Where to eat on Samothraki, village by village

Samothraki has no fancy restaurants, and that is the point: tavernas here cook goat from the hills, fish from the night’s catch and vegetables from their own gardens, and you eat under plane trees or with your feet near the sea. Where you eat mostly depends on where you are, so here is the island village by village.

Chora

The hilltop capital has the most choice in one place, best in the evening when the lanes fill up. For a full dinner with a view over the roofs, Taverna Ouzeri 1900 on the main square and To Stenaki at the start of the cobbled street are the classics; Kesmes serves ouzo and mezedes by the village fountain, and I Aretsa opens on a rooftop in high summer. For coffee and sweets, Meltemi has the sunset view, Lefkos Pyrgos the famous desserts, O Pyrgos faces the castle gate and Trapeza fills the old bank. Finish at Stathmos or Lydia for a drink.

Kamariotissa

The port town is where most people eat their first and last meal. On the waterfront, To Limanaki grills fish from the family’s own boats and I Synantisi is fish taverna and grill in one; a street back, Sta Kala Kathoumena is a favourite for home cooking and Fournelo for pizza. For something quick, O Spyros does souvlaki by the port. Coffee and breakfast at Totem, Kentriko or Aktaion, tsipouro at Panagiotis Makris or Karnagio, and cakes from SanTin’Gi.

Therma and the north coast

Therma has more tavernas than anywhere outside Chora, many open only in summer. To Gefyri has a big garden for families, To Feggari sits in the middle of the village, and Taverna Gria Vathra, I Xenia and To Perivoli t’ Ouranou line the road up to the waterfalls. By the harbour, O Psaras sells the catch of the day by weight, Moglis feeds the beach and Saoki is the island’s original beach bar. Breakfast at Galini, bougatsa at Falekas and an afternoon coffee under the plane trees at Kafeneio Ta Therma. Further along the coast, Vasilikos is right on the beach at Kato Kariotes, Delfinia looks out to sea at Palaiopoli, and at the mouth of the gorge I Gefyra tou Fonia waits for walkers coming back from the waterfalls.

Ano Meria

In the forested east, Taverna Karydies serves goat, home-made cheese and wood-oven dishes under old walnut trees; it is one of the most loved tavernas on the island and worth the drive.

The south-west

The hill village of Profitis Ilias is famous across the island for goat: O Vrachos, Paradeisos and I Pigi all roast it, and the sunsets come free. Below, Stavroula’s in Lakoma is a village kafeneio loved for its mezedes, Akrogiali is the fish taverna by the sea, and Kafeneio O Xiropotamos sits near the Xiropotamos waterfalls. On the way to Pachia Ammos, I Krimniotissa beside the chapel on the rock cooks gorgovrasto over wood, and on the sand itself Nickolas runs the beach taverna.

Good to know

• Many tavernas open only from June to September, and some only in July and August.
• Fish is usually priced by weight: ask to see it before it is cooked.
• Goat is the island’s signature, roasted, in the pot or as gorgovrasto with rice.
• In August, book or arrive early: the best-known tavernas fill up.