Brimming with olive groves, fruit trees and vegetable patches, verdant Rhodes offers up a delectable array of culinary offerings that ranges from firmly old school to five-star innovative. While the choice of quality establishments in the medieval Old Town is slim, there is a diamond or two to be found in the back alleys. A down-home taverna hidden in a remote village and a fine dining restaurant at a resort on the northeast coast are both striving to reawaken local dishes almost lost to time, albeit in different ways. Meanwhile, chefs in must-see Lindos and Pefkos are brazenly experimenting with seasonal island flavours.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Rhodes. Find out more below or for further inspiration, see our guides to the best hotels, bars, beaches and things to do.
Find restaurants by type:
- Best all rounders
- Best for couples
- Best for families
- Best for cheap eats
- Best for walk ins
- Best for fine dining
Best all rounders
Marco Polo
Efi Dede, the effusive owner of Marco Polo Mansion, had no choice but to open a restaurant at her small, earthy boutique hotel hidden along a low-lit backstreet: guests insisted on it. Mustard and rust-coloured walls lend a Moroccan feel to the al fresco, tree-shaded courtyard. Swathed in colourful scarves, Efi swishes between tables, revealing the day’s specials and recommending in line with your preferences. For starters, try the calamari and prawn croquettes. Asian spices elevate hazelnut-crusted prawns, an unwavering menu favourite, to near-cult status. Local pasta dish mandi is revised as beef-filled tortelloni. Pistachio-dusted crème brulee makes for a grand finale.
Area: Old Town
Website: marcopolomansion.gr
Prices: ££
Reservations: Essential between Jun-Sep
Paraga
Despite a population of just 900, Apollona village is thriving on its interpretation of tradition. Giannis Efthymiou is reviving and enhancing near-forgotten recipes. In a former Italian officers’ club, the snakeskin print apron-wearing chef has created a season-conscious, farm-to-fork oasis. Canny foodies travel miles for his pièce de résistance: goat stifado slow-baked overnight in wine and onions and served in its clay pot, which he ritually smashes open. Scoop up walnut and tahini-laced eggplant dip, with addictive handmade bread served atop wild herbs. Don’t miss chickpea dish pitaroudia, to which he adds mushrooms and Jerusalem artichoke purée. Turn up ravenous.
Area: North Rhodes
Website: paraga-apollona.gr
Prices: £
Reservations: Recommended between Jul-Sep
iIias
Few travellers make it to the far-flung wine-growing village of Embonas, but Ilias is worth the trek alone. Big, genuine smiles from owner-grill master Ilias, his wife Roula and son Stergos are the first thing you notice when you step into this homely stone-built taverna. Roula prepares rare traditional Rhodian dishes you won’t find anywhere else. Trahana (cracked wheat) soup is served as a welcome dish with nut-studded sweet bread. Try lambriotis, slow-roasted goat stuffed with rice and herbs, or tsouka, made with veal and bulgur.
Area: Embonas
Contact: 00 30 22460 41415; facebook.com/taverna.ilias.embonas
Prices: £
Reservations: Not needed
Best for couples
Darling Bistro
A fresh arrival in the city, this hip all-day hangout is swiftly gaining a devoted local following for its contemporary take on comfort food. Chef Nikos Martakis and Georgia Koniari head up the open kitchen at Darling Bistro. Grab a chair at the counter and watch the duo make magic. Top picks include the Double “Darling” smash burger for brunch and artichoke with truffle, hazelnut and goat cheese for lunch and pasta pastitsada with goat, spetseriko and kefalotyri cheese for dinner.
Area: Rhodes Town
Contact: 00 30 2241 034340; instagram.com/darling.bistro
Prices: £-££
Reservations: Recommended
Lakani
Talented chef Dimitris Kontaratos is the gastronomic genius behind this spot that has the city buzzing. At Lakani, he aims to recreate the bountiful Greek table, with sharing dishes, but with a lighter touch. Eggplant dip comes with caramelised walnuts and local gruyere. Kontaratos and his team turn out scrumptious salads like pumpkin with roasted peach, chargrilled manouri cheese and tahini sauce. But don’t sleep on the local dish the restaurant is named after, prepared here with lamb and bulgur wheat.
Area: Rhodes Town
Website: lakani.gr
Prices: ££-£££
Reservations: Essential
The Ritualist
Both swish and welcoming, this gastrobar sits within thick stone walls in the Old Town. Perch yourself on a salmon-ochre bar stool at a table outdoors and revel in the night air, or watch mixologists make magic indoors set against a backdrop of baby blue arches. Tempting starters include grilled prawns with lemon, chilli and parsley sauce and salted cod with sweet potato, gruyere and tarama. Otoro tuna with wine from Samos island and lime is a feast for the senses.
