How to order fish
- Ask to see the day's catch — a good fish taverna expects this and will bring the tray.
- Confirm the weight and the price per kilo before it is cooked. A 700g fish at €60/kg is a €42 fish.
- Check the menu for asterisks: they mark frozen items, which is legal and fine, but should be priced lower.
- Order fish plainly grilled with lemon and oil; heavy sauces usually mean the fish is not the point.
- Two people rarely need more than one whole fish plus a couple of small plates.
The best-value seafood orders
- Gavros and maridaki — small fried fish, cheap and excellent with lemon.
- Grilled octopus — sun-dried and charred, a Cretan staple.
- Kalamari — ask whether it is fresh or frozen; fresh is worth the difference.
- Fish soup (kakavia), when a taverna makes it that day.
- Sea urchin salad in early summer, where it is available and legally harvested.
Where the fish is best
- Eastern Crete — Elounda, Plaka, Agios Nikolaos and the Mirabello fishing villages.
- Nea Chora in Chania, the town's traditional fish neighbourhood.
- Rethymno's Venetian harbour, scenic and squarely aimed at visitors.
- The south coast — Ierapetra, Myrtos and the small Libyan Sea harbours.
- Small fishing villages generally beat big waterfront strips on both price and freshness.
Seasons
Fishing in Greece follows seasonal closures, and what is landed changes through the year. Late spring and autumn are generally the strongest months for variety; in high summer, demand is at its peak and prices rise with it. If a taverna offers the same twelve species all year round, much of it is frozen.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does fresh fish cost in Crete?
- Fresh fish is priced by the kilo, commonly €45–80 per kilo depending on species and location, so a shared whole fish typically works out at €25–45 per person with sides.
- How do I know if fish is fresh or frozen in Greece?
- Menus must indicate frozen products, usually with an asterisk or a footnote. You can also ask to see the fish — fresh fish will be shown to you on ice.
- Where is the best seafood in Crete?
- The eastern Mirabello Gulf around Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos, Nea Chora in Chania, and the small south-coast harbours near Ierapetra and Myrtos.
- What seafood should I try in Crete?
- Grilled octopus, small fried fish such as gavros or maridaki, fresh calamari, whole grilled sea bream or sea bass, and fish soup when it is made fresh that day.
Continue reading
- Dining in CreteA practical guide to eating in Crete — the island's regions, Cretan dishes worth ordering, typical prices, seasons and how to pick a good taverna.
- Best restaurants in CreteHow to find the best restaurants in Crete — what separates a great taverna from a tourist trap, which towns suit which meal, prices and booking advice.
- Where to eat in CreteWhere to eat in Crete, town by town — Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and the resorts, plus mountain villages and prices.
- Cretan restaurantsWhat a traditional Cretan restaurant serves — dakos, kalitsounia, antikristo, raki and the Cretan diet — plus how tavernas, mezedopoleia and rakadika differ.
- Romantic dining in CretePlanning a romantic dinner in Crete — the best settings, sunset timing by month, which towns suit couples, what to book and how far ahead.
- Sea-view restaurants in CreteWhere to find sea-view restaurants in Crete — north, west and south coasts, sunset direction, what a view costs and how to secure a front-row table.
- Family dining in CreteEating out with children in Crete — which resorts and towns suit families, meal times, what children eat, prices and how to keep dinner easy.
- Cheap eats in CreteHow to eat well cheaply in Crete — souvlaki, bakeries, market lunches, village tavernas and the ordering habits that cut a restaurant bill.
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