A Great Little Local Place and other Crete Island, Greece Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Grafanis

A great little place on the back road that is mainly just frequented by locals. We had large Pita Gyros which turned out to be a pita with Gyros, salad, cheese tzatziki and topped with another pita, chips on the side. It was certainly very large and filling. We had 2 drinks (a coke and a 500ml Mythos) and it came to just €11, 50.

We had lunch there again the day after and this time we ordered 2 small Gyros, and a Greek salad. i had a 500ml Mythos and Evan had 2 bottles of Lemon Fanta coming to €13, Bread was brought at no extra cost as was a mixture of different melon at the end. They seemed very pleased to see us return and the young girl who was serving even extended her English to ‘you’re welcome’.

We called another couple of times just for Gyros.
The name is in Greek and although when i was writing my tips and used the greek letters on word they will not work on VT

Favorite Dish: Best Gyros we had on Crete

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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 28970 - 41837
Address: Kato Gouves
Directions: Next to The Bull Rock pub

Restaurant Name: Mithos Restaurant – Taverna (Gouves)

This is a Large Taverna on the main St in Gouves, inviting and well decorated in a traditional Greek style, Friendly service and we had a nice ‘Gyros me Pita’ and a drink here for our lunch on the first day. They do some reasonably priced set meals and the menu looks very interesting, we certainly plan to visit here again. (05/07/08)

We went back again on 12/07/08 we had a set menu for 2, Greek salad, mixed grill and glass of wine for €25. Nice Greek food, nothing fancy just good Greek Fayre. Would like to try some of the other items on the menu (although not the set menu’s aimed at tourists)


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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Address: Main St, Gouves

Restaurant Name: Family Taverna (Gouves)

This Taverna is just on the bend on the main shopping street in Gouves.
The staff were friendly and it has nice relaxing feel. The food was good and quite reasonably priced. I had a nice mixed Grill.
I will always leave a tip at a restaurant were the food or the service has been good unless one thing happens. it really gets me when just because the change maybe €1 or less they do not bring it back, Unfortunately this was the only place we have been to in Crete were because the change was only 50c they did not bring it back. Every other one has even if it was only 10c. So in the greed of keeping 50c they lost 2 or 3 euro

Favorite Dish: 'Nice mixed grill'

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Address: Main St, Gouves

Restaurant Name: H BAPÄIA

A nice view of the Harbour can be had from this Taverna and although it is next to the sea it is very reasonably priced. We stopped here for a drink, some chips and some tzatziki (The tzatziki was great, loads of garlic unlike some that you get in the more tourist areas) while taking pictures of the planes taking off from the airport not very far away.


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Theme: Local

Directions: At the end of the Port Authority Building in Heraklion

Restaurant Name: Starbucks (Iraklion)

We were surprised to see a Starbucks in Heraklion, and decided that as we were both thirsty anyway, we would go in and see what it is like. All the coffee’s looked the same as back home, except for a “Green Tea Frappuchino”, although it said this was for summer so we may have missed it back home. I had a water while Evan had a sparkling Sanguinello orange juice, definitely not something they serve back home. We also both had a double chocolate muffin, which had a large lump of white chocolate in the middle, and was delicious. Also, we sat outside and it all had a nice cosmopolitan feel.


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Theme: American

Address: August 25th St

Restaurant Name: Thoma's Place

On Epimenidou Street near the Very block like Catholic Church we stopped for a drink at a small Taverna called TABEPNA “TO KOYTOYKI TOY ÈÏÌÁ” OYZEPI (virtual tourist is changing the Greek letters so the first picture is the name)
It was nice and cool as there was a good breeze blowing down the road and we were brought a nice plate of Melon and Cherries.


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Theme: Local

Phone: 0810-330-533
Address: Epimenidou Street, Iraklion

Restaurant Name: Taverna Samaria (Gouves)

A short walk up from our apartments towards the main road is Taverna Samaria and after having walked past it twice today it had really caught my eye, I’m not sure if it was the look of the place or the Chalk board outside saying Lamb kleftico but we decided to go there for our dinner.
It is a very traditional Taverna which reminded me very much of Flora's Taverna in Afandou on Rhodes. There is a good menu and I did think about having the Stifado but decided to save that for another day, I just had to have the Lamb Kleftico.

It was delicious, certainly the best food I have had up to now (but we are only on the 3rd day as I am writing this) but it is certainly the best Lamb Kleftico I have ever had.

Oh and if you don't know what Lamb Kleftico is it's lamb, Potatoes, peas, Feta cheese all wrapped up in a parcel together and slowly baked in the oven. Don’t be fooled by pictures in restaurants of kleftico with the lamb and sauce, cooked in a tin foil parcel, and a baked potato and peas separate (in Malia I saw a picture of it with just the lamb in a parcel with rice, chips and peas on the side). They should all be cooked together.

On 14/07/08 we went back to Samaria Taverna this time I had Beef Stifado (they also do Lamb Stifado) and it was beautiful. The food at this Taverna is what food should be like


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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Restaurant Name: Acropolis Taverna (Hersonissos)

Walking along the small cliff tops over the beach, many waiters attempted to usher us into their tavernas. When it came to the second to last one, we realized just how hungry we were and gave in. The waiter showed us to a table on the edge, which had fantastic views. We had two Pitta Gyros’ and two drinks, which came to €10 (everything being €2.50). The service was fast and the Gyros were very nice. The salad’s also looked delicious.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average

Restaurant Name: Kosta's Place (Hersonissos)

After walking around some of the shops we headed back to the Car Calling in Kosta's Place ( EL VENIZELOU 165) as it smelled delicious and sweet as we walked past, it is a Fast food place selling Sandwiches, Savoury Pastries cakes etc and purchased a couple of Chocolate Croissants We ate them in the car and they were delicious, nothing like those things at home we get from the super market


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Theme: Fast Food

Address: EL VENIZELOU 165

Restaurant Name: Zorbas Taverna (Gouves)

This is one of the large Tavernas on the sea road at Gouves, It is a spacious restaurant with a large area at the rear set aside as a bar and swimming pool area. On the other side of the road there is another large seating area for the Restaurant which goes out over the sea. We both ordered Mussels Saganaki for starter's and I ordered Wild Goat cooked with Tomatoes as a main course and my son ordered Gyiuvetsi.
The mussels Saganaki was nice and was quite filling, a pause between that and the main course would have been nice but I had only just finished eating mine and my son was still eating his when the main course was brought.
The wild goat with tomatoes was nice certainly a lot better than it looks on the photo though there was a little too much salt in the Gyiuvetsi. After finishing our main course the bill was brought without us asking for it and without us being asked (or having the opportunity to ask) if we would like a sweet or another drink, something I have never come across before in even the worst restaurant, Certainly never in a restaurant in Greece.

I can only hope that this may have been a one off but needless to say we did not go back to find out.


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Theme: Local
Comparison: more expensive than average

Address: On the sea front at Gouves