If you’re wondering where to eat in Paros beyond the tourist traps, here’s your answer. This food guide, created by a local, covers all the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
Welcome to one of the most beautiful Greek islands.
Paros will steal your heart with its enchanting beaches, picturesque villages, luxury hotels, and vibrant nightlife.
But what will leave an unforgettable impression is its food.
In the best restaurants in Paros, Greece, you’ll find something for every taste.
From traditional local specialties to creative, multi-starred Mediterranean cuisine.
From Greek taverns with fresh fish to Italian restaurants and street food.
And all set in magical surroundings: beautiful gardens, balconies with views, or tables by the waves.
As a local, I’ve prepared the ultimate food guide for the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
Get ready to whet your appetite!
Parikia
Let’s start with Parikia, the capital of Paros.
This is where you’ll likely arrive if you come by ferry, and where you might be staying.
Parikia offers numerous dining options, including some of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
However, be mindful that not all eateries are worth your attention or money.
For delicious local meze, head to Kafepotopoleio Pinoklis.
It’s an authentic café-meze shop on the coastal road of Parikia, overlooking the harbor.
Their menu includes Greek salad, anchovies or octopus in vinegar, stuffed vine leaves, spicy beef sausages, or a Greek meze platter for a larger variety.
Pair your meal with wine, ouzo, or souma (local raki).
At Bountaraki tavern, another local specialty awaits.
It’s one of the oldest food joints in Paros, mainly serving seafood with a few meat options.
Fresh fish, shrimp pasta, fried squids, tzatziki, and dakos salad (rusk bread with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and feta cheese) are must-tries.
As a local, I recommend trying Gouna (sun-dried mackerel with onions), a delicious local specialty.
For Italian cuisine in Parikia, visit Cuore Rosso.
Nestled in the picturesque alleys with a beautiful, lush garden, their signature pizzas, lasagnas, and salads stand out – especially the pizza.
For something different, at least for Paros, try The Little Green Rocket.
Located on the coastal road, it offers a menu that combines Greek and international cuisine with creative flair.
Shrimp curry, sushi, dumplings, chicken satay, burrito with halloumi cheese, or a veggie burger with avocado are some of the choices.
Top choice in Parikia
Finally, for more gourmet cuisine, Mario Restaurant is an ideal choice.
It relocated from the small port of Naoussa, where it was a hotspot, to Parikia.
Situated in a stunning location, next to Livadia beach, just a few minutes’ walk from the center of Parikia.
It offers high gastronomy based on Greek cuisine in one of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
Dishes like ceviche, fava with smoked eel, lobster, and seafood orzo are exceptional in taste.
However, be prepared for higher prices (over 50 euros per person), as is common in restaurants of this category.
Naoussa
Once a charming coastal village, Naoussa has been the ultimate tourist hotspot of the island for years.
It’s time for shopping, food, and nightlife.
Wander through its picturesque alleys before dinner at one of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
In Naoussa, you also have plenty of choices.
In the small port, four restaurants share the space with closely packed tables and chairs.
If you don’t mind the crowd, I suggest dining at Sigi Ikthios.
This seafood restaurant is pricey (50+ euros per person) but offers wonderful flavors based on Greek cuisine.
Try their orzo with crayfish, risotto with shrimps and saffron, salad with smoked eel and apricots, or octopus with honey and red wine.
On the other, a bit quieter side of the harbor, you’ll find Mediterraneo.
Here, the menu primarily features fish and seafood, but some meat and vegetarian options are also available.
Tuna kebabs, steamed mussels, herring salad, lamb shank, and mushroom risotto are among the menu choices.
The prices here are a bit lower, but still on the higher side.
Generally, in Naoussa, most restaurants range from at least 30 – 40 euros per person.
Another dining option in Naoussa is Statheros Restaurant.
Tables right where the waves break and traditional Greek cuisine.
Stuffed cabbage leaves, smoked aubergine with local cheese, cuttlefish with lemon sauce, slow-cooked Paros chickpeas (a must-try traditional dish of Paros).