Area: Old Town
Contact: 00 30 22410 70067; instagram.com/the_ritualist_gastrobar
Prices: ££-£££
Reservations: Essential
Tambakio
Book a table for sunset and prepare to dig your feet into soft, warm sand at this romantic, ethereally lit Mediterranean restaurant, occupying a rocky outpost above the shamrock-hued waters of sheltered St Paul’s Bay. A sought-after wedding reception destination catering for up to 80, couples first exchange vows on a nearby wooden jetty, with views of the peak of the ancient Acropolis of Lindos. Menu mainstays include linguine with mussels and lobster pasta. The strawberry salad with caramelised walnuts, parmesan flakes, poppy seeds and citrus dressing is a refreshing beachside summer dish.
Area: Southeast Coast
Website: tambakio.gr
Prices: ££
Reservations: Essential
Eteon
A welcome arrival in Faliraki that has earned the acknowledgment of Athenian food critics. Eteon delivers authentic Hellenic cuisine with an innovative yet humble spin in earthy surrounds. Menu highlights include octopus charred over the coals with chimichurri and a smoky giant bean puree, while Greek favourite dolmades (rice-stuffed vine leaves) also go on the grill. Sauteed mushroom, local wild greens, cashew cream and nutritional yeast in a crisp phyllo base is sure to impress vegans.
Area: Faliraki
Website: eteongreek.com
Prices: £-££
Reservations: Recommended
Best for families
Meltemi
Set on the central beach in Rhodes Town, this family-run fish taverna is named after a northerly wind that lowers temperatures in the summer. Meltemi is known for its unpretentious Greek fare; homestyle moussaka, juicy pork souvlaki with hand-cut chips and a proper Greek salad. Fish and seafood dishes include Symi shrimp, parsley-flecked grilled sardines and crisp fried calamari. Some portions are particularly generous, so don’t hesitate to request a doggy bag.
Area: Rhodes Town
Contact: 00 30 2241030480; facebook.com/MeltemiRestaurant
Prices: £-££
Reservations: Not needed
Casa Il Borgo
When locals need an Italian fix, they bag a table at this cosy, centrally-located spot that stays open year-round. Fire up your tastebuds with an aperitivo of smoked salmon-topped bruschetta and a refreshing spritzer, followed by a classic Caprese salad. Next, move onto one of the Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas, with options such as mortadella with pistachio. If you’re hankering for seafood pasta, sample the strozzapreti frutti di mare with mussels, prawn, homestyle basil pesto, fennel oil and botargo.
Area: Rhodes Town
Contact: 00 30 2241 033981; facebook.com/casailborgorhodes
Prices: £-££
Reservations: Recommended
Mavrikos
The owners of this rare gem, which dates to 1912, ignore their advantageous, mulberry-shaded position on Lindos’ main square and work hard every day to win over patrons. Michalis Mavrikos and his chef sibling Dimitris co-create the menu, upholding time-tested dishes, such as their grandfather’s silky fish roe dip with pumpkin, while constantly experimenting with new flavours. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour owns a house nearby, and has been a staunch regular for decades. Black butter beans with carob honey is another longstanding classic worth sampling. Try tender, aromatic fennel braised in sweet Moscato wine, with cherry tomatoes and a cheese sauce.
Area: Southeast Coast
Contact: 00 30 2244 031232; facebook.com/MavrikosRestaurantLindos
Prices: ££
Opening times: Apr-Oct, daily, 9am-12am
Reservations: Essential in summer
Stegna Kozas
Established in 1932, this ever-busy seafood shrine on Stegna beach is a Rhodes institution beloved by both Rhodians and visitors. Evil eyes, wicker lampshades, shells and painted squash dangle from the interior section of this lively spot, where chair covers depict fish, of course. Grab a table outdoors and order fried rouzetia, a local hand-caught fish served with garlic dip. Melekouni salad is a hearty mix that includes radicchio, spinach, anthotyro cheese, salmon, dried fig and pear. Choose from Kozas’ 10 signature dishes, such as black squid rice with San Michali cheese and orange, that take longer to prepare but are worth the wait.
Area: Northeast Coast
Website: stegnakozas.gr
Prices: ££-£££
Reservations: Recommended
Best for cheap eats
ONO by Marouli
Vegans and vegetarians may well feel they’ve landed in epicurean heaven. Mara Martinotti is in the kitchen at this purple-walled happy little kosher-friendly spot, dishing out feel-good fare with a high Happy Cow rating, including gluten-free options. How about a vegan shakshouka, a signature breakfast dish, or a kale and mango smoothie bowl with yogurt and home-style granola? Lunch calls for a California plant-based burger or beetroot risotto with vegan parmesan cheese and lime zest.
Area: Old Town
Website: 00 30 2241 073610; instagram.com/ono_by_marouli
Prices: £
Opening times: Mid-March-Oct, Mon-Sat 9am-10.30pm
Platanos
Tucked away in the whitewashed village of Lachania, in lesser-visited southern Rhodes, Platanos sits on a minuscule stone-paved square beside the Church of Agios Georgios. This down-to-earth taverna is named after the plane tree which offers plentiful shade, highly sought after in the steamy summer months, as diners linger and chatter till late into the night. Don’t miss the pitaroudia, a local chickpea fritter dish, and the lemony lamb shank. Veggie dishes like briam and imam baildi are satisfyingly rich.
