Best Restaurants in Rethymno: 10 Exceptional Places to Eat

Rethymno may be compact, but its food scene rewards more than one evening. A walk through the city can lead from a flower-filled Venetian courtyard to a lively meze table, a peaceful garden terrace, or fresh seafood served beside the harbor.

The best restaurants in Rethymno combine Cretan hospitality, regional ingredients, and increasingly creative cooking. Whether you are planning a romantic dinner, a sunset meal, or a relaxed evening of shared local dishes, this guide will help you find the right table.

Last updated: July 2026. Menus, prices, and seasonal opening periods may change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Quick Answer: Which Are the Best Restaurants in Rethymno?

Avli is the best overall choice for contemporary Cretan cuisine in an atmospheric Venetian courtyard. Choose Prima Plora for seafront sunset dining, Hasika for creative Greek cooking, and 1600 Raki Ba Raki for informal Cretan meze.

Wine lovers should consider Veneto Wine Restaurant, while Lemonokipos stands out for alfresco dining in a leafy garden. For fresh seafood, Zefyros offers a traditional setting beside the Old Venetian Harbor.

Try Othonas for familiar Cretan cooking at moderate prices. Alana works especially well for groups and garden celebrations, while Nostos is a relaxed, family-friendly option near Rethymno Beach.

Best Restaurants in Rethymno at a Glance

Price guide:

• € — Budget
• €€ — Moderate
• €€€ — Upscale
• €€€€ — Special-occasion splurge

Fresh fish, lobster, premium meat, and wine can increase the final cost considerably.

10 Best Restaurants in Rethymno

The following restaurants represent different sides of Rethymno’s dining scene, from refined Cretan cuisine and atmospheric garden terraces to traditional meze, fresh seafood, and relaxed family meals. Each selection stands out for a particular experience, making it easier to choose a restaurant that suits your location, budget, and dining style.

1. Avli — Best Overall Dining Experience

Best For: Special occasions, romantic dinners, contemporary Cretan food
Cuisine: Contemporary Cretan and Greek
Price: €€€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

Avli is one of Rethymno’s most established culinary destinations. Hidden among the narrow streets of the Old Town, the restaurant occupies a historic Venetian setting with stone walls, fragrant plants, colorful flowers, and a secluded courtyard.

The kitchen draws inspiration from traditional Cretan recipes while using contemporary presentation and technique. Local vegetables, aromatic herbs, olive oil, regional cheese, lamb, and seafood appear throughout the seasonal menu.

Avli is particularly well suited to travelers who want to experience Cretan ingredients in a refined setting without losing the identity of the original dishes. The extensive cellar also makes it an excellent place to explore Cretan and Greek wines.

Check seasonal dishes and reservation information on Avli’s official website.

Isabella’s Pick: If you have time for only one special dinner in Rethymno, reserve a courtyard table at Avli. Order several dishes to share and ask the staff to recommend a Cretan wine that complements your meal.

Must Try

• Sfakiani-style cheese pie
• Seasonal Cretan tasting dishes
• Slow-cooked lamb
• Local cheese preparations
• Cretan wine pairing
• Seasonal dessert

2. Prima Plora — Best Seafront and Sunset Dining

Best For: Sunset dinners, sea views, seafood
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Cretan, seafood
Price: €€€
Location: Koumbes, west of the Old Town

Prima Plora sits directly beside the water, with open views toward the sea, the Fortezza, and the setting sun. Its location makes it one of the best restaurants in Rethymno for a long waterfront lunch or an atmospheric evening meal.

The menu combines Mediterranean cooking with Cretan products, fresh fish, vegetables, meat, and a separate selection of sushi. The restaurant emphasizes ingredients obtained from smaller producers and offers several dishes built around organic or locally sourced products.

Prima Plora feels polished but not overly formal. Arriving before sunset gives you time to watch the changing light over the coastline rather than reaching your table after dark.

The restaurant is outside the busiest part of the Old Town. Walking may be possible from central Rethymno, but a short taxi ride can be more convenient during very hot weather or after dinner.

