Restaurants in Paros

• • Where to eat the best fresh fish and seafood in Paros? Mario Restaurant, Silence of the Fish, Siparos
• • Where to enjoy a romantic dinner? Galazia Hytra, Le sud
• • Where to eat like a local? H palia agora, Halaris, Kafeneio tis Marigos
• • Where to have dinner by the beach? Thalassa mou
• • Where to taste gourmet delicacies? Galazia Hytra, Le sud
• • Where to savor modern Greek cuisine? Thalassa mou, Siparos, Soso
• • Where to eat a meze dinner? H Palia Agora, Halaris, Kafeneio tis Marigos

A Greek getaway without lasting, delicious tavern meals by the sea is surely incomplete. As with every other Greek island, an important part of your holiday in Paros should ideally be spent over a table full of local delicacies and warm conversations, accompanied by a glass of wine or ouzo. From Greek traditional tavernas to fancy restaurants, one thing is for sure: the culinary experience on the island leaves no one disappointed! 

Paros' substantial tourist growth over the past decades has brought even more restaurants and awarded chefs to the island. Despite the millions of tourists visiting the island every year, Paros has successfully preserved its premium quality food, enriched the culinary scene with various cuisines and gourmet options, and maintained traditional tavernas in less touristy villages, with pricing remaining fairly reasonable. The fact that Paros is a recurring holiday destination for many middle-class Greeks, some of whom may own a house on the island, has definitely helped prevent the spread of tourist traps.

Most of the finest restaurants are located in Parikia and Naoussa. In the fishing villages of Paros like Drios, Aliki, Ampelas and Piso Livadi, and along the beachfront, travelers will encounter lovely spots to taste fresh fish by the sea. Additionally, in Lefkes, a picturesque village in the mainland of Paros, authentic tavernas serving local delicacies can be found.

On the menu of a Parian restaurant or tavern a plethora of meals from local recipes, experimental cuisine and traditional Greek dishes with a modern approach, to international (Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese) flavors, can be found. Thanks to its numerous fishing villages, Paros has evolved into one of the finest seafood scenes of the Cyclades, whereas the mainland provides restaurants with delicious meat. Fresh fruit and vegetables are omnipresent since they are cultivated on the island or imported by the very fertile neighboring island of Naxos. In Paros, many farmers or fishermen own a family restaurant besides their main workplace. As a result, taverns with a farm-to-table or sea-to-table philosophy are plenty on the island, offering guests the healthiest and freshest meals!

Many travelers may already be familiar with the classic Greek dishes of mousakas, tzatziki, fried fish or calamari, ntakos salad, grilled octopus and many more. Expect to find these delicious, worldwide famous Greek dishes on the taverns’ menus. Additional mouth-watering local dishes can be found in Paros and we strongly recommend trying them out!

“Gouna” is by far the most popular local delicacy on the island of Paros. It is a mackerel fish, opened in the shape of a butterfly, dried with herbs under the hot Greek sun for hours and then grilled. Luckily it is hard to miss, as most taverns that you will come across feature their own open-air drying process.
“Karavoli” is another local dish made with snails and served in different ways. Some eat it with garlic puree (skordalia) or cook it with tomato sauce and onions. It is mainly served in the village of Lefkes but can be found in other Parian villages too.
Lastly, as in most parts of Greece, cheese and wine are locally produced and have their own characteristic aromas and unique flavors that are worth savoring.

Meal times

Lunchtime: 12:00 -17:00 / Dinner time: 18:00 - 24:00.
Note that Greek people in general, and especially during the summer season when days are longer, eat late and meal times are very flexible. The average time for lunch is about 14:00 and for dinner around 21:00. But even if you arrive as late as 23:00 at the restaurant, the kitchen will probably be operating and you will be served.

Reservations

Although there is a plethora of good eating options on the island, a table reservation at infamous restaurants during dinner time is recommended. If you travel to Paros during the high season (July to August) don’t be surprised if the staff suggests making a reservation 3 days in advance, especially in Naoussa's establishments.

Tipping

Tipping in Greece does not work by percentage. An average tip, depending on how satisfied you are with the service, is €2-5. Not leaving a tip at all is considered impolite.

Water

Restaurants in Paros serve bottled still water by default. If you prefer sparkling water, you can always ask for it.

Communication

Every restaurant has a menu in English, even small taverns. Some might have a menu in other languages as well (French, German, Italian, etc.). Also, the vast majority of people working in restaurants speak basic English. They are also very eager to introduce you to Greek cuisine and its ingredients.

Meze meal

As you will see on the menu, all the restaurants in Paros present their dishes by category: salads, appetizers, main dishes, fish, meat, etc. If you are more than 2-3 people eating, you can ask them to make a mixture of different main dishes and appetizers for the middle of the table and share them, instead of ordering one main dish per person. This is very common in Greece and you will see many Greeks eating and sharing their food. The reason is that Greek cuisine has a variety of tasty delicacies and you will want to try as many as possible.

Portions

In Paros, portions served at local taverns are considered quite generous and big. Note that meat dishes are usually accompanied by fried potatoes, rice, or pasta.

Prices

Prices in restaurants vary but in general, Paros is considered affordable and of good value in terms of meals. Vegetables, meat and fish are fresh and of premium quality deserving every cent!