Mykonos is an expensive place to eat — there’s no avoiding that. But expensive doesn’t mean the food is good, and the gap between the best and worst tables on the island is wider than almost anywhere else in Greece. The places in this guide earn their prices. The ones that don’t are easy to identify: English-language menus with photographs, staff stationed outside to draw people in, locations directly on the main tourist streets. Avoiding those three things puts you most of the way to a better meal.
What to Order
The food on Mykonos that is worth seeking out is Greek food: grilled fresh fish, mezedes, kopanisti (the island’s own sharp fermented cheese), locally sourced seafood. The island also has several creative contemporary restaurants that work with these ingredients at a higher level — these tend to be more expensive and worth it for a special meal rather than everyday eating.
The trap to avoid: restaurants that serve a generic pan-Mediterranean menu (pasta, burgers, ‘international cuisine’) at Mykonos prices. These exist in significant numbers and the cost-to-quality ratio is among the worst on the island.
Practical Tips
- Book dinner reservations at popular tavernas at least a day in advance in July and August. Walk-in availability drops sharply after 21:00 at the better places.
- Lunch is significantly better value than dinner at most restaurants — the same kitchen, the same ingredients, 20–30% lower prices.
- The further you are from Matogianni street, the better the value tends to be. The streets behind the old harbor have some of the best-value traditional food in Chora.