Best Restaurants in Paros

Greece › Paros › Best Restaurants
By Santorini Dave

See Also

• Where to Stay in Paros
• Best Hotels in Paros
• Best Family Hotels in Paros

My wife and I on our way to dinner in Naoussa.

The Best Places to Eat in Paros

• Best Cooking Class: Margarita Restaurant at the family-owned Margarita Studios in Ambelas, about 3 km southeast of Naoussa. The hands-on class runs about four hours and includes cooking, a garden visit, and a full meal.
• Best Areas for Restaurants: Parikia and Naoussa have the largest selection. In Parikia, restaurants along the western waterfront have great sunset views, but I generally prefer the food inside the old town. In Naoussa, there are good restaurants around the waterfront, but many of my favorites are tucked into the lanes away from the Old Port.
• Best Greek Restaurant: Yemeni Wine Restaurant in Naoussa.
• Best Greek Seafood: Ouzeri Halaris near Piso Livadi.
• Best Restaurant with Sunset Views: Ephessus in Parikia.
• Best Gyros and Souvlaki: Souvlakia Kargas in Naoussa.
• Best Pizza: Cuore Rosso in Parikia.
• Best Hotel Restaurant in Paros: Margarita Restaurant at Margarita Studios in Ambelas. Nothing fancy, just traditional Parian-Greek cooking in a relaxed, family-run setting.

Dining in Paros

Seaside dining at Taverna Glafkos in Naoussa, one of the best seafood restaurants in Paros.

• Meal Times in Paros: Greeks eat late. Lunch is typically around 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. and dinner around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. Restaurants in Parikia, Naoussa, and other tourist areas serve earlier, so eating at 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. is easy, but don’t expect many locals at the next table.
• Reservations in Paros: Reserve ahead for the best restaurants in Naoussa and Parikia, especially in July and August and for sunset or waterfront tables. For a large group, book as early as you can.
• Water: Most visitors drink bottled water in Paros. Tap water is treated, but the mineral content and taste mean bottled water is much more common for drinking.
• Parian Food: Seafood is a big part of the island’s cooking. Local dishes and ingredients to look for include gouna (sun-dried fish), mizithra and xinomizithra cheeses, karavalas (snails), chickpeas, and kakavia (fish soup). Octopus is everywhere, but don’t assume that every octopus hanging outside a taverna was caught that morning in Paros.
• Wine: Paros has a long winemaking tradition and several local varieties. Moraitis Winery in Naoussa is the island’s largest and easiest winery to visit. At restaurants, I usually ask what Parian or Cycladic wines they have rather than automatically ordering the house wine.
• Tipping in Paros: Tipping is customary but modest. At a casual taverna, rounding up the bill or leaving a few euros is fine. At a nicer restaurant, 5 to 10% is a good tip and 15% is generous. At cafés and bars, round up for counter service or leave a small tip for table service.

The 10 Best Restaurants in Paros

1. Yemeni – Naoussa • $$$

Map • +30 22840 51445

My favorite restaurant in Naoussa. Yemeni serves traditional Greek and Parian dishes with a more modern presentation and has one of the better Greek wine lists on the island. Tables spill into a narrow stone-paved lane in the old town, away from the waterfront crowds. It’s small and very popular, so reservations are strongly recommended, especially in summer. Dinner only.

2. Statheros – Naoussa • $$$

Map • +30 22840 51888

Family-run Greek seafood and meze restaurant at Agios Dimitrios, with tables right beside the water. The menu leans heavily on traditional family recipes and Parian ingredients, with seafood, local cheeses, vegetables, and excellent meze. The seaside tables are the ones to get. Reservations are strongly recommended in high season. Dinner only.

3. Ouzeri Halaris – Piso Livadi • $$

Map • +30 22840 43257

Piso Livadi has several excellent seafood tavernas, and Ouzeri Halaris is my favorite. Come for fresh fish, grilled octopus, seafood pasta, and meze, preferably with ouzo or a bottle of local wine. It’s casual, busy, and very good. Reservations are worth making in high season, especially if you want a table with a view. Open for lunch and dinner.

4. Markakis – Piso Livadi • $$

Map • +30 22840 42177

On the harbor in Piso Livadi, Markakis is a little more polished than a traditional fish taverna but still relaxed. It’s an excellent place to try Parian dishes such as gouna (sun-dried fish) and kakavia (fish soup), along with seafood meze and the day’s fish. Open for lunch and dinner.

5. Taverna Glafkos – Naoussa • $$

Map • +30 22840 5210

Waterside restaurant on the edge of Naoussa with tables just above a small pebbly shore. Seafood is the reason to come, though there are good meat and vegetarian choices too. It’s especially nice in the evening when the waterfront starts to quiet down. Open for lunch and dinner.

6. Cuore Rosso – Parikia • $$

Map • +30 22840 22920

The best pizza in Paros. Cuore Rosso makes its dough by hand, gives it a long fermentation, and uses Italian ingredients. Gluten-free pizza is available too. There are also calzones, lasagna, carpaccio, Italian cheeses, and a good Greek and Italian wine list, but I come here for the pizza. The garden setting in old Parikia is another plus. Dinner only.

7. Soso – Naoussa • $$$

Map • +30 69748 78281

Small Greek-Mediterranean restaurant in the lanes of Naoussa. Soso has more meat dishes than most of my other favorite Paros restaurants, which tend to be seafood-heavy. The menu changes, but expect dishes such as lamb, pork, meatballs, cheese pie, and octopus with fava. Reservations are strongly recommended. Dinner only.

8. Kargas – Naoussa • $

Map • +30 22840 53503

The best gyros and souvlaki in Paros. Kargas keeps things simple and inexpensive: gyros, souvlaki, and kebabs with pork or chicken, plus fries and Greek salad. Seating is limited, but that’s not much of a problem. Get it to go and eat by the marina or Old Port a few steps away.

9. Café Symposium – Parikia • $$

Map • +30 22840 24147

My favorite breakfast and brunch spot in Parikia, especially for crepes. There are also omelets, Greek yogurt, fruit, sandwiches, croissants, fresh juice, and good coffee. It sits on a shaded terrace in the old town and is a nice place to linger over breakfast before sightseeing.

10. Ephessus – Parikia • $$

Map • +30 22840 22520

Greek and Turkish food on Livadia Beach, with one of the best sunset views in Parikia. Several dishes, including the pizza, are cooked in the wood-burning oven. Try the manti (Turkish dumplings). Upgrade to a bottle of wine; the house wine is not the best. Open for lunch and dinner.