50m²
Honeymoon Suite
Cave suite with caldera-facing veranda — designed for couples and milestone trips.
View roomQuick answer: The best restaurants in Fira range from fine dining at Selene (tasting menus, EUR 80-120pp) to local favorites like Mama Thira (in Firostefani, just north of Fira) (home-cooked Greek, EUR 12-18 mains). For views, book Argo or Aktaion. For the best gyros on the island, Lucky's Souvlaki. Most Fira restaurants open April through October. Book caldera-view tables 2-3 days ahead in summer.
This is one piece of a bigger story. For the full island overview, traditional dishes, wine pairings, food tours, and cooking classes, read our Santorini food and wine guide. For a dish-by-dish breakdown of what to eat in Santorini, from fava to melitinia, we have a separate guide. And if you are eating beyond Fira, our roundup of the best restaurants in Santorini by area covers Oia, Imerovigli, Kamari, and Pyrgos with prices and reservation tips.
Fira is Santorini's capital. Most concentrated dining scene on the island. Unlike Oia, where restaurants exist almost exclusively for the sunset crowd, Fira feeds everyone: honeymooners after a candlelit caldera dinner, couples who care more about the food than the performance, anyone who just wants the best souvlaki of their life.
We live here. We eat at these Fira restaurants regularly, not once for a review, but week after week. This guide is what we tell guests at Aroma Suites when they ask where to eat tonight. Some picks you'll see on every list. Others you won't find anywhere else, because they're places locals keep to themselves.
One honest note before we start. Santorini's wine and food scene goes way beyond the caldera-edge dining rooms. Caldera-view restaurants in Fira charge a premium for the setting. Doesn't mean the food is bad. Several are excellent. But if you want the best plate of food regardless of the window, the restaurants tucked one or two streets back from the cliff are often where you'll find it.
Most restaurants on this list are within easy walking distance of central Fira. Staying in central Fira? You can reach the in-town spots in under ten minutes on foot, with a couple of our picks a short stroll further into neighbouring Firostefani.
Caldera-edge fine dining
Serious cooking paired with the view that brought you to Santorini. Higher prices. But when the food, setting, and service all connect, these places are worth it for a special evening, especially during your honeymoon or anniversary.
Selene
What it is: One of Greece's most celebrated restaurants. Modern Greek and Cycladic cuisine, named one of the country's best dining rooms by 50Best Discovery. After years in Pyrgos, Selene now operates from Fira, bringing serious gastronomy to the caldera town.
What to order: The tasting menu is the way to experience Selene properly. Multiple courses showcasing indigenous Santorini ingredients: tomato, fava, caper leaves, local cheeses. The lamb course is consistently outstanding.
Price range: EUR 30-50 for a la carte mains. Tasting menus EUR 80-120 per person with wine pairing.
The setting: Refined dining room with a focus on the food rather than spectacle. Knowledgeable staff who explain each course without lecturing.
Reservation needed? Yes. Book 3-5 days ahead in July and August. This is a destination restaurant, treated as such.
Walk from town center: 5 minutes.
Honest take: This isn't a place where you pay for the view and tolerate the food. The cooking is among the best in Greece. One splurge dinner in Fira? Make it this one.
Argo
What it is: Greek-Mediterranean, fresh fish and seafood focus. Kitchen keeps things simpler than Selene, fewer techniques, more reliance on ingredient quality. Not a criticism. The fish here is some of the best you'll eat in Santorini.
What to order: Whatever fish came in that day. Ask your server. The grilled octopus is consistently perfect. Shrimp saganaki (baked in tomato sauce with feta) is a crowd favorite for good reason. Greek salad is textbook, ripe Santorinian tomatoes, excellent olive oil.
Price range: EUR 22-38 for mains. Fresh fish priced by weight. Budget EUR 40-60 per person for a full meal with wine.
The setting: Argo moved from its original caldera-edge location and now operates inland from a wider terrace setting. The food remains excellent. Slightly less intimate than Selene, slightly more relaxed energy. Good for couples who want serious Greek seafood without Fira without the formality of a tasting menu.
Reservation needed? Strongly recommended for sunset. Walk-ins often available after 9pm.
Walk from town center: 4 minutes.
Honest take: Argo delivers exactly what most Santorini visitors are looking for. Excellent Greek food, professional service. Not trying to reinvent anything. That's the strength.
Aktaion (Firostefani)
What it is: Traditional Greek cuisine on one of the best caldera terraces in the area, technically in Firostefani village (a 7-minute walk north of central Fira along the caldera path). More taverna-style than the fine dining places. Generous portions. Prices that feel fair for a caldera-edge location.
