The Best Restaurants in Santorini: Where I Send Every Client (and Go Myself)

Santorini is one of those destinations that looks almost too good to be true, and the restaurant scene matches the scenery. Between the caldera views, the volcanic wine, and the fresh seafood, dining here is an event in itself.

As someone who has visited Santorini personally and books clients into the island regularly, I get asked constantly: “What are your recommendations?” Not just the beautiful spots, but the ones worth the money, making a reservation, and having some delicious food.

This is my personal list: a mix of fine dining, local gems, popular but worthy recs, and everything in between. The places I trust, return to, and recommend without hesitation when someone inquires about dining in Santorini.

Lycabettus  €€€€

If there is one dinner in Santorini, especially Oia, that earns the word unforgettable, it’s Lycabettus. Built literally on the edge of the caldera cliffs in the most famous town in Santorini, and once featured on the cover of National Geographic, it has long been considered the most beautiful balcony on the island. The terrace hangs over the Aegean, and the views stretch across the sea and volcanic landscape in a way that genuinely stops you mid-sentence.

This restaurant. The kitchen offers a fine dining experience rooted in Greek and Mediterranean cuisine using locally sourced ingredients, with an exceptional wine list that leans heavily on Santorinian labels. If you like to dine or would call yourself a food connoisseur, the tasting menu is the move here. Let the sommelier guide you through the pairings and settle in for a romantic evening. This is the place I recommend when someone says they want one truly special dinner on the island and doesn’t mind spending a little.

• Located at Andronis Luxury Suites in Oia, the entrance is on the main street above, with a dramatic staircase down to the cliff terrace
• Book well in advance and request a terrace table; specify your occasion when reserving
• The wine pairing with the tasting menu is worth every euro; the sommelier really knows the list
• You will not get a direct view of the sunset, so if that is important to you, then skip this restaurant, but the view is still stunning, especially at night, when the entire town is lit

Ambrosia  €€€

Perched on Church Square in Oia, Ambrosia has been one of Santorini’s most celebrated dining destinations for decades, and for good reason. It’s the kind of place that has long been the aspiration restaurant for honeymooners and those celebrating something special. The dramatic split-level terrace that looks out over the caldera and the village beyond makes Ambrosia the place you want to be while visiting Oia. The atmosphere is romantic in the truest sense: candlelit, intimate, and genuinely beautiful.

The menu is Greek gourmet with international influences. fresh seafood, well-executed mains, and the kind of Vinsanto dessert pairing that makes you order another glass just to make the evening last longer. Two dinner seatings run in summer (early and late), so decide whether you want to eat by sunset or ease into a late Greek dinner under the stars.

• Reserve in advance and ask specifically for an outdoor patio table
• In summer, there are two seatings: around 7 pm and around 9:30 pm; the earlier sitting catches the last of the light
• Order the Vinsanto at the end of the meal, the island’s sweet wine was made for a moment like this
• A table for two on the patio is one of the most romantic settings in all of Santorini

Ammoudi Fish Tavern €€

If fine dining isn’t what you’re after but you still want one of the best meals of your trip, especially for seafood, head down the 300 steps from Oia to Ammoudi Bay and find a table at Dimitris (or take a taxi, whichever you prefer) This is a proper Greek fish taverna, unpretentious, excellent, and sitting right on the water, and is a restaurant that I always recommend to my clients. The octopus here is some of the best I’ve had anywhere in Greece, and the restaurant is known for its iconic picture of the octopus drying in the sun in preparation for it to be cooked!

You’ll share the bay with fishing boats bobbing in the water, and the setting is genuinely magical without trying to be. Order the grilled fish of the day, the grilled octopus, and a cold glass of Assyrtiko, the most popular wine made in Santorini. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

• It’s a steep walk down (and back up) from Oia, worth every step
• Go for lunch when the light on the water is at its best or for sunset
• Be prepared to put down your credit card information for a reservation

Ouzeri  €€

Ouzeri is the kind of place locals keep to themselves and then tell you about with a knowing look. Tucked beside the Fabrica shopping centre in Fira and open since 2003, it’s become one of the most beloved restaurants on the island precisely because it’s the real deal: warm, unpretentious, and serving genuinely excellent Greek food. I happened to stumble across this restaurant in 2022 when I was traveling with my family, and they took 12 of us without a reservation now problem! The chef and owner trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris but brings those French techniques to deeply traditional Greek flavors, and the result is something quietly special.

The menu leans into meze, think fresh mussels in white wine and garlic, Santorini white eggplant baked with tomatoes and kasseri, baked feta rolled in pistachios with beet marmalade, dakos salad, and slow-cooked lamb. Plenty of outdoor seating with views of Pyrgos, a relaxed atmosphere, and prices that won’t make you flinch. This is the place I recommend to clients who want to eat like they actually live here, and is also vegan-friendly!

• Ask your server about the daily specials they change regularly and are always worth ordering
• Great for groups and families, the restaurant is spacious, and the menu works for everyone
• The white Santorini eggplant dish is only available in summer; order it if it’s on the menu
• The vegan moussaka is so good that I tried to replicate it at home (and failed terribly)
• Reservations recommended for dinner, especially in peak season

Santorinia Taverna  €€

Santorinia Tavern is one of those places that reminds you why eating in Greece feels different from anywhere else. Nestled in the heart of Fira with caldera views and a menu built entirely around what’s seasonal and local, it’s run by owner Loukas Katris and Chef Panagiotis Giakalis, who work directly with local farmers and producers to bring traditional Theran recipes to the table. The result is the kind of food that tastes like it was made for this specific island, because it was.

Expect tomato fritters, fava, korkosela, grilled goat from the oven, fresh fish, moussaka, and stuffed zucchini, all done with care and without shortcuts. On certain evenings, the taverna comes alive with live music, dancing, and plate-smashing, which turns dinner into something closer to a celebration. It’s the full Greek feast experience done properly. My family and I came here to also get a view of the sunset for dinner.

• Check ahead if you want to visit on a live music night, the atmosphere is electric
• The tomato fritters (tomatokeftedes) are a Santorini staple, non-negotiable starter, and so delicious!
• Good option for a group dinner where you want energy and great food in equal measure
• Book in advance, particularly if you’re visiting during July or August
• Ask to be seated by the caldera for a view of the sunset

Santorini’s food scene is better than its reputation suggests, and its reputation is already pretty incredible. Whether you’re after a cliffside tasting menu at Lycabettus or a plate of octopus by the water at Dimitris, the island delivers across every budget and every mood.

These are the places I trust, return to, and my clients love as well! Whatever you’re celebrating, or even if you’re celebrating nothing at all, there’s a table here that will become one of your favorite memories from Greece. And if you’re still figuring out what to do between meals, I have a guide for that too.