The Best Restaurants in Skiathos, Greece

This converted 1880s windmill – one of the oldest buildings on the island – overlooks Skiathos town and is set out on multiple terraces. The honeymoon table has a private balcony with an unbeatable panorama of the Skiathos harbourside. Meat lovers will adore the rack of lamb; the pistachio crust adds a crisp Aegean twist to a succulent cut, which falls off the bone without the aid of cutlery. It’s best enjoyed with a bottle of rustic Lantides wine and a crunchy carrot side salad.

Draped by a creeper plant and decked out with appropriately creepy murals (think Tim Burton), this eccentric Italian trattoria, opposite Skiathos town hall, is a local favourite. Take your pick of reasonably priced pizzas, pasta and salads. The Italian staples are there, but as you’re in Greece, eat something with a Greek flavour. The soutzouki calzone wraps a spicy, aged Ottoman sausage with stringy mozzarella and musty gorgonzola, finished with a layer of just-baked pizza dough and fresh parsley.

Within La Piscine Art Hotel, north of Skiathos town, Crazy Cow is more than just fine dining; it’s also a wine bar. Take a cushioned seat by the mirror-like pool, and select one of 200 wines from the cellar to start your meal on a moreish note. Plates here have a deconstructed feel; for example, juicy rib-eye steaks and chicken breasts can be served pre-cut, along with colourful, precisely sliced vegetables and an artistic drizzle of delicious balsamic cream.

At the old town crossroads of Miaouli and Evangelistrias Street is charming Marmita. The welcoming garden restaurant prides itself on its home cooking, which explains all the pots and pans hanging on the wall. But it’s home-cooked food with an haute-cuisine twist. And, unusually for Greece, the menu is quite veggie-friendly; you’ll love the no-rice risotto, which uses fresh vegetables, aromatic dill and even crocus blossoms to create a soupy, savoury bowl of goodness.

Nectar & Ambrosia, next to the Troulos bus stop, is a truly unique experience. Waiters don Grecian outfits while an Aphrodite or Zeus statue watches over your table. Pour yourself a glass of wine from the pottery pitcher as you browse the ancient Greece-inspired menu. The chef-manager cooks up a delicious stifado (an intense, beefy stew) that is well worth climbing up the restaurant’s steep steps for. There’s a stairlift if you have limited mobility.

When you gaze at the night sky and see the stars reflected in the still ocean, you’ll see why this restaurant above Kolios bay is called Infinity Blue. You’ll be feeling anything but blue when your chicken souvlaki arrives. It’s so large that the tender pieces won’t fit on a plate, so they’re hung on a fishing rod-shaped pole. Save room for dessert; the platter of ice creams, brownies, panna cotta and baklava is a showstopper you may (or may not) want to share.

Next to Kolios is Sklithri, a semi-secret cove with a seafood taverna on the sands. Approach the ice cabinet and choose a fish from the day’s selection, say how you’d like it cooked, and wait. We’d recommend the grilled sea bass; the flaky flesh peels off with ease. Portions are generous, so you may not need a side dish. However, if you’d like something to balance your meal, order the horta – homestyle wild greens that are becoming a rarity on taverna menus.

On your way to the airport, stop at Taverna Agnadio for one last, delicious Skiathos meal. The mezedes (Greek tapas) are a great way to sample those Greek bites you haven’t yet tried; you’ll love the fried filo feta, a block of sheep’s cheese wrapped in thin pastry, dusted with sesame seeds and given a hearty dollop of fig jam. Pair it with a wine from Parissis vineyard, just 4km (2mi) uphill, and you have a recipe for the perfect Skiathos farewell.