What to order: The moussaka, best version on this stretch of the caldera. Fava is excellent. Lamb chops: simple, well-executed. For appetizers, the fried white eggplant with Santorini caper sauce. Order it.
Price range: EUR 16-28 for mains. Full dinner for two with wine: EUR 70-100.
The setting: Wide terrace with caldera and volcano views. Less polished than Selene or Argo. More like sitting on your neighbor's beautiful patio. That warmth is part of the appeal.
Reservation needed? Helpful for sunset, but walk-ins are more achievable than at the other caldera spots.
Walk from town center: 5 minutes.
Honest take: Where to go when you want the caldera view and traditional Greek food without the fine dining price tag. Generous portions. Locals appreciate that. Not as Instagram-famous as some caldera spots, which keeps it slightly less packed.
A note on overrated caldera restaurants
Not every cliff-edge restaurant deserves your evening. Some well-known spots along the path serve mediocre food at premium prices, counting on the sunset to distract you. You'll spot them: menus trying to cover every cuisine, aggressive hosts pulling you in from the walkway, prices that don't match what arrives on the plate.
Good rule: if someone is standing outside trying to persuade you to sit down, keep walking. The restaurants worth eating at fill through reputation and reservations, not sidewalk salesmanship.
Best value restaurants in Fira
Food quality above all else here. Maybe no caldera view. But what arrives on your table is often better than what the view restaurants serve. And the prices reflect honest value instead of scenery markup.
Mama Thira (Firostefani)
What it is: Local favorite, traditional Greek home cooking, technically in Firostefani village (a 7-minute walk from central Fira along the caldera path). The kind of place where Greek families eat on a regular evening.
What to order: Stuffed tomatoes (gemista) are perfect. Pastitsio (Greek baked pasta) tastes like someone's grandmother made it, because the recipe is. Daily specials are worth asking about. They cook what's fresh and seasonal. House wine is surprisingly good and affordable.
Price range: EUR 12-18 for mains. Full meal for two with wine rarely over EUR 50.
The setting: Simple, unpretentious, warm. Not a front-row caldera dining room. You come here for the food and the feeling of eating in a Greek family's kitchen, though the upper tables catch a glimpse of the sunset over the rooftops.
Reservation needed? Not usually. Gets busy around 8-9pm in summer. Arrive early or late.
Walk from town center: 4 minutes.
Honest take: If you eat at one restaurant in Fira that isn't on the caldera edge, make it Mama Thira. Food that Santorini locals grew up on, priced the way food should be priced. Tourists who find it feel like they've discovered a secret. Locals just call it dinner.
Naoussa
What it is: Taverna-style Greek, specializing in seafood. Run by the Tselios brothers since the early 1990s. One street back from the caldera, which keeps prices reasonable while quality stays high.
What to order: Fresh grilled fish, ask what came in today. Seafood pasta is excellent. For meat eaters, the slow-cooked lamb is tender and well-seasoned. Start with a round of mezedes: tzatziki, taramasalata, grilled halloumi, octopus.
Price range: EUR 15-25 for mains. Fresh fish by weight.
The setting: Traditional Greek taverna atmosphere. Lively, sometimes loud in a good way. Not a hushed fine dining room. The brothers often visit tables. Occasional plate smashing if the mood strikes, which is exactly as fun as it sounds.
Reservation needed? Recommended July-August. Walk-ins often possible in shoulder season.
Walk from town center: 3 minutes (near the cable car station area).
Honest take: The kind of restaurant travel writers rarely mention because it doesn't fit the "hidden gem" or "luxury dining" narratives. Good Greek restaurant that has been good for thirty years. That kind of consistency is rarer than it should be.
Obelix
What it is: A no-frills souvlaki and gyro stop in central Fira. Counter service, generous portions, honest prices. The kind of quick bite that hits exactly right between sightseeing stops.
What to order: Pork or chicken gyros, wrapped warm with tomato, onion, tzatziki and fries. The pita platters are a fuller option if you are properly hungry. Simple, fast, satisfying.
Price range: EUR 5-9 for a gyros wrap or pita. Full plates a little more.
The setting: Casual and unfussy. Grab and go, or perch nearby. Not a sit-down affair.
Reservation needed? No.
Walk from town center: 2 minutes.
Honest take: When you want great value and real Greek street food without the wait or the markup, this is a reliable choice. Best paired with a walk along the caldera afterwards.
Romantic dinner spots
For a dedicated guide covering caldera restaurants, hidden tavernas, sunset timing, and wine pairings, see our romantic dinner in Santorini guide.