Current menus and reservation details are available through Prima Plora’s official website.

Must Try

• Catch of the day
• Grilled sea bass
• Seafood appetizers
• Sushi rolls
• Seasonal vegetable dishes
• Cretan white wine

3. Hasika — Best Modern Greek Cuisine

Best For: Creative cooking, adventurous diners, sharing plates
Cuisine: Contemporary Greek
Price: €€€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

Hasika presents traditional recipes from Crete and other parts of Greece through a modern culinary perspective. The dining room is relatively intimate, and the menu is more focused than those found at larger waterfront restaurants.

Rather than relying on unnecessary complexity, the kitchen builds its dishes around recognizable Greek ingredients and careful preparation. Homemade pies, seasonal vegetables, seafood, lamb, and regional cheese appear in combinations that feel contemporary while retaining a clear connection to Greek cooking.

Hasika works particularly well for two or more diners who want to share several plates. Ordering a mixture of vegetable dishes, seafood, meat, and wine provides a broader view of the kitchen than choosing only one main course per person.

Seating is limited compared with larger restaurants, so advance reservations are recommended during the main summer season.

Must Try

• Homemade grilled greens pie
• Boureki-inspired tart
• Slow-cooked lamb with bulgur
• Prawns saganaki
• Daily fish preparation
• Greek wine by the bottle

4. 1600 Raki Ba Raki — Best for Cretan Meze and Raki

Best For: Casual evenings, groups, shared plates
Cuisine: Cretan and Greek meze
Price: €€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

1600 Raki Ba Raki combines the social character of a Cretan kafenion with the food-focused atmosphere of a traditional rakadiko. The experience centers on small plates, conversation, wine, and tsikoudia rather than a formal sequence of individual courses.

The menu includes traditional ingredients and slow-cooked dishes presented in a relaxed, contemporary environment. Shrimp saganaki, rabbit casserole, lamb, local cheese, and seasonal vegetable plates are among the flavors that define the restaurant.

This is a particularly enjoyable place to visit with friends because the menu rewards sharing. Begin with three or four meze, add another round only if necessary, and pair the food with local wine or a small carafe of raki.

Raki Ba Raki can become lively in the evening. It is better suited to a sociable night of shared food than to diners seeking a quiet, formal meal.

Must Try

• Shrimp saganaki
• Rabbit casserole
• Slow-cooked lamb with yogurt
• Seasonal vegetable meze
• Local cheese
• Tsikoudia

5. Veneto Wine Restaurant — Best Wine Experience

Best For: Wine lovers, historic atmosphere, leisurely dinners
Cuisine: Creative Cretan and Mediterranean
Price: €€€–€€€€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

Veneto Wine Restaurant occupies the courtyard of a historic building in the Old Town. Its combination of stone architecture, regional cooking, and a substantial wine cellar creates one of Rethymno’s most distinctive special-occasion settings.

The menu incorporates Cretan ingredients and traditional preparations alongside premium seafood and meat. Depending on seasonal availability, dishes may include wild goat, smoked pork, grilled fish, lobster, and slowly cooked regional recipes.

Wine is central to the experience. Instead of immediately choosing a familiar international grape variety, ask the staff about Cretan wines made from Vidiano, Vilana, Liatiko, or Kotsifali.

Veneto primarily operates seasonally, with its main opening period generally running from spring until autumn. Confirm current dates if you are visiting Rethymno outside the main travel season.

Must Try

• Wild goat tsigariasto
• Smoked Cretan pork
• Fresh grilled fish
• Seasonal seafood
• Cretan wine pairing
• Dessert with a local sweet wine

6. Lemonokipos — Best Garden Dining

Best For: Alfresco dining, couples, mixed dietary preferences
Cuisine: Cretan and Mediterranean
Price: €€€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

Lemonokipos, meaning “lemon garden,” offers one of the most appealing outdoor dining settings in central Rethymno. Tables are arranged among lemon trees and greenery, creating a calm retreat from the busier streets surrounding the Old Town.

