Chania is one of our favourite places in Greece for food. From traditional Cretan tavernas and fresh seafood to simple gyros and countryside restaurants, there’s no shortage of fantastic places to eat.
We spent nine nights exploring Chania and western Crete, eating everywhere from the Old Town to Agii Apostoli and the surrounding villages. Some of our favourite meals were found well away from the busy Venetian Harbour.
In this guide to the best restaurants in Chania and western Crete, we’re sharing five restaurants we’ve personally visited, alongside some additional recommendations from independent food and travel writers.
For more advice on visiting the region, read our Chania Travel Guide.
Best Restaurants in Chania: Quick Comparison
Short on time? Here are the five restaurants we personally visited and would recommend in Chania and the surrounding area.
| Restaurant | Location | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Frosini’s Garden | Neriana | Countryside dining |
| Kouzina E.P.E. | Central Chania | Greek home cooking |
| Chrisostomos | Near Chania Harbour | Traditional Cretan food |
| To Maridaki | Central Chania | Fresh seafood |
| Psitopolis | Agii Apostoli | Gyros and casual dining |
Best Restaurants in Chania & Western Crete
Best Restaurants in Chania: Our Personal Favourites
These are five restaurants we visited during our stay in Crete and would happily recommend.
1. Frosini’s Garden – Best Countryside Restaurant
Frosini’s Garden was one of our most memorable dining experiences in western Crete. Located near Neriana, away from the busy streets of Chania, this rustic restaurant specialises in traditional cooking over open fires.
The setting is just as impressive as the food, with beautiful countryside, greenery and horses adding to the atmosphere. It’s somewhere we’d recommend making a special journey for, particularly if you have a rental car.
Cuisine: Traditional Cretan
Location: Neriana, western Crete
Best for: Countryside dining and traditional cooking
2. Kouzina E.P.E. – Best for Greek Home Cooking
Kouzina E.P.E. was one of our favourite lunch spots in Chania. This casual restaurant serves traditional Greek home-style dishes, with freshly prepared food and a relaxed atmosphere.
Everything we ordered was excellent, but the pastitsio was the standout. Rich, comforting and full of flavour, it’s a dish we’d happily return for.
If you’re looking for authentic Greek food in Chania without an elaborate dining experience, this is an excellent choice.
Cuisine: Greek home cooking
Location: Central Chania
Best for: Lunch and traditional Greek dishes
3. Chrisostomos – Best Traditional Cretan Taverna
Chrisostomos is one of our favourite restaurants for traditional Cretan cuisine in Chania. Located close to the Venetian Harbour, it focuses on regional dishes rather than international tourist menus.
It’s a great choice for a proper Cretan dinner after exploring the Old Town. We particularly liked that it felt rooted in the island’s food traditions despite being close to Chania’s busiest attractions.
Cuisine: Traditional Cretan
Location: Near Chania Harbour
Best for: Authentic Cretan cooking
4. To Maridaki – Best Seafood Restaurant in Chania
To Maridaki is an excellent option for seafood lovers visiting Chania. The restaurant specialises in fresh fish and seafood alongside traditional Greek dishes.
Our recommendation is to ask the staff what’s fresh that day rather than arriving with a fixed order in mind. We followed this approach and had a delicious meal.
It’s a particularly good choice if you want seafood without limiting yourself to the most obvious harbour-front restaurants.
Cuisine: Greek seafood
Location: Central Chania
Best for: Fresh fish and seafood
5. Psitopolis – Best Gyros in Agii Apostoli
Sometimes the simplest meals are the most memorable. Psitopolis, in Agii Apostoli, served our favourite gyros during our entire stay in Crete.
It’s a casual, straightforward restaurant serving excellent grilled food. We also appreciated the ice-cold glasses served with beer, a small detail that makes a big difference after a hot day.
If you’re staying around Agii Apostoli, particularly near the beaches or Domes Noruz Chania, we’d strongly recommend stopping here.
