kitchen draws on Greek and Rhodian recipes.

Fennel cooked in white wine and grilled tuna belly are among its established specialities. The first offers a reason to give vegetables more attention; the second provides an alternative to ordering a whole fish.

Look at the daily suggestions alongside those dishes. Together, they offer a way to explore the kitchen beyond familiar holiday favourites.

• Best for: Established Rhodian cuisine in a traditional courtyard.
• What to order: Fennel cooked in white wine and grilled tuna belly.
• Reservations: Recommended if the restaurant is a main reason for your Lindos visit.

6. Hellas — For Contemporary Rhodian Food in Pefkos

Hellas brings a contemporary approach to regional cooking in the centre of Pefkos. It is worth considering if you enjoy recognising familiar Greek ideas in dishes that take a more creative direction.

Its repertoire includes seafood-filled dolmades and pasta with local small shrimps. These illustrate the restaurant’s interest in adapting regional ingredients and recipes rather than simply presenting a standard selection of taverna favourites.

Hellas has also offered a dedicated vegetarian menu, making it a useful option for groups with different preferences. Vegetarian and vegan requirements should be distinguished when arranging the meal.

Parking is listed opposite the building, which adds convenience if you are driving from another east-coast resort.

• Best for: Contemporary Rhodian cooking around Pefkos and Lindos.
• What to order: Seafood dolmades or the small-shrimp pasta.
• Reservations: Contact the restaurant through Hellas’s reservations and contact page and ask which à la carte and tasting options are available for your date.

7. Ktima Lindos — For Sea Views and a Special Occasion

Ktima Lindos overlooks Vlicha Bay near Lindos. Its setting makes it a natural candidate for a birthday, anniversary or an evening when the surroundings are a central part of the plan.

The restaurant advertises three seating areas with minimum expenditure on food and drinks starting at €50 per person. This is a spending threshold rather than a set-menu price, and the requirement can depend on your chosen area.

Ktima Lindos publishes a May-to-October season. For a visit near either end of that period, confirm the actual opening date alongside your reservation.

Arriving while there is still daylight lets you enjoy the bay before the evening atmosphere takes over.

• Best for: A scenic dinner or planned celebration.
• Reservations: Book through the Ktima Lindos website and confirm your seating area, minimum spend and any private events affecting your date.

Where to Eat Beyond Rhodes Town and Lindos

A restaurant can give a beach day or village excursion a satisfying focal point. Stegna Kozas and Paraga offer two very different reasons to explore further: seafood on the coast and traditional cooking inland.

8. Stegna Kozas — For Seafood Beside the Water

Stegna Kozas sits beside the sea at Stegna and keeps a clear seafood focus. Meat is not served, so it is best chosen by a group that wants fish and seafood to lead the meal.

Its selection has included rouzetia, small Symi shrimps, cuttlefish, octopus and seafood pasta. Rouzetia are particularly worth looking for if you want a local fish dish rather than an international restaurant favourite.

The menu also distinguishes between individual plates and larger sharing dishes. A seafood pasta for two creates a different meal from several small plates, so choose the format before filling the table with starters. Larger preparations may also require more time.

Our What to Eat in Rhodes guide explains local specialities and their names, helping you recognise dishes you might otherwise overlook.

• Best for: A seafood meal combined with time at Stegna.
• What to order: Rouzetia, small Symi shrimps or a shared seafood pasta.
• Reservations: Use the booking option on the Stegna Kozas website, particularly if you are travelling specifically for the meal or visiting with a group.

9. Paraga — For Traditional Village Cooking in Apollona

Paraga, also written as Paragka, introduces the island’s inland cooking in the village of Apollona. Homemade bread, herbs, local ingredients and dishes from the wood oven or casserole shape its identity.

Its repertoire includes lamb kapama, slow-cooked goat, chickpea fritters and handmade pasta preparations. This is a restaurant where the day’s cooking deserves attention before you settle on an order.

Begin with bread and one vegetable or pulse-based starter, then choose an oven-cooked main. That gives the meal variety while leaving space for the richer dishes that make the journey worthwhile.

Paraga suits a planned inland outing rather than a last-minute detour. Arrange the visit around lunch or dinner and leave time to enjoy the village.

• Best for: Traditional Rhodian food during an inland excursion.
• What to order: Chickpea fritters and lamb kapama or another slow-cooked dish.
• Reservations: Use the contact details on Paraga’s official website to arrange a table and confirm service before travelling to Apollona.

Isabella’s Pick: For a food-focused day away from the coast, I would choose Paraga. Build the meal around one oven-cooked dish, add a vegetable starter and give the homemade bread its share of attention. That combination offers a clear introduction to the island’s village cooking.

A Fine-Dining Restaurant in Rhodes for a Special Evening

A tasting menu offers a different rhythm from the tavernas and à la carte restaurants above. Choose it for an evening when the meal itself is the main event.

