Crete gets over 1M tourists a year, so don't expect to find much in the way of non-tourist, traditional eating establishments. That said, you can have enjoyable dining experiences everywhere. While not haute cuisine I really enjoy the mix of Greek flavours: olive oil, mountain herbs (esp. oregano), fresh tomatoes, etc. In Crete, I find that a good part of the emjoyment of themeal comes from the surroundings, and only a bit from the food. Look for family-run restaurants outside of the 4 big centres on Crete. My experience you've got a better chance of a good expereince if the owners don't speak English. Some of my memorable meals on Crete: WEST: Kastelli. Go right down to the west end of the waterfront. There's a 3 storey hotel run by a family who also runs the restaurant on the dock in front of the hotel. TIP: during some summers the sister-in-law of the man who owns the hotel runs the resaturant. Try NOT to go if she's running the place. Immediately to the east of this place, across the street, is another good place (called something like "Nikos'"). Like many Cretan resaturants, the owner sits down at your table at the end of the meal and adds up your bill on a scarap of paper. As an honoured foreign vistior, he will often insist on trating you to ouzo or the local raki. EVEN FARTHER WEST: Just north of the sandy beach on the far west coast is a nice little family taverna where you can eat with their chickens and dogs wandering underfoot. Western Crete has lots of greenhouse, so you get fresh tasty tomatoes most of the year. Go for the Greek salads. MY FAVOURITE PLACE: in Southwestern Crete is the small village of Rodakinon (on the south coast), from there, a road leads south and then west along the waterfront for a couple of kilometres to a taverna right on the beach run my Nikos and Anna (and their two boys). If you have time, stay with them. CHANIA & RETHYMNON: lots of tourist traps, especially around the harbours. But I've had a great fish meal at one of the more touristy restaruants on the Reth. harbour. And it was great sitting right on the water. It seems that I'm rambling on a bit. Sorry. I think you'll have a good time and find good food and good surroundings. One final bit of food trivia: becuase of the volume of tourists, most of the lamb served in Cretan restaurants is imported - from New Zealand! Have a good trip.
Crete, Greece