Cuisine: Greek grill, gyros
Location: Agii Apostoli
Best for: Gyros and affordable casual dining
We stayed nearby for nine nights. Read our Domes Noruz Chania Review for more about the area.
More Recommended Restaurants in Chania
Beyond our personal favourites, there are several other restaurants in Chania worth considering. These recommendations come from independent food writers and local restaurant guides rather than our own visits.
6. Neoria Fish Tavern – Seafood by the Venetian Harbour
Neoria Fish Tavern is a popular option for seafood lovers, particularly those wanting to eat close to Chania’s historic harbour.
The restaurant is known for fresh fish and traditional Greek seafood dishes. Its waterfront location also makes it appealing for an evening meal followed by a walk around the Old Town.
Cuisine: Greek seafood
Location: Venetian Harbour, Chania
Best for: Harbour views and fresh fish
7. Perperas – Traditional Old Town Taverna
Perperas is tucked away in Chania Old Town, offering a more intimate alternative to the busy harbour restaurants.
Its menu focuses on traditional Cretan dishes, while the relaxed outdoor setting makes it an appealing choice for an evening away from the waterfront crowds.
Cuisine: Greek and Cretan
Location: Chania Old Town
Best for: Traditional dining in a relaxed setting
8. Iordanis Bougatsa – Best Traditional Breakfast
Iordanis Bougatsa is a Chania institution, established in 1924 and known for its traditional Cretan bougatsa.
Unlike the sweeter custard-filled versions found elsewhere in Greece, Cretan bougatsa is traditionally made with local cheese and served with sugar.
It’s more of a breakfast or snack stop than a conventional restaurant, but it’s worth including for anyone looking to experience Chania’s local food culture.
Cuisine: Greek bakery
Location: Central Chania
Best for: Breakfast and traditional bougatsa
Best Restaurants in Western Crete: Beyond Chania
Some of the best dining experiences in western Crete are found outside Chania itself. If you’re exploring the region by car, these additional restaurants are worth considering.
9. Gramboussa Restaurant – Kaliviani
Located in Kaliviani, near Kissamos, Gramboussa Restaurant is known for traditional Cretan cooking and its beautiful rural setting.
The restaurant focuses on regional dishes and locally sourced ingredients, making it an appealing stop when exploring the western part of the island.
It’s particularly convenient if you’re visiting Kissamos or travelling towards Balos.
Cuisine: Traditional Cretan
Location: Kaliviani, Kissamos
Best for: Countryside atmosphere and Cretan cuisine
10. Captain Fidias – Sfinari
Captain Fidias is a seafood restaurant in the coastal village of Sfinari, west of Kissamos.
Known for fresh fish and seafood cooked over charcoal, it offers a relaxed seaside setting away from the busier tourist areas.
It’s worth considering for lunch if you’re exploring the west coast of Crete.
Cuisine: Greek seafood
Location: Sfinari, western Crete
Best for: Fresh seafood and coastal dining
11. Ntounias – Drakona
Ntounias is a traditional countryside restaurant in Drakona, south of Chania, known for its farm-to-table approach.
Food is prepared using traditional wood-fired cooking methods, with an emphasis on ingredients grown or sourced locally.
It’s an excellent option to investigate if you’re interested in rural Cretan cooking and want to venture beyond the coast.
Cuisine: Traditional Cretan, farm-to-table
Location: Drakona, western Crete
Best for: Traditional slow-cooked food
12. Leventis Taverna – Upper Stalos
Leventis Taverna is another countryside restaurant worth considering when exploring the area west of Chania.
Known for traditional Cretan dishes and scenic surroundings, it offers an alternative to the busy restaurants along the coast.
Cuisine: Traditional Cretan
Location: Upper Stalos
Best for: Regional cuisine and countryside dining
These additional recommendations are informed by independent food and travel writing, including James Dimitri’s guide to eating well in Chania. We haven’t personally visited these restaurants, so check their latest opening hours and reviews before travelling.