The food is great, and the seaside setting is enchanting, but the portions are relatively small, and the prices are high.
It depends on how hungry you are and how much you’re willing to spend.
Away from the crowds
In a secluded alley, you can find the Open Garden Restaurant.
A wonderful garden with very interesting food options.
As a local, I’d recommend it for a less touristy experience.
Try their excellent gouna (cured grilled mackerel) with potato salad, linguini with shrimps, spetsofai (village sausages with green peppers and tomatoes), slow-cooked pork shank, chickpeas with aubergine (another local specialty).
The prices are more reasonable, with main dishes ranging from 14 – 16 euros.
For a panoramic view of Naoussa’s harbor, visit Matzourana.
From the restaurant’s balcony, the sea unfolds before you.
Few tables and homemade food with a small menu mainly featuring meat options.
Avoid fish or seafood here, as it’s not their specialty.
Top choice in Naoussa
Finally, outside Naoussa, on the road to Mikri Santa Beach, you’ll find Siparos Seaside Restaurant.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
Literally in the middle of nowhere, away from Naoussa’s hustle and bustle, and right by the sea.
A creative, imaginative, and delicious menu combining fish and meat.
Every dish is like a work of art.
It’s an expensive restaurant (about 60-80 euros per person), but the food will not disappoint.
Ampelas
Continuing our journey through the best restaurants in Paros, Greece, we arrive at the seaside village of Ampelas.
About 4 km (2.5 miles) from Naoussa, it’s just a 12-minute drive away.
It’s a quiet coastal settlement with quaint tavernas and more upscale restaurants.
As a local, I’ll add two choices to my food guide.
One is Thalami.
A traditional Greek taverna with seafood and meats, right by the sea.
An idyllic setting straight out of unique Greek summers.
Here, you can enjoy fresh fish, calamari, octopus, as well as grilled meats and Greek cooked dishes (briam, baked giant beans, chickpeas, stuffed vegetables).
The prices are quite good.
Another choice is Kedros Restaurant Paros.
A beautiful yard with a sea view and tables scattered under a large pine tree.
The food here is a bit more sophisticated, always using Greek cuisine as a base.
Beetroot with soft goat cheese and walnut crumble, orzo with shrimps and Parian cheese, sausage stuffed with anthotyro cheese, fennel, and grilled cherry tomatoes.
The portions here are smaller, similar to the concept of Spanish tapas.
Lefkes
The most beautiful mountain village on the island also hides one of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
Lefkes, far from the sea, will enchant you with its picturesque alleys and traditional architecture.
There, at the entrance of the village, you’ll find Aranto restaurant.
Aranto was a gruel of barley and water eaten in Paros during the German occupation in World War II when there was famine.
As a Paros native, I can tell you that Aranto is my favorite restaurant on the island.
The food here is unbeatable.
It offers classic Greek cuisine with modern touches and distinctive flavors.
Try the kadaifi rolls with Naxos gruyere and Parian mango marmalade, oven-baked potato purée with leeks, gruyere, and truffle oil, amazing risottos, apaki smoked chicken (a must-try), and sausage stuffed with feta.
Whatever you eat here, you’re sure to enjoy.
The prices are relatively good, around 30 euros per person.
And the view from the balcony is wonderful.
Another tip for the village: take a stroll and reach the large church.
There, you’ll find a small café that serves homemade sweets.
It’s totally worth it.
Piso Livadi
A complete food guide of Paros could not leave out the picturesque seaside village of Piso Livadi.
There, on the jetty of the small harbor, you will find two of the best restaurants in Paros, Greece.
One is Gialos Paros.
The menu is mainly seafood, with sophisticated tastes and nice combinations.
Try their moussaka croquette, fish ceviche with citrus, pumpkin risotto with smoked pork, grilled tuna with black rice and smoked eel sauce, and linguini with zucchini, lemon, and chili.
The prices are steep (30 – 40 euros per person), but the food is worth it.