The menu combines rustic Greek and Cretan flavors with more polished presentation. Meze, fresh salads, slow-cooked meat, seafood, and seasonal produce accommodate groups whose members want different types of dishes.

Depending on the season and current menu, meat-free choices may include vegetable meze, legumes, fava, stuffed vegetables, seasonal salads, and local cheese dishes. Vegan diners should confirm which recipes contain cheese, yogurt, honey, or meat-based stock. Travelers with allergies should discuss preparation and possible cross-contact directly with the staff.

The garden is the main attraction, so request an outdoor table when reserving. Evening tables are especially popular during July and August.

Must Try

• Cretan meze
• Slow-cooked lamb
• Seasonal vegetable dishes
• Stuffed vegetables or fava when available
• Fresh fish
• Lemon dessert

7. Othonas — Best Traditional Cretan Taverna

Best For: Traditional food, reasonable prices, first-time visitors
Cuisine: Cretan and Greek
Price: €€
Location: Petichaki Square, Old Town

Othonas has been part of Rethymno’s dining scene for decades. Its central position on Petichaki Square makes it convenient for lunch or dinner while exploring the Old Town.

The restaurant serves familiar Greek dishes alongside recipes with stronger Cretan roots. Expect olive oil, seasonal vegetables, local cheese, lamb, goat, and slowly cooked meat dishes rather than highly experimental combinations.

Othonas is a useful choice for travelers who want a traditional meal but are unsure how to navigate a long Cretan menu. Ask which casserole, vegetable dish, or meat special is best that day, as daily recommendations can be more rewarding than automatically choosing the most familiar item.

The welcoming, accessible atmosphere suits couples, families, and small groups looking for genuine Cretan flavors without the structure of a special-occasion dinner.

Must Try

• Dakos
• Traditional Cretan appetizers
• Daily lamb or goat dish
• Stuffed vegetables
• Local cheese
• House dessert with raki

8. Zefyros Fish Taverna — Best Fresh Seafood

Best For: Fresh fish, harbor atmosphere, seafood lovers
Cuisine: Greek seafood
Price: €€–€€€
Location: Old Venetian Harbor

Zefyros is a family-run fish taverna positioned beside Rethymno’s Old Venetian Harbor. Its focus is seafood, making it more appropriate for diners who want fresh fish than for groups seeking an extensive selection of meat dishes.

Begin by asking what was caught that day. Fresh fish is often displayed or described by the staff and may be priced according to weight. Always confirm the price per kilogram and the approximate final cost before the fish is prepared.

Small seafood dishes can provide better variety than one large fish. A combination of grilled octopus, mussels, calamari, salad, and a smaller catch of the day creates a balanced meal for two or more people.

The harbor is one of Rethymno’s busiest visitor areas, but Zefyros retains the straightforward character of a traditional seafood taverna.

Must Try

• Catch of the day
• Grilled octopus
• Calamari
• Mussels
• Seafood pasta
• Local white wine

9. Alana — Best for Garden Celebrations and Groups

Best For: Groups, celebrations, varied dining preferences
Cuisine: Modern Cretan, Greek, and Mediterranean
Price: €€€
Location: Rethymno Old Town

Alana is centered around a spacious garden terrace filled with plants and flowers. The setting feels polished without being overly formal, giving larger groups and celebratory dinners enough room to feel comfortable while retaining the atmosphere of an Old Town restaurant.

Its defining strength is flexibility. The broad menu moves between traditional Cretan dishes, seafood, slow-cooked meat, pasta, and grilled specialties, making Alana particularly useful when people at the same table have different preferences.

Diners can begin with dakos, local cheese, apaki, or fried snails before moving on to lamb, goat, seafood, or grilled meat. The substantial wine selection also makes it possible to build the meal around Cretan varieties rather than familiar international labels.

Prices vary considerably across the menu, especially for premium steaks, lobster, and wine. Sharing several Cretan starters before ordering main courses offers a broader introduction to the kitchen and helps keep the meal balanced.