10. Noble — For a Rhodian-Inspired Tasting Menu

Noble occupies the top floor of Elysium Resort & Spa in Kallithea, overlooking Faliraki Bay. Its cooking explores Rhodian traditions through contemporary techniques and a sequence of tasting-menu courses.

The appeal lies in seeing how local ingredients and food traditions can be interpreted across a complete meal. You give the kitchen more control over the progression, rather than choosing one familiar starter and main.

Compare the tasting-menu price with the drinks options, and allow enough time to enjoy the courses without rushing towards another commitment.

Discuss dietary requirements before booking so the restaurant can explain which adjustments are possible.

• Best for: A special occasion centred on contemporary regional cuisine.
• Reservations: Reserve through Noble’s official website and confirm the tasting-menu price, drinks arrangements and dietary requirements.

How to Budget for Restaurants in Rhodes

The bill depends on how you order as well as where you eat. Several shared starters, a whole fish and bottled wine can produce a very different total from a starter and an individual main.

Use the current menu to estimate the meal you actually want, especially for seafood and tasting experiences.

For fish sold by weight, ask for the approximate weight and expected total before preparation. The price per kilogram is not necessarily the price of the fish you select.

To keep an à la carte meal balanced, choose the main course first and build the starters around it. Bread, sides and dessert may be charged separately, so include them if you expect to order them.

This selection focuses on sit-down restaurant experiences. For a lighter food budget across the whole trip, alternate these meals with simpler lunches rather than treating every restaurant visit as a multi-course occasion.

Planning Restaurant Visits Around Rhodes

Choose meals that fit your route. A Rhodes Town restaurant works well for an evening near your accommodation, while Mavrikos, Hellas and Ktima Lindos fit naturally into time spent around the southeast coast.

Pair Stegna Kozas with a beach visit and Paraga with an inland excursion. Noble deserves an evening of its own, with transport arranged around the tasting experience.

Seasonal Opening

Do not assume that every restaurant operates throughout winter. Seasonal schedules can change, and an advertised final month does not establish the exact closing date.

For late-autumn, winter or early-spring trips, obtain direct confirmation before travelling specifically for a restaurant. An active listing or an old review does not establish that the kitchen will be open on your date.

Reservations and Access

The reservation advice above is a planning recommendation unless a specific restaurant policy is stated. A booking is particularly useful for a celebration, a group or a restaurant that is central to a short stay.

For Old Town meals, allow time to walk from your parking or drop-off point. If step-free access matters, ask about the route to the table and toilets; older buildings, courtyards and terraces can have different arrangements within the same venue.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dining in Rhodes

Vegetarian meals can include vegetable dishes, pulses, salads, cheese and pasta, but the preparation matters more than the dish name.

Hellas is worth investigating for its vegetarian menu. Paraga also lists vegetable- and pulse-based dishes, although some include dairy or fish. Its published fava preparation, for example, includes smoked herring.

For vegan dining, explain which ingredients you avoid and ask about sauces, stock and garnishes as well as the main dish. Butter, yoghurt or cheese may appear in a preparation that otherwise looks plant-based.

At seafood restaurants, establish whether the vegetable choices make a satisfying full meal for everyone in the group. A few side dishes may not provide the dinner you had in mind.

If your itinerary also includes Crete, our What to Eat in Crete guide introduces another regional selection of vegetable dishes, pulses, cheeses and traditional cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Restaurants in Rhodes

Should I choose a restaurant in Rhodes Old Town or Lindos?

Choose Rhodes Old Town if you want dinner close to the medieval sights and your accommodation in town. Lindos makes more sense when you are already visiting the village or staying on the southeast coast. For one evening, the journey back should be part of the decision.

Can I visit these restaurants without hiring a car?

Yes, particularly if you are staying in Rhodes Town; restaurants elsewhere on the island require more transport planning. Arrange transport around your accommodation and the restaurant’s service time, including the return journey after an evening meal.

Can I try traditional Rhodian food without ordering seafood?

Yes. Paraga is particularly relevant for slow-cooked meat, bread and village dishes. Mavrikos also draws on a broader Rhodian repertoire. Look for regional vegetable preparations and oven-cooked dishes rather than assuming island cuisine is primarily fish.

Are these restaurants suitable for mixed-diet groups?

Several may suit mixed-diet groups, but suitability depends on the dishes and adjustments available. Share specific requirements before reserving. Stegna Kozas is seafood-focused and does not serve meat, so it is better suited to a group that wants that style of meal.

Final Thoughts: Finding Your Favourite Table in Rhodes

The best restaurants in Rhodes can introduce you to very different sides of the island. Choose one meal around the setting, another around a local dish, and leave room for the day’s recommendations. A garden dinner, a coastal seafood lunch or a village casserole can each become a memorable part of your trip.