A classic value in Piso Livadi remains Ouzeri Halaris, the last restaurant on the small jetty.
This is the place to come for fish and seafood.
From grilled sardines to calamari, octopus, tuna pasta, or seafood risotto.
But you must also try the Parian salad with boiled potato and tomato.
It used to be much cheaper (like all restaurants in Piso Livadi).
Now, prices range from 30 – 50 euros per person, depending on what and how much you want to eat.
Dryos
The next stop is the settlement of Dryos, far from Naoussa and Parikia (about 30 – 40 minutes) and roughly 15 minutes from Piso Livadi.
The atmosphere here is quieter and more rural.
On the small beach, you’ll find Kima Restaurant Paros.
It used to be a simple fish tavern.
Now, it’s a quite gourmet and expensive seafood restaurant.
You sit at the few tables by the wave and eat fish, risotto, and pasta.
The location is wonderful, the food tasty, but the prices are very high (over 50 euros per person) in the name of gourmet cuisine.
As a local, I would suggest something different here in Dryos.
The Green Project is not visible from the main road.
But descending a few steps, you’ll find yourself in a lush, beautiful garden.
A real oasis, different from what you’re used to in Paros.
Here, you can eat burgers, pizza, and salads, but also sushi, bao buns, tacos, and desserts.
You can also just enjoy your co*cktail under the sounds of lounge music.
Although prices have also risen here in recent years, with 20 – 30 euros per person, you can eat well.
Aliki
The last stop on our food guide through the best restaurants in Paros, Greece, is the area of Aliki.
Quite close to the airport, it’s a seaside settlement ideal for families and small children.
Along its coastal road, you’ll find many restaurants, cafés, and taverns.
Mouragio is the best choice you can make for dining.
A classic fish tavern by the sea with tasty food and relatively reasonable prices.
It does offer some meat dishes, but here, it’s better to go for fresh fish and seafood.
Specialties include octopus stifado (cooked in red wine with small onions) and, of course, gouna (sun-dried fish).
Bonus: What to Order
Paros has many dining options, though if you want to eat well, you should expect to spend over 30 euros per person.
Fish and seafood are honored, as well as various Greek meze.
If you want to taste traditional Parian cuisine, don’t forget:
1. To eat Parian revithada (slow-cooked chickpeas in a clay pot in a wood-fired oven).
2. To try gouna (sun-dried mackerel grilled on charcoal).
3. To order a Greek salad with Parian xinomyzithra instead of feta.
4. To buy zaharobaklava or amygdalota at Ragoussis bakery in Parikia.
5. To drink souma (the Parian raki, but be careful not to drink too much).
6. To try the wine with the label ‘The Island’s Rosé’ from Moraitico winery.
Explore More of Paros
If you want to experience this beautiful island like a local, don’t miss out on my other insider guides:
- The Best Luxury Hotels in Paros.
- The Top 10 Best Beaches in Paros.
Lastly, you may also want to see our guide on the Most Authentic Taverns in Athens, if you plan to extend your trip with a visit to the Greek capital.
Make Your Trip Easier
Accommodation
I always book my accommodation with a reliable service like Booking.com. Besides their price guarantee, you can rest assured that you will have 24/7 support in the event of any problems with your hotel. Always make sure you read reviews from other guests before booking.
Airport Transfer
If you want to get to and from Paros Airport or Port with peace of mind,
I recommend pre-booking your taxi with Welcome Pickups. Their flat rate is a few euros more expensive than random taxis, but they are totally worth it. They use local English-speaking drivers, wait for you at the arranged meeting point, even if your arrival is delayed, and introduce you to the island along the way.
Flight
Don’t forget to use Skyscanner before booking your flights, as it compares different airlines to provide the cheapest and fastest solutions. Moreover, you can save a lot of money if you are flexible with your dates.
Travel Insurance
Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on a trip. However, these things can happen, so do not miss taking out travel insurance: SafetyWing is the one I use, as its plans are affordable and can save you a lot of trouble.
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