Visiting as a couple, and if you're reading this, there's a decent chance you're on your honeymoon or celebrating an anniversary, these restaurants know how to make an evening feel romantic rather than staged.
Selene at night
Already covered the cooking above. The tasting menu also happens to be the most special-occasion dinner in Fira. The careful pace, the wine pairings, the refined room. A meal you'll both remember years later.
Romance tip: Book for 8:00pm. The room settles into a quieter rhythm in the second seating, perfect for an anniversary or honeymoon dinner that you don't want to feel rushed through.
Argo by night
Argo transforms after sunset. Terrace softly lit, low-key atmosphere settling in. Atmosphere shifts from "beautiful restaurant with a view" to "intimate evening." The simpler menu works in its favor. No distraction from courses and presentations. Good Greek food, one of the most spectacular nighttime views in the Mediterranean.
Romance tip: Skip sunset. That's when it's busiest and the energy is more lively than intimate. Come at 9:00pm or later. Crowd thins. Mood deepens. Share the seafood platter.
Fanari
Cliff-side with direct caldera views. Honest Greek food, grilled meats, fresh salads, local wines. Less polished than Selene, less seafood-focused than Argo. Different energy. Intimate rather than grand. Tables well-spaced, lighting warm, service attentive without hovering.
What to order: Grilled lamb chops. Santorini fava. A bottle of Assyrtiko from a local producer, ask your server which one they like.
Price range: EUR 18-30 for mains.
Walk from town center: 4 minutes.
Honest take: Where couples who live on Santorini go for date night. That's the highest recommendation we can give.
Quick eats and street food
Not every meal needs a reservation. Some of the best food in town comes wrapped in paper.
Lucky's souvlaki
What it is: Best gyros in Fira. Possibly the best on the island. Lucky's has been serving souvlaki and gyros for years. Quality never dropped. Shows up everywhere when you search for where to eat in Fira Santorini. Because everyone who's eaten here agrees.
What to order: Pork gyros. The signature. Tender, well-seasoned, wrapped with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki, and fries in warm pita. Chicken souvlaki also excellent. Generous portions.
Price range: EUR 4-6 for a gyros wrap. Full meal for two costs less than a single appetizer at a caldera restaurant.
The setting: Counter service. Standing or perching on a stool. Not a sit-down restaurant. Order, eat, leave happy.
Walk from town center: 2 minutes.
Honest take: If you visit Fira and don't eat at Lucky's at least once, you've made a mistake. We send every guest. Best food-to-price ratio in town. Have it for lunch. Have it after a night out. Have it both.
PK Cocktail Bar
What it is: A relaxed two-level cocktail bar perched on the caldera cliffs in the center of Fira, with handcrafted drinks and light bites to go with the view. The kind of place you settle into for sunset and stay well past it.
What to order: The cocktails are the reason to come, mixed by skilled bartenders using fresh local ingredients, classics and creative house mixes alike. There is a good list of Santorinian wines too, and complimentary snacks arrive with your drinks. Ask for a Santorini twist and let them surprise you.
Price range: Cocktails EUR 14-18. Wine by the glass EUR 9-14.
The setting: Sleek, speakeasy-style balconies stacked above the caldera, with direct sunset and volcano views. Warm, slightly upscale, but never stuffy. Comfortable seating made for lingering.
Walk from town center: 3 minutes.
Honest take: One of the most enjoyable sunset drinks in Fira. You are paying caldera-edge prices, but the cocktails genuinely earn it and the view is hard to beat. Come early, claim a balcony seat, and watch the light go.
Breakfast and brunch in Fira
Most Fira restaurants don't open until dinner. Breakfast options are more limited than you'd expect.
Pelican Kipos (Revisited)
Worth repeating for the morning: the best breakfast spot in central Fira. A garden cafe shaded by pine trees, just a couple of minutes from the main square. Good coffee, properly cooked eggs and fresh bread, Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts, all in a calm setting before the day heats up. 4.7 stars from over 4,600 reviews, and it is where Fira residents actually drink their morning coffee. Open from early, no reservation needed.
Pelican Kipos
What it is: Outdoor cafe-restaurant in a garden full of pine trees. Breakfast spot, coffee shop, and casual restaurant all at once.
What to order: Breakfast selections are varied, Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts, omelets, fresh juice. Mediterranean-inspired lunch dishes are well-prepared. Wine cellar downstairs worth asking about.
Price range: EUR 8-14 for breakfast. Lunch EUR 12-20.
The setting: Garden terrace shaded by trees. Pleasant. A welcome break from the whitewashed-and-blue aesthetic. Feels like someone's private courtyard.
Walk from town center: 3 minutes.
