If you read my recent post about the things I didn’t expect when I returned to Skiathos, you’ll already know that I had a brilliant time on my second visit to the island.
One thing I was reminded of pretty quickly is that Skiathos Town has some very nice places for eating and drinking (nothing new about that on a Greek island I guess!)
There’s a lot of Italian and international food around and I did notice that Greek dishes weren’t quite as dominant on menus as I’ve experienced on other Greek islands. BUT, that doesn’t mean you’ll struggle to find good Greek food by any stretch of the imagination.
And then there are the bars – a variety of vibes, locations and happy hours.
So, if you’re heading to Skiathos and wondering where you should eat and drink, here are the places we visited that I’d happily recommend.
Restaurants
Taverna Lyhnari
We ate here on our first night but it was our second visit, having eaten there on our first trip to Skiathos in 2023 (quite oddly, it was the only ‘evening meal’ restaurant we could really remember from that trip).
Tucked away from the main streets down a quieter residential road, it has a lovely garden-style setting that feels a little bit magical once it gets dark and everything is lit up.
They start you off with a shot of ouzo, which is a pretty good way to get you into the Greek holiday spirit (and possibly a little more enthusiastic about ordering food!)
We ordered zucchini balls and spicy cheese dip, two of our absolute favourite meze dishes, followed by moussaka and kleftiko. We’d had the kleftiko here before and it was actually one of the reasons we wanted to return.
It was a very strong first-night meal and, thankfully, it was just as delicious as we remembered. We were also given a complimentary Greek yoghurt with nuts and honey with the bill, which was a lovely little way to finish the meal.
We arrived fairly early and got a table without a problem, but it’s popular and gets busy around peak dinner time, so I’d recommend booking if you’re going later.
The staff were really friendly and hospitable too, which always makes a difference.
One little thing to be aware of: the olive dip is included, but if you have the bread to go with it there is a small charge of a couple of euros. It is mentioned on the menu, but it would be very easy to miss!
To Palouki
This was a taverna we enjoyed enough to go back to twice in during our trip!
It’s on one of the main thoroughfares through the backstreets of Skiathos Town and is another popular traditional-style taverna, with some seating spilling onto the street.
It can get busy, so either be prepared to wait for a table or book in advance. We waited around 20 minutes for a table on our first visit, which wasn’t too bad (arriving around 8.45pm) but isn’t necessarily ideal if you’re starving!
We managed to work our way through quite a few of the cheese dishes between both visits – saganaki, filo feta and a feta dish with chilli jam that we’d never tried before. All delish. We also tried the houmous, which was perfectly nice but definitely didn’t steal the show in the same way the cheese dishes did.
For mains, we had beef giouvetsi, which was really nice (although I would have preferred it to come with feta rather than cheddar cheese) and kleftiko, which was traditionally presented and really tasty.
The staff were prompt and friendly and, on both visits, we were given some pieces of orange pie with the bill.
Taverna Mesogia
This is one of the oldest tavernas in Skiathos Town and, at 102 years old, there’s been plenty of time to perfect the art of feeding hungry locals and tourists!
We were given complimentary bread and butter for the table while we looked through the menu and decided what to order.
For starters we had spanakopita (spinach pie) and a cheese dip. The cheese dip had a much more subtle flavour than some others we’d tried, which I liked but admittedly prefer the OG style with a little bit of a kick to it. It wasn’t served with pita bread though, which would have been my preference – although the crusty bread provided earlier was perfectly nice.
For mains we had moussaka and pork meatballs in tomato sauce – really well seasoned and full of flavour. Both came with chips which were really well cooked and perfectly cut. I do appreciate a good chip.
I Heart Souvlaki
This place is probably best described as a really pretty fast food/takeaway place that doesn’t make you feel bad for staying longer. It has a straightforward menu of Greek favourites, mainly gyros and souvlaki, which are freshly cooked, tasty and fairly priced (decent size Gyros wrap for 5-6€ and chicken souvlaki plate for around 13€)
It’s a much more casual option than some of the traditional tavernas, but the decor is nice enough that you can sit down and enjoy your meal rather than feeling like you’ve just popped out for a quick takeaway.
We visited multiple times throughout both of our Skiathos holidays for lunch and a couple of late night ‘snacky’ dinners on the way home from a trip or cinema showing.
El Greco
Down by the New Port close to Bourtzi, which makes it a great spot for a meal if you enjoy a bit of people (and ferry) watching.