Area: Lachania
Website: platanostaverna.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Not needed
Best for walk ins
GranCaffe
Locals who live and work nearby congregate at this centrally located meeting point – a café, wine bar and deli rolled into one – for generous platters that literally map out the country’s most eclectic cheeses, cold cuts and wines. Savour prosciutto-like nouboulo from Corfu, mortadella sardinella from Drama in northeastern Greece, piquant arseniko cheese from Naxos island and even organic matured buffalo cheese from the tiny Lipsi islet. Fruit-based spoon sweets from the Cycladic island of Syros add a fragrant contrast to the diverse meat and dairy medleys. Inquire about the flirty rosé and sweet wines from the island’s own Alexandris winery.
Area: Rhodes Town
Website: grancafferodos.gr
Prices: £
Reservations: Not necessary
Pizanias The Sea Star
Established in 1970, Rhodians have long flocked to this family-owned fish taverna. Today, grandson Yiannis Tsambis, representing a third generation, has assumed the helm at Pizanias The Sea Star but the fish and seafood, all sourced from the Aegean, retain their simplicity and excellent quality. Grandfather Yiannis insisted on fish being chargrilled and served as is. Unexpectedly, this is also where you’ll find one of Rhodes’ best Greek wine selections. Oenophiles shouldn’t miss their popular wine-tasting walkabouts.
Area: Old Town
Website: 00 30 2241 022117; instagram.com/pizanias_est1970
Prices: ££
Reservations: Not needed
Best for fine dining
Noble
Rhodes born-and-bred chef George Troumouhis and a few friends decided a few years back to identify the best cooks in some 40 villages and document more than 280 age-old island recipes to save them from obscurity. Today, at Noble, executive chef Troumouhis and head chef Spyros Kougios are reimagining these dishes with respect and originality. Gastronomes can sample daring degustatory designs at the monochromatic sea-facing candlelit restaurant at Elysium Resort & Spa. A seven-course tasting menu allows a comprehensive overview of the pair’s gastronomic genius. Among standout dishes is an updated version of classic kapamas featuring lamb, eggplant, groats and chervil.
Area: Northeast Coast
Website: noble.gr
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Dress code: Smart casual
Hellas
Hidden in touristy Pekfos is a welcome surprise for gourmands. Young chefs Kiriakos Iakovidis and Eirini Georgoudiou lead the charge at Hellas, sourcing ingredients and culinary inspiration chiefly from Lindos. Simple white tables set in a mosaic-lined courtyard belie the intricacy and originality of the dishes. Among the constants on the menu are dolmades with seafood, lemon sauce & fennel, where cyclamen leaves replace vine leaves. A lamb recipe from Vlicha village with seasonal greens, tomato and yoghurt looks and tastes anything but traditional.
Area: Pefkos
Website: hellas-pefkos.gr
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Five Senses
A dining destination in its own right, this minimalist, candle-lit restaurant at adults-only resort Lindos Blu is designed for couples. On summer nights, sit outdoors for bay views. Ingredients are sourced locally and married in unexpected ways. Indian shrimp is served with a parsley garlic sauce and pork while semi-cured sea bream is paired with samphire, okra pickle and horiatiki (Greek) salad water.
Area: Southeast Coast
Website: lindosblu.gr
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Dress code: Smart casual
Akres
This stylish Lindos restaurant is consistently turning heads with its innovative take on traditional Rhodian cuisine that focuses on seasonality. Whether seated within an intimate tiled courtyard, at the open kitchen, or on the terrace with views of the fortifications surrounding the Acropolis of Lindos, Akres never fails to impress. Among standout choices is lakani, a local dish, interpreted with quail accompanied by cracked wheat, mountain tea glaze, xinotyro cheese, and a dash of truffle.
Area: Lindos
Website: akreslindos.com
Prices: £££
Reservations: Essential
Almyra
Chic, serene and inviting, the philosophy of this Mediterranean beachside restaurant in Lindos is anchored in high-calibre seasonal ingredients, skilfully-balanced textures and whimsical presentation. Almyra revises classic Greek favourite stuffed Florina peppers with feta, walnut, smoked pork apaki and garlic cream in a vanilla sauce. Grouper is served with handmade orzo and king oyster mushrooms. And, for dessert, miso-infused namelaka chocolate with hazelnut crumble, sponge and beetroot–blackberry sorbet is hard to resist. Some tables offer views of Lindos’ ancient acropolis.
Area: Lindos
Website: almyra-lindos.com
Prices: ££-£££
Reservations: Essential
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller’s taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Greece expert Helen Iatrou finds Rhodes endlessly fascinating. She can spend hours peeling back the layers of history that pervade the medieval Old Town and prefers peaceful beaches such as Fourni and Kokkini Ammos.