Must Try

• Cretan appetizer platter
• Chochlioi boubouristoi
• Organic pork apaki
• Slow-cooked lamb shank
• Beef with honey and sweet wine
• Cretan wine pairing

10. Nostos — Best for Relaxed and Family-Friendly Dining

Best For: Families, casual lunches, varied menus
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, seafood
Price: €€
Location: Rethymno Beach promenade

Nostos is located along the beach promenade east of the historic center. It provides a convenient option for travelers staying near Rethymno Beach who do not want to walk into the Old Town for every meal.

The menu covers traditional dishes, meze, fresh fish, seafood, salads, pasta, and grilled meat. This broad selection makes Nostos practical for families and groups with different preferences.

The atmosphere is relaxed, and the restaurant works equally well for lunch after the beach or an informal dinner. Although the menu is extensive, Cretan starters and fresh seafood provide a stronger sense of place than generic international options.

Nostos is also helpful when more formal restaurants feel unsuitable for younger children or when you want a straightforward meal without planning an entire evening around it.

Must Try

• Dakos
• Grilled calamari
• Seafood platter
• Fresh fish
• Traditional Greek casserole
• Seasonal dessert

Where to Eat in Rethymno

The best area depends on the type of meal you want rather than simply which part of the city is most scenic.

Rethymno Old Town

The Old Town offers the greatest concentration of notable restaurants. Choose this area for Venetian courtyards, modern Cretan cuisine, wine-focused dinners, and traditional tavernas.

Avli, Hasika, Raki Ba Raki, Veneto, Lemonokipos, Othonas, and Alana are all within or close to the historic center.

Old Venetian Harbor

The harbor is best for seafood and waterfront atmosphere. It is also one of the most tourist-oriented parts of Rethymno, so examine menus and confirm fresh-fish prices before ordering.

Zefyros is the strongest seafood-focused selection in this guide.

Koumbes and the Western Coast

The coastline west of the Old Town provides excellent sunset views toward the sea and Fortezza. Prima Plora is the standout option in this area.

Rethymno Beach Promenade

The promenade east of the center contains relaxed restaurants that are convenient for beachgoers and families. Nostos is a dependable choice when location, variety, and easy dining matter more than a formal atmosphere.

How to Plan Your Restaurant Meals in Rethymno

Instead of choosing several restaurants that offer similar experiences, plan your meals around different sides of Rethymno’s food culture.

If You Have Only One Night

Choose the experience that matters most to you. Avli provides the most complete introduction to refined Cretan dining, while Prima Plora is better if sunset views and a seafront setting are the priority.

For a more casual evening built around shared dishes, choose Raki Ba Raki.

If You Have Two or Three Nights

Combine different restaurant styles instead of booking only formal dinners. A balanced plan could include one contemporary Cretan restaurant, one traditional taverna or meze evening, and one seafood meal.

For example, pair Avli or Hasika with Othonas or Raki Ba Raki, then add Zefyros or Prima Plora for seafood.

For Families and Groups With Different Preferences

Nostos is one of the easiest choices for families because of its relaxed atmosphere and broad menu. Alana works well for larger groups and celebrations, while Lemonokipos combines a garden setting with meat, seafood, and seasonal meat-free choices.

If You Want to Dine Outside the Old Town

Head west to Prima Plora for sunset views across the water or east to Nostos for an informal meal near Rethymno Beach. These restaurants also provide a change of atmosphere after several evenings in the historic center.

What to Order in Rethymno

Menus change with the seasons, but several dishes and ingredients are worth looking for:

• Dakos with tomato and local cheese
• Kalitsounia or other handmade pies
• Chochlioi boubouristoi
• Apaki
• Wild greens
• Stuffed vegetables
• Lamb or goat cooked slowly
• Fresh fish
• Grilled octopus
• Graviera and mizithra
• Cretan olive oil
• Local wine
• Tsikoudia

Do not feel obliged to order one starter and one main course per person. Cretan dining is especially enjoyable when several dishes are placed in the middle of the table and shared.

Practical Tips for Dining in Rethymno

A little planning will make it easier to enjoy the best restaurants in Rethymno, especially during the busy summer season.

