Greece - Korina Miller [308]
Eating
High prices don’t necessarily reflect high quality in many Mykonos eateries. There are, however, excellent good-value restaurants of all kinds.
BUDGET
Piccolo ( 22890 22208; Drakopoulou 18; snacks €3.90-7.80) There are no linen-draped tables at this little food outlet, but the food is first class and ranges from crisp salads to a great selection of sandwich fillings that include Mykonian prosciutto, manouri (soft cheese), smoked local ham, smoked eel and crab.
Madoupas ( 22890 22224; mains €7-12) Walk into Madoupas of a Sunday morning and all of local Mykonos is there. This is the place for morning coffee or for big helpings of good Greek standards for as little as €7. The evening menu has a broader choice.
There’s also a cluster of cheap fast-food outlets and crêperies around town:
Bugazi ( 22890 24066; snacks €4.60-6.70) Good selection of crêpes, just off the edge of Taxi Sq.
Saki’s ( 22890 24848; Agion Saranta) A popular place with locals, Saki’s dishes out kebabs and souvlaki for €2.50, and other budget fillers for €5 to €7.
There are supermarkets and fruit stalls, particularly around the southern bus station area, and there’s a food and fish market on the waterfront where Mykonos’ famous pelicans hang out.
MIDRANGE & TOP END
La Casa ( 22890 24994; Matogianni 8; mains €9.90-18.90) The classic La Casa has a strong Greek basis with Italian, Arabic and Lebanese influences. Starters of smoked cheeses with mushrooms and inventive salads – including a Mykonian special with louza (local smoked ham), local prosciutto cheeses and rocket – lead on to mains such as pork fillet with mustard, pleurotus mushrooms and tarragon.
Katerina’s ( 22890 23084; Agion Anargyron; mains €11-25) The famous Katerina’s Bar, whose eponymous matriarch was celebrated in the 1950s as Greece’s first female boat skipper at age 18, has now branched out with its own small restaurant. There’s a thoughtful and creative menu of crisp salads and starters such as prawn saganaki (skillet-fried) or wild Porcini mushrooms. Mains include fresh sea bass or mixed seafood plate for two (€50) or vegetarian options. The balcony view is to die for, of course, as is the ‘Chocolate from Heaven’ sweet.
Blu ( 22890 22955; mains €12-24) Just along from the Old Port on the way into town, this stylish place has an attractive terrace with a great view of the harbour. A subtle menu includes such starters as sautéed mushrooms in sweet wine and cumin sauce, and mains of veal fillet in Marsala wine with dark rice. Fish is by the kilo and the wine list is well chosen. The adjoining Blu-Blu cafe has internet.
To Maereio ( 22890 28825; Kalogera 16; dishes €14-21) A small, but selective menu of Mykonian favourites keeps this cosy little place popular. The mainly meat and poultry dishes can be preceded by salad mixes that include apple and pear, yoghurt and a balsamic vinegar sauce.
Uno Con Carne ( 6944479712; Panachra; mains €19-98) Recently opened as Mykonos’ major place for meateaters, this big, stylish space knows how to prepare the best steaks, from prime Chateaubriand and South American Pichana ‘Black Angus’ to Tyson T-bone and mouth-melting ‘proper’ hamburger. Starters of scampi tartare or gazpacho prepare for the main feast and you can cool the palate later with sorbet or ice cream. Lamb and chicken dishes also feature.
Also recommended:
Appaloosa ( 22890 27086; Mavrogenous 1, Plateia Goumeniou; mains €8.50-29) International cuisine with Mexican and Indonesian influences. A hot line in tequila and cocktails goes with cool music.
Casa di Giorgio ( 6932561998; Mitropoleos; mains €12-22) A good range of pizzas and pastas, as well as meat and seafood dishes, served on a big terrace.
Drinking
Hora’s Little Venice quarter is not exactly the Grand Canal, but it does offer the Mediterranean at your feet as well as rosy sunsets, windmill views, glowing candles and a swath of colourful bars. The music meanders through smooth soul and easy listening, but can ear crunch you at times with shattering