The menu is a little more Mediterranean with some classic Greek dishes and dishes inspired by traditional Greek food.
We started with spicy cheese dip and zucchini balls. In my defence – I tried to order something different, but the other choices I asked for weren’t available….so really, I had no choice (also, how am I going to know where the best ones in the town are if I don’t try them everywhere right?).
For mains we had kleftiko, which was presented almost like a stew (it looked very like a stifado, if you’re familiar) but really tender and well seasoned as you’d usually expect. I also had the Chicken El Greco — chicken and halloumi cooked in a creamy sauce and housed in a single piece of domed pitta. It was really different and so yummy.
The staff were really helpful and friendly when it came to choosing our food.
We were also given a small pastry at the end of the meal, similar to baklava, which was another nice little touch.
Skiathos Town bars – where we drank
Right, onto the other most important recommendations…
Skiathos Town has an abundance of bars. So whether you’re after cocktails, a quiet afternoon drink, live music or somewhere that turns into a full-on night out, you’ll have plenty of choice.
These were some of our favourites; all visited more than once (most multiple times across both trips).
Venue Bar
A great location overlooking the Old Port and is a lovely spot for an afternoon beer and a bit of a chill. Sometimes you just want to sit somewhere with a nice view, watch the world go by and have a drink without needing to make an entire evening of it.
Andersson’s Bar
Tucked down one of the side streets and has a lovely modern Greek feel. It’s a good option if cocktails are more your thing and they also have a daily happy hour.
The Jungle Bar
This one feels like a bit of a hidden gem – The Jungle Bar doesn’t seem to advertise itself much and (as far as I could tell) doesn’t have a presence on social media. We probably wouldn’t have found it if we hadn’t wandered past.
It’s got really chic jungle-inspired decor and they have a daily cocktail hour. They also regularly screen Mamma Mia, which obviously makes it pretty much compulsory when you’re in Skiathos. Their screening is a little more relaxed and calm – but, if they weren’t already showing it on the night you visit, I suspect they’d probably be quite happy to put it on with the volume down if you asked nicely.
The Old Port House
This bar is particularly popular with British tourists and expats and is a nice mix of old-school Greek taverna and British pub. Run by a lovely British couple and has all the usual bar drinks, plus an impressively sized cocktail menu.
I had an espresso martini which was delicious yet so strong that I did not sleep for HOURS afterwards!
Skye Bar
If it’s views you’re after, Skye Bar is probably the one. It’s elevated above the Old Port and has some of the best views across the harbour. You access it via a little staircase behind the main restaurant area of the Old Port, so it’s very easy to walk past without realising it’s there.
It’s a great place for happy hour and an early evening drink, with some tasty cocktails. The Aperol Spritz with grapefruit was a particular highlight – very refreshing.
It’s also a brilliant place for people watching, watching planes and seeing the Mamma Mia boat trips returning to the harbour.
King & Queen Noti’s Bar
Just a few doors down from The Old Port House is this wonderfully kitsch and colourful bar. There’s a small rooftop area which is great for people watching, although it is accessed via a small spiral staircase, so keep a tight hold of your drinks!
Cheers
This is a more traditional fun pub tucked away in the backstreets. Drinks are good value and they show Mamma Mia once or twice a week, the screening here is much more lively than the one at The Jungle Bar (and unlike Jungle they have a VERY active presence on social media and promote themselves as often as they can) and they’re keen to get customers in a singing and dancing mood whilst it’s showing.
Gin Fish
Gin Fish is a bigger, more boujee option right at the end of the Old Port. It has a prime position, good selection of drinks and a slightly later happy hour than many of the other bars, so it’s a good option if you’re looking to start your evening a little later.
It also turns into a nightclub later on, so you can quite literally stay put if your quiet drink turns into “well, we’re out now so…”
There are so many more great restaurants in Skiathos Town that we didn’t have time to try. As we’re a couple that are – no exaggeration – obsessed with Greek food, we focussed only on trying to visit restaurants that had the dishes we love that we usually can get as easily back in the UK (some things just taste better with a tan as the sun is going down). However, whenever we next make it back to the island we’ll definitely be making a visit or two to one of many italian restaurants so we fully experience the wealth of cuisine there is on offer.
So basically, if you like eating, drinking and on holiday, these are some places to visit that keep you full and happy!
Thanks for reading,
J
Jenny Chat 