Honest take: Where Fira residents drink their morning coffee. 4.7 rating from over 4,600 reviews for a reason. Consistently good, consistently friendly, garden setting is lovely. Start your mornings here, especially before a day of exploring Santorini.
Hotel breakfasts vs. going out
Most hotels in Fira include breakfast. If yours does, eat it. Saves time and money. If you're staying at a boutique hotel like Aroma Suites and want to explore beyond your included breakfast, Pelican Kipos is your best option for a proper morning meal in central Fira.
Wine bars and sunset drinks
Santorini's wine scene deserves its own guide. But Fira has a few spots perfect for an evening glass before or after dinner.
Franco's Bar
What it is: Iconic caldera cocktail and wine bar. Fira institution for decades. Famous for its sunset position, classical music soundtrack, and atmosphere that feels special without feeling gimmicky.
What to order: Glass of Santorinian Assyrtiko or a cocktail from their well-curated list. They carry wines from most island producers. Want to try Vinsanto (Santorini's famous sweet wine)? This is a refined setting for it.
Price range: EUR 12-18 for cocktails. Wine by the glass EUR 8-14.
The setting: Perched on the caldera edge. Direct sunset view. Music, often classical or jazz, sets a mood that feels sophisticated without stuffiness. Like a scene from a film. It's been used as one.
Walk from town center: 3 minutes.
Honest take: Legitimately one of the best bars in Greece. Not just Santorini. Prices are high. But you're paying for a combination of view, atmosphere, and history that doesn't exist anywhere else in Fira. Go once for sunset. Nurse a drink slowly. Take it in.
Volkan on the rocks
What it is: Part cafe, part cocktail bar, part wine bistro, part restaurant, and sometimes outdoor cinema. Sounds scattered. Works.
What to order: Cocktail program is creative and well-executed. Wine list emphasizes Santorinian and Cycladic producers. Mediterranean food menu, decent for a bar. Secondary to the drinks.
Price range: Cocktails EUR 12-16. Wine EUR 8-14. Food EUR 14-24.
The setting: Caldera views from a stylish terrace. Contemporary design. Not the traditional Cycladic white-and-blue look. Cinema nights (check their schedule), unique way to spend an evening.
Walk from town center: 4 minutes.
Honest take: Best spot in Fira for a modern bar experience with a view. Attracts a slightly younger, design-conscious crowd. The cinema nights under the stars are worth timing your visit around.
Tipping at Fira's Wine bars
Tipping culture in Greece is more relaxed than the US or UK. At wine bars and cocktail bars, rounding up or leaving EUR 1-2 per drink is appreciated but not expected. Restaurants, 5-10% if you're happy with the service. Never mandatory. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Seasonal notes and practical tips
When restaurants open and close: Most Fira restaurants operate early April through late October or early November. A handful stay open year-round (mainly cafes and tavernas near the bus station). Vast majority are seasonal. Visiting in shoulder season (April, May, late October)? Check ahead. Some open later in spring or close earlier in fall.
Reservation strategy: Caldera-view restaurants, July and August, book 2-3 days ahead. Shoulder season, day-of usually works. Non-view restaurants, walk-ins almost always fine. Most restaurants accept bookings via phone, WhatsApp, or Instagram DM. Google Maps listings usually have the right contact info.
Lunch vs. dinner: Fira's dining scene is primarily evening. Many restaurants don't open until 6pm or 7pm. Lunch options: the garden cafe Pelican Kipos, plus quick bites at Obelix and Lucky's Souvlaki, or the occasional taverna. Plan bigger meals for dinner.
Pricing context: Santorini restaurant prices are higher than mainland Greece and most other Greek islands. Normal and expected. The island imports nearly everything by ferry. Caldera-view restaurants add a location premium on top. You're not being overcharged. You're eating on a volcanic cliff edge in the Aegean Sea. Getting food here is expensive.
Getting to dinner from your hotel: Most of these restaurants sit within a short walk of central Fira's main square. Staying at Aroma Suites? You can stroll to the in-town spots in a few minutes, step out your door and you are there. A couple of our picks are a little further out: Aktaion and Mama Thira are a scenic 7-10 minute walk north into neighbouring Firostefani along the caldera path, and Argo has moved to a larger venue in Kontochori, a short 5-minute taxi ride from Fira. Everything else is reachable on foot, with no transfers needed. One of the underrated advantages of staying in Fira over more remote parts of the island.
Where locals actually eat (The real list)
Every guide claims "local favorites." Let's be specific.