Reserve Popular Restaurants

Reserve Avli, Prima Plora, Hasika, Veneto, Lemonokipos, and Alana in advance during July and August. Sunset tables and outdoor courtyards generally fill first.

Confirm Fresh-Fish Prices

Fresh fish is frequently priced by weight. Ask to see the fish, confirm its weight, and request the estimated total price before preparation.

Check Seasonal Opening Periods

Some restaurants reduce their hours or close completely during winter. Never rely solely on opening times shown in an older review.

Mention Allergies Clearly

Many menus identify vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free dishes, but cross-contact may still occur. Discuss serious allergies directly with the staff before ordering.

Allow Time for Dinner

Meals in Crete are generally unhurried. Avoid booking an important tour, transfer, or activity immediately after dinner.

Park Outside the Old Town

Many historic streets are narrow or pedestrianized. If you are driving, park outside the central Old Town and continue on foot.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurants in Rethymno

What is the best restaurant in Rethymno?

Avli is the strongest overall choice for contemporary Cretan cuisine, historic atmosphere, wine, and service. Prima Plora is better for sea views, while Othonas is more appropriate for a traditional and moderately priced meal.

Is Rethymno a good destination for food?

Yes. The best restaurants in Rethymno combine traditional tavernas, modern Greek cooking, Cretan meze, seafood, local wine, and atmospheric Venetian courtyards within a relatively compact city.

What food is Rethymno known for?

Look for dakos, local pies, wild greens, snails, apaki, lamb, goat, fresh fish, graviera, mizithra, Cretan wine, and tsikoudia. Seasonal vegetable dishes are also central to the local cuisine.

Do I need restaurant reservations in Rethymno?

Reservations are strongly recommended for popular restaurants during the summer, especially between approximately 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Courtyard and sunset tables should be booked first.

Are restaurants in Rethymno expensive?

A casual meal generally costs around €20–€35 per person before substantial alcohol. Contemporary restaurants commonly cost €35–€60 per person, while premium wine, lobster, fresh fish by weight, and tasting-style meals can raise the price considerably.

Where can I find the best seafood in Rethymno?

Zefyros is a strong choice for a traditional seafood meal beside the Old Venetian Harbor. Prima Plora offers a more polished seafront experience with sunset views and a broader Mediterranean menu.

Are there vegetarian restaurants in Rethymno?

Fully vegetarian restaurants are limited, but Cretan cuisine includes many naturally meat-free dishes. Look for wild greens, legumes, stuffed vegetables, salads, fava, vegetable pies, mushrooms, and local cheese dishes.

Lemonokipos is a useful choice for groups that include vegetarian diners, but exact options should be confirmed because menus and ingredients change seasonally.

Which Rethymno restaurants are suitable for families?

Nostos is one of the easiest choices for families because of its relaxed atmosphere and broad menu. Othonas, Lemonokipos, and Alana can also work well, depending on the age of the children and the type of meal you want.

What time do people eat dinner in Rethymno?

Many visitors dine between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., while Greek diners often arrive later. Eating early can make it easier to find a table, although the atmosphere usually becomes livelier after 8:30 p.m.

Final Thoughts on the Best Restaurants in Rethymno

The best restaurants in Rethymno balance the city’s Cretan traditions with its increasingly creative dining scene. Atmospheric courtyards, casual meze tables, traditional tavernas, and waterfront seafood restaurants each offer a different experience.

For the most memorable introduction, combine one refined dinner with a relaxed meal built around shared local dishes. That variety captures what makes dining in Rethymno so rewarding.

Continue Exploring Crete’s Food Scene

→ What to Eat in Crete — Discover dakos, kalitsounia, antikristo, local cheeses, Cretan wine, and other regional specialties.

→ Best Restaurants in Chania — Compare traditional tavernas, seafood restaurants, wine-focused dining, and farm-to-table experiences in western Crete.

→ Best Restaurants in Heraklion — Explore the leading restaurants for traditional Cretan food, contemporary cooking, seafood, and local wine in Crete’s capital.