The Best Restaurants in Milos, Greece

Wine and dine your way around the charming Greek island of Milos with this up-close look at 15 restaurants you need to have on your radar. 

The small island of Milos may have just over 5,000 residents but it is slowly becoming one of the most celebrated vacation destinations in the Cyclades. Little surprise then that, there are so many places to choose from when you’re going out for a meal. 

I’ll level with you – Milos’ restaurants are a perfect example of everything good about Greek cuisine. Simple, fresh ingredients are sourced just metres from most dining tables and often offer a perfect harmony of flavours that make each bite as exciting as the next. 

I just got back from an extended trip to the island and I was floored by how great the food was. You’re on an island surrounded by seafood, so take full advantage of it and order every fish and shellfish dish you can.  But I also found some surprises, like (I dare say) the best ice cream you may well be able to lay your hands on in the country. 

Wondering where to eat in Milos? I’ve got you covered. I spoke to locals, gathered tips and selflessly spent weeks eating my way around the island. Here is my super-selective pick of the 15 restaurants you need to try on your next visit.

Best Restaurants in Milos 

O! Hamos! Tavern, Adamas 

Adamas

££

O! Hamos! Tavern is a cool restaurant with lovely hand-written menus that go into the story of the tavern and its evolution into one of Milos’ most popular eateries today.

Everyone, I mean everyone I spoke to on the island, recommended that I go and eat at O! Hamos! Once I did, I understood why.

Love slow-cooked meat? This is your place. Tucking into the delicious, fork-tender lamb with local cheese and roasted potatoes was a heavenly affair. Looking for something a bit different? Grandmother’s cheese pies were a delight – think crunchy little morsels of pastry filled with hot, salty cheese. Drool.

Service was warm and friendly, and you can take the edge off the waiting game with some appetisers at the chilled bar area near the beach (just across the road from the hotel).

Astakas Cafe

Klima

£££

Just down the boardwalk from the colourful fishing houses on the Klima waterfront is quite possibly the best al fresco dining in Milos – and that’s saying something.

When you arrive at Astakas Cafe, you’ll notice the white wooden tables are crammed side by side under large umbrellas just inches from the Aegean Sea. What awaits is a treasure trove of a menu highlighting fresh seafood in what’s only appropriate for the seaside setting.

I was delighted with our meal from top to bottom. The restaurant right by the beach offers simple but nearly perfect preparations of grilled prawns, rissoni with squid ink, and a steamed sea bream with dill and feta that personifies coastal Greece.

The great sunset views were worth the price tag of €96.50 and the abundance of stray cats. But even their gentle harassment couldn’t spoil the party. 

Sirocco Volcanic All Day Restaurant

Paleochori Beach

££

Usually, when you find a restaurant near a gorgeous beach, you’re shelling out extra cash for the view more than the food or service.

Sirocco Volcanic All Day Restaurant is an exception to that rule and uses its natural surroundings to great effect. It’s a cool restaurant where they cook using geothermal heat from a pit of geothermal sand nearby. It’s a fun concept that works. You can actually watch them do this with the fish, where they dig a hole in the sand and let them simmer for around 35 minutes. 

The ambiance is incredible, and it would be a cool beach restaurant even without the whole geothermal cooking thing. 

I’ll go as far as saying the slow-cooked lamb at Sirocco was one of my favourite meals anywhere on the island. The meltingly tender meat came on a bed of chickpeas for a perfect balance of flavours and textures at a reasonable price of €22.50.

Medusa Restaurant

Mandrakia

££

Mandrakia is one of the most picturesque villages on the island and Medusa Restaurant is no small part of why. The charming restaurant is right by a cove in what looks like (and is) the picture-perfect Greek seafood spot. Large hardwood pillars just out of a stone wall in front, making way to a pebble-floor patio overlooking the Aegean Sea.

You’ll find the same freshly caught octopus drying in the sun near the water as you do on the menu highlighting traditional Greek seafood, Milos style. If you only have time to visit a few restaurants during your time on the island, this needs to be one. The simple food and fair prices are an integral part of its charm.

A charming seaside setting serving everything from smoked mackerel to marinated anchovies successfully takes you to a time and place unmatched by most nostalgic fish grottos I’ve been to.

Yialos Restaurant

Pollonia

££

What Milos does better than most anyone is uncomplicated seafood dishes on the most dramatic seaside settings you’ve seen.  Yialos Restaurant is in the heart of the small cove in Pollonia and takes full advantage of the beachside real estate with hardwood tables and chairs laid out whimsically on the sand. 

No surprise, they specialise in seafood – and this is what you should order while you’re here. 

You can sample classic Greek dishes like grilled fish with potatoes and greens or try something a bit different, like Bluefin tuna with seaweed and a sesame vinaigrette. 

Avli-Milos

Plaka

££

Every time I visit a new place, I try to eat where the locals do. It wasn’t hard to find this (somewhat) well-kept secret on my last trip to Milos because the line of locals wrapped halfway around the building. So I knew Avli-Milos was doing something very right.

There are only 10 tables here, most spread evenly throughout a charming courtyard. The high, white-washed walls are strategically covered with potted plants, offering a pop of colour and living up to the billing, as Avli translates to “backyard.”

I have to admit, I was surprised (and excited) by a lot of the menu choices. These aren’t your typical Greek restaurant choices and allow you to try some dishes you otherwise wouldn’t. 

