Chios Food SceneWhere to Eat in Chios
€18
avg main course
at a traditional taverna
🍽️
Fresh Fish
+
Mastic Cuisine
Chios has one of the most distinctive food cultures in Greece, built around mastiha — the island's world-famous resin used in everything from bread to ice cream to liqueur. Pair that with fresh Aegean seafood, mountain greens, and centuries-old recipes and you have a food scene worth travelling for, not just to.
🐟 Chios Town — Seafront Dining
- →Hotzas Restaurant: The oldest restaurant on the island. Opened in 1953, still run by the same family. Traditional Greek home cooking — stuffed vegetables, slow-cooked lamb, grilled fish from the local market. Booking recommended in summer. On Stefanou Tsouri street near the castle.
- →Thalassaki: Best position on the harbour promenade. Order whatever fresh fish came in that day — ask the waiter, don't look at a fixed menu. The grilled octopus with local wine is exceptional.
- →To Apomero (The Far Place): Slightly away from the tourist strip, completely local crowd. Best mezze spread on the island — order the mastello cheese, the fava, and the grilled sardines. Budget-friendly.
- →The Castle District: Several small kafeneions and ouzeris inside the Kastro walls. Order a glass of ouzo with pickled octopus and watch the cats. No reservations, no menus — just point.
🌿 What to Order — Chios Specialties
- →Mastiha (Mastic): The ingredient that defines Chios. Try it in ice cream (the best you will ever have), in bread, in the local mastiha liqueur (Skinos), and as the original chewing gum sold in village shops.
- →Mastello Cheese: Sheep's milk cheese unique to Chios, baked in wine with oregano and served hot. Appears on every traditional menu. Resembles halloumi in texture but richer in flavour.
- →Soumada: Traditional non-alcoholic almond syrup drink. Served cold with water, tastes like liquid marzipan. Traditionally drunk at village weddings. Found only in Chios.
- →Katimeria: Local sweet crepes/pancakes, drizzled with honey and sesame. Street food found at festivals and some bakeries in the old town.
- →Fresh Seafood: Chios waters are clean and relatively unfished. Red mullet (barbouni), sea bream (tsipoura), octopus, and local prawns. Ask for the catch of the day.
- →Chios Tangerines: The island produces an outstanding variety of mandarin orange. In season November–February. Unique, intensely fragrant.
🏘 Village Restaurants — Pyrgi & Mesta
- →Pyrgi Village Square: Three or four small tavernas around the central plateia, all serving similar menus. Best to arrive at lunchtime — the kitchen starts emptying by 2pm. Order the local black-eyed pea salad (mavromatika) and whatever is cooking in the pot.
- →Mesaionas (Mesta): The main taverna inside Mesta fortress village. Set inside a medieval stone building. Menu changes daily. The best place on the island for traditional Chiot cooking in an authentic setting. Closes early — arrive by 7pm.
- →Olympi Village: Small kafeneion with a terrace overlooking the medieval tower. One old woman runs it, very limited menu, total local experience. Find it — it's worth it.
- →Tips: Most village restaurants close Monday–Tuesday. Call ahead in low season. Credit cards not always accepted. Portions are large — you won't need a starter AND a main.
💡 Practical Tips
- →When to eat: Greeks eat late. Lunch 2–4pm, dinner 9–11pm. Going at 7pm you will often be the only table. Going at 9:30pm you'll be surrounded by locals — which is the right time.
- →How to order: At traditional tavernas, go to the kitchen to see what's in the pots. This is completely normal and expected. The waiter will take you. Skip anything that isn't clearly fresh.
- →What to avoid: Anything with photos on the menu near the port is likely tourist-oriented and overpriced. Walk two streets back.
- →Tip culture: Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. 10% is generous. Round up the bill.
- →Price guide: Coffee €2–3, beer €3–5, mezze plate €5–10, fish main €16–28, house wine carafe €10–16.
- →Best overall: Hotzas for traditional, Thalassaki for seafood view, Mesaionas Mesta for atmosphere.
Find Your Table in Chios
Always call ahead in shoulder season — some places close without notice