Locals who live and work in Fira year-round don't eat at caldera-view restaurants on a regular Tuesday. They eat at Mama Thira, where the food tastes like home. They grab gyros from Lucky's after a long day. They drink coffee at Pelican Kipos because the garden is quiet and the coffee is good. They go to Naoussa because the Tselios brothers remember their name and the fish is always fresh.
When locals want a special dinner, anniversary, birthday, guests visiting from Athens, they book Selene or Fanari. Places where good food and a beautiful setting intersect without pretension.
The restaurants locals avoid are the ones with the biggest signs, the loudest touts, and the widest menus. If a restaurant in Fira serves sushi, pizza, Mexican food, and Greek food on the same menu, that restaurant is for people who'll eat there once. Locals know this. Now you do too.
Your Fira dining plan
One night in Fira: Dinner at Selene (book ahead), then drinks at Franco's.
Two nights: Night one at Argo for excellent Greek seafood. Night two at Mama Thira or Naoussa for authentic Greek food. Drinks at Volkan on the Rocks.
Three or more nights: Add Aktaion (in Firostefani, walkable from Fira) for a more relaxed caldera dinner. Fanari for a romantic evening. Eat at Lucky's for lunch at least once. Try Pelican Kipos for morning coffee. Sunset drink at Franco's on a different night than your caldera dinner. Spreading out the special moments makes each one land harder.
If you're on your honeymoon, see our romantic things to do in Santorini for more on planning the perfect evening.
Aroma Suites is walking distance from every restaurant on this list. Step out your door and Fira's best dining is at your feet, caldera fine dining to the best gyros on the island, all within a five-minute stroll. Our cave-style suites put you right in the center of Fira's dining scene.
Staying nearby in Central Fira
If you're choosing where to stay so you can walk to these restaurants after sunset, we're a 2-minute walk from Fira's main square. For where to stay, see our guide to the most romantic hotels in Santorini for couples. Aroma Suites sits on the caldera edge with 6 cave-style suites. The Jacuzzi Cave Suite and Honeymoon Suite face directly onto the sunset, which makes the post-dinner walk back something you'll remember.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I eat in Fira, Santorini?
For a special caldera-view dinner, book a table on the cliff edge a few days ahead. For everyday Greek cooking at honest prices, head one street back from the caldera where locals eat. The full breakdown above ranks the best restaurants in Fira by occasion, price, and walking distance from the main square.
What is the best restaurant in Fira, Santorini?
Selene is widely considered the best fine-dining restaurant in Fira. The tasting menu showcases indigenous Santorini ingredients at the highest level. For traditional Greek food, Mama Thira (in Firostefani, a short walk along the caldera path) is the local favorite. The "best" depends on what you want: views, authentic cooking, value, or a combination. See our full Fira, Santorini guide for more on the town.
Are restaurants in Fira expensive?
Caldera-view restaurants typically run EUR 40-80 per person for dinner with wine. Restaurants away from the caldera-edge premium, Mama Thira (Firostefani) and Naoussa, serve excellent food for EUR 25-40 per person. Street food like Lucky's Souvlaki costs EUR 4-6. Pricier than mainland Greece but options at every level.
Do you need reservations at Fira restaurants?
Caldera-view restaurants during July and August, yes. Book 2-3 days ahead, especially for a terrace table at sunset. Non-view restaurants and shoulder season dining (May, June, September, October), walk-ins usually fine. Cafes and souvlaki spots never need reservations.
What is the tipping etiquette at restaurants in Santorini?
Tipping in Greek restaurants is appreciated but not mandatory. Standard is 5-10% if you're happy with the service. Many locals round up. Service charges aren't typically added in Greece. Cash tips preferred, even if you pay the bill by card.
Are Fira restaurants open year-round?
Most are seasonal, April through October. A few cafes and tavernas near the bus station stay open year-round. Majority of dining options, including all caldera-view restaurants, close for winter. Visiting outside peak season? Check opening dates. Our best time to visit Santorini guide covers seasonal details.
Which restaurants in Fira have a caldera or sea view?
For a meal with the view, Aktaion in Firostefani has a wide terrace with caldera and volcano views, and Fanari is cliff-side with direct caldera views. Selene sits a five-minute walk from the center, but its refined dining room focuses on the food rather than the window, so go there for the cooking, not the panorama. Argo has since moved inland and no longer offers a caldera view.
What is the best restaurant in Fira for a romantic or sunset dinner?
Fanari is where couples who live on Santorini go for date night, with well-spaced tables, warm lighting, and direct caldera views. For a special-occasion evening, Selene's tasting menu is the most memorable dinner in town. Argo is lovely after sunset too: come around 9pm, when the terrace softens and the crowd thins into something genuinely intimate.
