Mykonos has a genuine food culture that predates the tourist economy by centuries. Kopanisti — the island’s sharp, fermented soft cheese — is a protected designation of origin product found almost nowhere else. The loukoumades (honey doughnuts) from certain spots in Chora are among the best in the Cyclades. The fresh fish at Agios Sostis and the grilled octopus drying on lines outside Chora’s harbor tavernas are not decorative — they’re the real thing. This page covers what to seek out and how to find it.
Kopanisti
Kopanisti is Mykonos’s most distinctive food product. It’s a soft, spreadable cheese made from cow’s or goat’s milk fermented with a specific mold culture, producing a sharp, slightly spicy flavor unlike anything else in Greek cheese culture. It has EU Protected Designation of Origin status, meaning authentic kopanisti can only be produced on Mykonos.
The best way to eat it: on fresh bread with a drizzle of local honey or alongside raw vegetables. Several shops in Chora sell it by weight; the better delis and specialty food shops carry it fresh. It’s also widely available at tavernas as part of a meze platter.
Loukoumades
Loukoumades — small deep-fried dough balls served with honey and sometimes cinnamon or sesame — are a staple throughout Greece, but the ones in Mykonos have their own version. A handful of spots in Chora, particularly in the streets around the central market, fry them to order. They are best eaten within two minutes of being made. This is a breakfast or late-morning snack, not a dessert.
Fresh Fish at the Source
The small fishing harbor at the old port in Chora occasionally has fresh catch available in the morning — ask the fishermen directly, which some are willing to accommodate. Alternatively, the tavernas at Agios Sostis and Kalo Livadi serve fish that is demonstrably fresher than anything served at the busier south coast establishments, partly because the volumes are smaller and the turnover is faster.
Look for lavraki (sea bass), tsipoura (sea bream), and grilled whole octopus. These are the reliable fish on any traditional Mykonos menu.
The Mykonos Market Area
The small market area in Chora, around the streets behind the old harbor, has a handful of shops selling local products: olive oil from the Cyclades, thyme honey, dried herbs, and kopanisti. This is a more reliable way to take genuine Mykonos products home than the souvenir shops on Matogianni.
Practical Tips
- Ask at any taverna for kopanisti as a starter — most carry it, but it doesn’t always appear on the printed menu.
- The morning fish market at the old harbor is intermittent. Check with your accommodation whether it’s currently operating.
- Avoid anywhere with photographs of the food on the menu on the main tourist thoroughfares — these exist for a specific kind of customer and the food reflects that.
- Kiki’s Taverna at Agios Sostis is worth the trip specifically as a food experience, not just a beach one.