Erganos is a greek taverna restaurant in Old Town, Heraklion.
Editorially verified August 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Sfakianopita, Goat, Keftedes
Must order: Bite-sized sfakianopites with cheese and honey
Tip: The taverna sits beside Kazantzakis park, a short walk uphill from the Archaeological Museum.
Address: Georgiadou 5, Iraklio 712 01, Heraklion
Arismari & Varsamo cooks lamb over open fire on the seafront side of Heraklion, with bean soup, tzatziki and a menu built on Cretan farm produce.
Signature: Arni ofto, Tzatziki, Fasolada
Order: Arni ofto, lamb marinated in herbs and cooked over fire
Tip: The terrace faces the sea by the Historical Museum square, which makes it a better sunset table than a midday one.
Lola works Mediterranean small plates with a fusion streak on Kydonias in Heraklion, running from lunch to one in the morning six days a week.
Signature: Small plates, Fusion mains, Wine by the glass
Order: A spread of small plates and a glass of Cretan white
Tip: Closed Mondays. The room is small and popular with locals, so book if you want a table after 21:00.
Ippokampos is the seafront ouzeri Heraklion sends visitors to, grilling the day's catch and pouring raki at pavement tables across from the water.
Signature: Grilled fish, Octopus, Shrimp
Order: Whatever came in that morning, grilled whole
Tip: Tables spill across the promenade opposite the water, and the seafront ones go first on a summer evening.
Kastella is the seafront fish taverna in Heraklion where the day's catch is cooked simply, sold by the kilo and eaten facing Sofokli Venizelou.
Signature: Fresh fish, Seafood mezedes, Cretan salad
Order: Fresh fish by the kilo with a Cretan salad
Tip: Ask for a table on the sea side; the road side gets the traffic off Sofokli Venizelou.
Ouzeri tou Terzaki has poured raki in a quiet port alley in Heraklion since 1978, sending out mezedes, moussaka and whatever the boats landed.
Signature: Mezedes, Moussaka, Grilled fish
Order: A spread of mezedes, then the grilled fish
Tip: The alley off Plateia Agiou Dimitriou is easy to miss. Aim for the port end of Lochagou Marineli and look for the chairs.
Sir Papafigos works a small-plates menu near the old harbour in Heraklion, opening in the evening on weekdays and running long lunches at the weekend.
Signature: Small plates, Seafood, Cretan wines
Order: A run of small plates built for sharing
Tip: The kitchen is shut on Wednesdays and only opens for lunch at weekends, so a Saturday or Sunday table is the easier one to book.
Arismari & Varsamo cooks lamb over open fire on the seafront side of Heraklion, with bean soup, tzatziki and a menu built on Cretan farm produce.
Signature: Arni ofto, Tzatziki, Fasolada
Order: Arni ofto, lamb marinated in herbs and cooked over fire
Tip: The terrace faces the sea by the Historical Museum square, which makes it a better sunset table than a midday one.
Lola works Mediterranean small plates with a fusion streak on Kydonias in Heraklion, running from lunch to one in the morning six days a week.
Signature: Small plates, Fusion mains, Wine by the glass
Order: A spread of small plates and a glass of Cretan white
Tip: Closed Mondays. The room is small and popular with locals, so book if you want a table after 21:00.