Do You Need a Car to Explore Western Crete’s Restaurants?
You don’t need a car to enjoy Chania’s restaurant scene. The Old Town has plenty of places within walking distance, and Agii Apostoli is easily accessible from the city.
However, hiring a car gives you much more freedom to explore the surrounding villages and countryside.
We hired a car during our stay and loved being able to discover restaurants outside Chania. Frosini’s Garden is a perfect example of somewhere that’s much easier to visit with your own transport.
For practical advice, read our Car Hire in Chania Guide, where we share our first-hand experience renting a car in western Crete.
Our Verdict: Where Should You Eat in Chania?
After nine nights exploring Chania and western Crete, the food was one of the highlights of our trip.
For traditional Greek cooking, Kouzina E.P.E. and Chrisostomos would be among our first choices. Seafood lovers should consider To Maridaki, while Psitopolis in Agii Apostoli served our favourite gyros.
If you have a rental car, we’d particularly recommend making the journey to Frosini’s Garden. It was one of the most memorable restaurant experiences of our stay.
Our biggest recommendation is to explore beyond Chania’s Venetian Harbour. Some of the most interesting restaurants are found in the smaller streets, coastal villages and countryside of western Crete.
If you enjoy local food and wine, we’d also recommend a visit to Manousakis Winery. We had a fantastic experience tasting Cretan wines and enjoying traditional food. Read our Manousakis Winery Tour Review for more details.
For more inspiration, explore our Chania Travel Guide and Best Tours in Chania.
FAQ About Restaurants in Chania
What are the best restaurants in Chania, Crete?
Some of our favourite restaurants in Chania include Kouzina E.P.E. for traditional Greek home cooking, Chrisostomos for Cretan cuisine and To Maridaki for fresh seafood. Outside the city, we’d also recommend Frosini’s Garden near Neriana and Psitopolis in Agii Apostoli. All five are restaurants we’ve personally visited.
Where is the best place to eat in Chania Old Town?
Chania Old Town has plenty of excellent restaurants, particularly around the Venetian Harbour and its surrounding streets. We’d recommend Chrisostomos for traditional Cretan food and To Maridaki for seafood. Our advice is to explore the smaller streets rather than choosing a restaurant purely for its harbour views.
What are the best traditional Cretan tavernas in Chania?
Chrisostomos is one of our favourite places for traditional Cretan cuisine in central Chania. Kouzina E.P.E. is another excellent option for home-style Greek cooking, particularly its pastitsio. For a countryside dining experience, Frosini’s Garden near Neriana is worth the journey.
Where can you find the best gyros in Chania?
Our favourite gyros during our nine nights in Crete came from Psitopolis in Agii Apostoli, just west of central Chania. It’s a casual grill restaurant serving delicious gyros and other Greek favourites, making it particularly convenient for visitors staying near the Agii Apostoli beaches.
What are the best restaurants in western Crete outside Chania?
Frosini’s Garden near Neriana is our personal recommendation for dining outside Chania, thanks to its traditional cooking and beautiful countryside setting. Other restaurants worth researching include Gramboussa in Kaliviani, Captain Fidias in Sfinari and Ntounias in Drakona. We haven’t personally visited those three, so we’d recommend checking their latest reviews and opening hours.
Are restaurants in Chania expensive?
Chania has restaurants for a wide range of budgets. Casual grill restaurants and traditional Greek lunch spots can be particularly good value, while seafood restaurants and waterfront dining may cost more. We found that some of our favourite meals were at straightforward, informal restaurants rather than expensive establishments.
Do you need to book restaurants in Chania in advance?
We’d recommend reserving a table at popular restaurants during July and August, particularly for dinner. Outside the busiest summer months, finding a table may be easier, although it’s still worth checking ahead. For countryside restaurants in western Crete, confirm opening hours before making a special journey.
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