Greek€Nea Alikarnassos
Gyrogonia works the gyros spit on Christomichali Xilouri in Heraklion until midnight, a plain takeaway counter with prices that match the setting.
Try: Gyros
Order: A chicken gyros pita, wrapped to go
Tip: Two doors from Spiros on the same street, which makes the corner a useful late-night detour east of the centre.
Greek€Nea Alikarnassos
Mavrokostas sells homemade Greek food on 62 Martiron in Heraklion through the small hours, long after every other kitchen in town has shut down.
Try: Homemade Greek food
Order: Whatever tray of homemade food is still hot
Tip: Open until six in the morning on weekdays and eight at weekends, which makes it the last kitchen standing in Heraklion.
Greek€Old Town
Krasas grills on Leoforos Ikarou in Heraklion until three in the morning, the default late gyros stop for anyone heading home from the east.
Try: Gyros and grills
Order: A gyros pita on the way home from Ikarou
Tip: Open until 03:00, and there is a second Krasas near the airport in Nea Alikarnassos.
Bakery€Old TownDaily 06:00-23:00
Savoidakis sells kalitsounia right across Heraklion, and a warm bag of the Cretan cheese pies is the best two euros you can spend near the Agora.
Try: Kalitsounia
Order: Kalitsounia, eaten warm out of the paper bag
Tip: The Dikaiosinis branch is the handiest for the Agora, and the pies come out through the morning.
Bakery€Lions SquareDaily 06:00-00:00
Phyllosophies is the Heraklion bougatsa counter on Lions Square, hand-opened phyllo filled with cream or sweet myzithra and cut with scissors.
Try: Bougatsa
Order: Bougatsa with sweet myzithra and honey
Tip: Eat it standing on Lions Square while it is still too hot, which is how everyone in Heraklion does it.
Bakery€Lions Square
Kirkor has long sold bougatsa on Lions Square in Heraklion, and it is still the fastest breakfast in the whole city if you eat it standing up.
Try: Bougatsa
Order: Bougatsa with custard, cinnamon and icing sugar
Tip: The queue moves fast, because there are really only two things on the menu.