We found Naxos to be more laid back and so much more casual than either Santorini or Mykonos, even Paros. But that doesn't mean the food isn't good. On the contrary the food on Naxos definitely held its own against any of the Greek Isles. The variety was quite abundant and the quality was absolutely YUM. We found that by doing a little homework before our trip the restaurants we chose definitely did not disappoint. To Kati Allo Located just off the waterfront's Main Street we found To Kati Allo's. Most of the seating was outside and it was very windy the evening we ate there. We went inside but the dining area was very small and so close to the kitchen that it was actually too warm inside so we decided to tough it out with the wind outside. We shared some starters, the cheese Saganaki, Naxos fried potatoes with feta and fried cheese in phyllo dough with honey and sesame seeds. YUM. We shared an order of their fried Calamari, absolutely YUM. A really nice meal, all but the wind. Saganaki Naxos fried potatoes with feta Fried cheese in Phyllo dough Nostimon Hellas Located a few blocks in from the water you'll find the restaurant Nostimon Hellas. We found their menu to be very creative and diverse with traditional Greek dishes and Mediterranean specialities. We shared their Arseniko fried cheese and Shrimps in a creamy Caviar sauce which were both excellent. My wife got the Cappelletti stuffed with shrimps and I got their Seafood Linguini. Absolutely YUM. We shared their greek version of Kunefe called Kataifi. Kunefe is a Middle Eastern dessert that consists of cheese, simple syrup in shredded phyllo dough. It came with vanilla ice cream. If you haven't tried it all I can say is definitely try it. They gave us a small bottle of sweet dessert wine with our Kataifi. Padelis Coffee Shop and Cafe We passed this coffee house while walking from our hotel to the waterfront of Naxos Town. Not only was the variety of coffee drinks they serve huge and exotic but also quite YUM. We made regular stops here for a latte or cappuccino usually after dinner but also had crepes for lunch one day. Really good. Crepes and an iced latte for lunch Enjoying a break at the coffee shop Dining by the beach The Nissaki Beach is a boutique hotel right on the water at the end of the Agios Georgios or the Saint Georges beach. We actually ate at a table on a covered pavilion right at the edge of the beach. We shared an assorted cheese plate and a greek salad. Midway through our dinner the sun was setting and past nights we saw beautiful sunsets. Tonight however the sky was overcast so as far as the sunset was concerned, not so much; or so we thought. After the sun sank below the clouds the sky began to get incredible streaks of red. This temporarily put our dinner on hold for pictures. The incredible red streaks during the sunset The happy couple enjoying the sunset After the light show was over we sat back down to our entree's. My wife got hand made ravioli with lobster fillet and I got the grilled squid. Everything was really good but not quite outstanding and since their prices were a good bit higher than most of the restaurants we went to on Naxos we felt a bit let down. We had a special visitor during our dinner tonight and actually most nights but this particular night our little visitor stayed by our table most of the evening. It looked like one of my daughter-in-law's cat's. Probably a greek cousin we named Nikos. Nikos our dining companion The Barozzi Naxos Restaurant The dining room Barozzi Naxos opened in 2017 in a building dating back to the 1930's. The restaurants philosophy promotes balance. Dining should be a fine balance of excellent cuisine in a beautiful and serene setting presented in an creative way. We were first brought an amuse bouche consisting of a creamy Naxian cheese in small edible cones. We shared 2 starters crispy spring rolls with aged Naxian cheese and Dolmades which are vine leaves stuffed with cod and herbs. Our server placed them on our plates. For our entrees my wife had Vegetarian Risotto and I got Sweet Potato Gnocchi. Everything was excellent and also very elegantly presented. Our dinner was more than just dining. The aesthetics made It was a unique experience. The Amuse Bouche The Dolmades The Crispy Spring Rolls The Naxian Capriccio Restaurant The Naxian Capriccio is one of the many waterfront restaurants on the Main Street in Naxos Town. I usually avoid these places as they are the right where tourists are constantly walking by. Generally there is a front person trying to entice you into eating there and the food in general usually isn't the best. However the Naxian Capriccio was well rated on TripAdvisor so we decided to give it a try. When we first arrived the place was empty. It wasn't too early we thought so we proceeded to our table. During our meal people started to come to the restaurant and by the time we were almost finished our meal the place was pretty full. We shared the Saganaki which came with a berry marmalade and the Zucchini balls. They were both very good but the berry marmalade was just a little overpowering to the cheese. It wouldn't have been my choice to pair it with fried cheese. My wife got the Ravioli with pesto and I had the Seafood Linguini. Both were very good and overall the food stood up to the rating on TripAdvisor. But I will say that the restaurant didn't stand out as most of the other places we tried. Overall a very good dinner. Metaxi Mas Taverna We had eaten at a very nice and really out of the way restaurant on Santorini a little more than 4 years ago called "Metaxi Mas". It was one of the best meals we've ever had while traveling so seeing the same name on Naxos really peaked my interest. Loosely translated Metaxi Mas means between us. This little taverna was a little out of the way too so with all these similarities we decided to track this place down. We came upon it while going through the little pedestrian streets and alley ways of Naxos Town. It was just before noon and they were not open but a shopkeeper near by said she thought they opened around 1:30 for lunch. We continued to walk around and shop and before we knew it we were back and being seated for lunch as 1:30 had arrived. We shared the 3 starters shown above for our lunch. Absolutely YUM. We sat outside and it got a little windy. During our lunch our paper table covering frequently blew up but we really enjoyed our lunch here. Doukato Restaurant The entrance to Doukato was through a little alley way We were really looking forward to eating here as it was a very well rated and also we had tried the previous night but the entire restaurant had been booked for a family christening. This told me that the locals eat here so the food must really be good. We barely got in the next night too. Several of the outside tables were open but all had been reserved. We were offered a table inside so we took it. Shortly after we were seated a table outside opened up and the gentleman that seated us came and offered it to us, so we moved outside. They were really packed and it seemed that they didn't quite have enough servers as the service was a bit slow. My wife had the Mushroom's with cheese and the Grilled Shrimps shown above and I had the Greek salad and the Moussaka. It took us 2 tries to get seated but it was well worth it. The food was outstanding. We didn't order any dessert and its fairly common in Greece that they bring you a little something for dessert if you don't order anything. Quite often its fresh fruit but tonight we were brought a bowl of lemon pudding to share. It was very lemony and flavorful. Lemon pudding Naxos may be a much less touristy island with a very relaxed attitude but make no mistake they take their food very seriously. The diverse variety and the fact that they use the freshest ingredients means you won't be disappointed in the food on Naxos.
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