Giant, briny prawns with funky feta cheese, lobster spaghetti with a local white wine reduction, and roasted eggplant stuffed with tomatoes and caramelised onions are all dishes I’d happily go back for any day.

Rakomelo

Pollonia 

££

Walk over to Rakomelo in Pollonia for a laid-back setting that delivers seriously impressive food.

This small, family-run bistro-come restaurant doesn’t have an extensive menu, but everything is of the highest quality. It’s also off the main drag, away from the other bars and restaurants, so it’s often quieter than it probably should be. 

Everything was fresh and delicious, from the garden salad with hefty wedges of local cheese to grilled shrimp with a sauce that’s both creamy and acidic. 

Most main dishes were under €20 and came with plenty of food. Go here while it’s still a secret and tell them I sent you.  

Deck

Pollonia

£

So, Deck is actually a coffee shop, but the all-day spot serves up an impressive selection of snacks and meals at reasonable prices. I came here more than once, as it’s a nice all-around restaurant that serves up a wide variety of plates from 8 am to 3 am (yes, really).

The burgers and sandwiches were reliable and came with hefty portions that are a great value. 

But breakfasts are probably the go-to here. You can get anything from a full stack of French toast to a salmon scramble, providing you enough energy to hit the beaches and coves later in the day.

Aggeliki 

Adamas

£

Keen to try the best ice cream in Greece? I’m not exaggerating when I say that you can find it at Aggeliki. It’s the best on the island, anyway, with dozens of ice creams and sorbets available in cups and cones.

You can load them up with toppings like sour cherry jam or cookie crumbles, which honestly hit the spot on a warm day. But this is more than just an ice cream shop. The charming hang out also dishes up waffles, pancakes, and a decent selection of wines by the glass.

All this on one of the more charming patios in Adamas makes it highly likely you’ll go back more than once.

Enalion Restaurant

Pollonia  

££

Looking for the best seafood in Pollonia? Enalion Restaurant does a good job preparing very fresh fish that’s caught the same day it hits your plate for lunch or dinner. The vibe is simple but charming, with mostly outdoor seating overlooking the bustling coastal village.

You can choose from a great deal of seafood options on this expansive menu, but I’d recommend the grilled squid. A large calamari steak is served whole, sliced into bite-sized pieces, and plated up on a simple salad.

Maronne di Milos

Pollonia

£££

If you want something a bit different on your trip to Milos, head to this upscale Italian restaurant for one of the most romantic dinners in Pollonia. The menu at Marrone de Milos was refined, and every dish came out looking exquisite.

Shrimp scampi and seafood spaghetti were reliable, if unsurprising, choices. But the one that really caught my eye was the lobster on Greek-style orzo.

The dish was a perfect blend of Greek ingredients and an upscale Italian presentation that only got upstaged by the sunset view over the ocean.

Utopia Caffe

Plaka

££

You’re coming here for the view as much as anything else, but this vista rivals any you’ll find in Greece. Facts.

Order any of the expertly prepared drinks from the friendly staff, and arrive early enough to snag a table on the edge of the patio. Your reward? You’ll see the sun setting from high up on the hillside down into the Aegean Sea in the 19th-century village of Plaka.

You can call out classics like Aperol spritz or old-fashioned, but I recommend trying something off the menu, like Strange Fruit. The rum cocktail features a yoghurt liqueur, pineapple, and cranberry bitters. Interesting combo, but it works. 

Feeling hungry? Simple dishes like cheese boards, smoked trout, and a salmon tortilla are available at Utopia if you need a snack.

Hanabi Seaside

Pollonia

£££

Hanabi Seaside takes fresh seafood in a different direction and serves some of your favourite fish as dumplings, sashimi, and sushi rolls. It was a nice change of pace, and many of the dishes at this sushi place were actually quite good. 

My advice? Try the nigiri and sashimi sampler for a nice selection of fresh fish. Add a spicy sea bass roll and the pistachio eel roll for something different, and you’ll have a nice little dinner.

You can also stop by in the morning, as they’re also open for breakfast – just don’t expect sushi early in the day.

Deepblue Beach Bar

££

Deepblue Beach Bar is a fun, casual spot that serves lunch and dinner on large balconies hanging over the volcanic rock shores of the Aegean Sea. It’s a lively, scenic spot, just steps away from Paliochori Beach. And it just happens to be one of the most popular restaurants in Milos. 

The scenic coastal location is definitely part of the appeal, and probably makes the food taste slightly better than it might elsewhere. But the sandwiches are packed with fresh ingredients and flavour that are worth the price of admission.

Verina

Plaka

££

Another one of the best restaurants in Milos for sunset views is Verina. Now, this one is a bit smaller than Utopia, so you’ll want to get there early. But it’s worth showing up for the friendly service, live music, and surprisingly great bar food. 

Try one of the tiki drinks (they make them right) and stay for a pizza or snacks. Euphoria is the cocktail to get if you’re a fan of rum – a well thought out blend of gin, pineapple, sage, and almond syrup. 

Read More Milos & Cyclades Guides

• Top Things to do in Milos
• Where to Stay in Milos
• Why Spend Time in Plaka, Milos’ Capital
• Sailing Around the Cyclades is the Ultimate Adventure: Here’s Why
• The Ultimate Greece Travel Guide
• Sarakiniko: What You Need to Know About Milos’ Stunning Moon Beach