Paros Restaurants

Eating out in Paros

Everyone knows about the benefits of the healthy Mediterranean diet and its ability to offer protection from all kinds of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and some types of cancer. Some research has also found that those who follow a Mediterranean diet are 30% less likely to suffer from depression. Whilst in Paros you have an excellent opportunity to sample the best of traditional Greek food. With its superb choice of taverns and restaurants, you can have the very best fresh sea food, grilled local meats and fresh, organic produce grown no more than a few kilometres away. The choice of environment is also outstanding. Not only have you many options of seaside restaurants and taverns but there is a great variety of excellent places to eat inland and in the mountain villages. If, however, you crave a taste of something more exotic, Paros also has several restaurants that offer Indian, Chinese, Thai and European cuisine as well as fusion menus. Below is a selection of just a few of the excellent places in Paros where you can sample gastronomic delights in a delightful island setting.
Restaurants in Parikia:
Porphyra. This highly recommended seafood taverna is located in front of the port on the seafront road, close to Atlantik Supermarket, between the pier and the Post Office. It was the first fish restaurant to open in Paros around 15 years ago and is the perfect place for a romantic dinner at very reasonable prices. The restaurant is quite small, with an indoor seating area and tables under the pergola in the courtyard where you can obtain views of the harbour and the world passing by. The owner, Yannis, farms his own shellfish whilst his son dives daily for fresh clams, sea urchins and oysters to tempt your palate. All vegetables used in the restaurant are grown locally and brought fresh to the restaurant every day. Menu choices vary depending upon the season and the catch, but you will always find interesting dishes that are cooked to perfection. All the fish are predictably fresh and if you wish to try a selection of different fish for your main dish then we would recommend the chef’s specialities such as ‘Poseidon’s Dish’ which combines tope, tuna, cuttlefish, prawn and octopus or ‘Fruits of the Sea’ which consists of lobster, crayfish, oysters, clams, mussels and jumbo prawns. Porphyra also has a good selection of meat and vegetarian food on their menu. Porphyra is only open during the tourist season when it opens at 18.30 until midnight. However, get there in good time because, as they say themselves, ‘when the fish is finished – we close’
The same owners of Porphyra also run the Art Café which is close by. This charming little café/gallery, which sometimes has live music during the summer, serves drinks and tasty snacks throughout the day.
Levantis. An enchanting garden restaurant located in the centre of the old town of Parikia in Market Street. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Paros and its ancient courtyard has a grapevine that is even older (some 200 years) for you to sit under whilst savouring the innovative, international gourmet cuisine, freshly and superbly prepared and cooked by owner and chef, Yiorgos Mavrides, who offers unique dishes that are influenced by Mediterranean, Asian and Western styles of cooking. Ingredients are wonderfully fresh, local products and Yiorgos grows the herbs that are used to season and compliment his dishes. A flavour of what you could expect is given below, but make sure you don’t get there too late, because some dishes, like his cake of the day or tempting soups and starters sell out fast. As well as daily specialities his repertoire includes such things as oven baked lamb rolled in vine leaves with fresh herbs and feta, served with fava, caramelized onions & mint sauce to tantalize your taste buds. Or try succulent grilled beef tenderloin with crispy goats’ cheese polenta & black olive aioli. If fish is your choice then spiced-rubbed salmon with clove reduction, herbed lentil salad and roasted zucchini or fillet of lavraki with chickpea, coriander and olive oil sauce, ginger-braised fennel and green rice - both will blow you away. Vegetarian choices are equally mouth-watering such as perfumed couscous with roasted vegetables, grilled banana and green harissa broth. The array of scrumptious desserts are equally impossible to resist and a meal out at Lavantis will be a something you will want to repeat again. The wine list is extensive and has many fine local and national wines .Lavantis is definitely a restaurant to visit if you are looking for an alternative to traditional Greek food for a change.

The Happy Green Cow. A very successful vegetarian restaurant that is located in a side street in the old town. If you are vegetarian, or simply want a change from mousakka or souvlaki, then this is the place to try. The menu is extensive with around 30 different dishes offered every day. There are also some fish and chicken dishes but most of the food is vegetarian with flavours of Greek, Mexican, Italian and Chinese. The décor reflects this ethnic mix; it is bright and cheerful with red walls and lots of gold decoration. The walls are hung with a collection of folksy artwork and plenty of smiling green cows. The Happy Green Cow also boasts an excellent wine list that includes local wine from Paros as well as from all over Greece. The house red wine is particularly good. The creative menu includes such culinary delights as wonderfully original and substantial salads. Try ‘Ambrosia Salad’ a delightful green salad with a topping of warm gorgonzola, pine nut and cranberry sauce or ‘Fantasia’ concocted from a variety of green salad vegetables combined with dried figs, sun dried tomatoes and hard cheese from Paros. If you eat seafood then the tiger prawns in vodka, pepper, almond and basil sauce, or mango, roast peanut, lemon grass, coconut and cream sauce are exquisite and will really tantalize your taste buds. Whatever your taste and preferences you will be spoilt for choices on their vast menu. Everything will tempt you.
Impasto is an extremely good pizza parlor located close to the port in Parikia and a step away from all the nightclubs. It is a very reasonably priced, and as well as having tables on the beach, across the pedestrian street, it also offers a pizza-by-the slice take away service. The pizzas are prepared in front of you by the friendly and polite owners. The décor is traditionally Italian with lots of interesting photographs pinned on the wall. Strongly recommended if you want a good filling meal on a low budget.
Elaea is situated on the seafront next to the Post Office with a great view across the road to the marina.