Peskesi cooks Cretan recipes from its own farm at Haraso inside a restored stone mansion in central Heraklion. Book ahead, the room fills nightly.
OrderSfakiano lamb, then the carob mousse to finish
TipAsk for the olive oil tasting. The kitchen is supplied by its own farm at Haraso, and the oils are poured alongside rusk.
Parasties runs an open wood fire opposite the Historical Museum in Heraklion, turning out smoked steak, big pork fillets and long-cooked Cretan plates.
OrderSmoked steak straight off the open wood fire
TipSit where you can see the open kitchen. Staff will walk you through a mostly Cretan wine list if you tell them what you ordered.
Merastri has cooked over a wood oven in Heraklion since 1998, closing lamb in the fire for hours and finishing pork fillet with staka and oven potatoes.
OrderArnaki ofto, milk-fed lamb held in the wood oven
TipDinner only from 18:00, and the courtyard tables go first at weekends. The Cretan list is worth an extra glass.
The Walls plates crab samosas, duck and sea bream in a garden inside the Venetian walls of Heraklion, the city's most composed modern Greek cooking.
OrderCrab-stuffed samosas, then the duck
TipThe dining room sits inside the Heraklion Tennis Club grounds by the Venetian walls, so allow time to find the gate.
Athali cooks traditional Cretan food on the corner of Kydonias and Kapetan Charalampi in Heraklion, running from lunch through to one in the morning.
OrderWhatever the wood oven is holding that day
TipKydonias meets Kapetan Charalampi here, two minutes from Peskesi, so it is a useful fallback when that room is full.
Apiri Greek Eatery reworks Greek standards on Agion Deka in Heraklion, grilling octopus and sea bass and charring a wild greens pie over coals.
OrderThe char-grilled wild greens pie
TipSmall room, so book for dinner. Lunch is quieter and the same kitchen is running the grill from 13:00.
Erganos has fed a mostly local room beside Kazantzakis park in Heraklion since 1986, with goat, meatballs and a long list of Cretan vegetable plates.
OrderBite-sized sfakianopites with cheese and honey
TipThe taverna sits beside Kazantzakis park, a short walk uphill from the Archaeological Museum.
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.
OrderArni ofto, lamb marinated in herbs and cooked over fire
TipThe 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.
OrderA spread of small plates and a glass of Cretan white
TipClosed Mondays. The room is small and popular with locals, so book if you want a table after 21:00.
Pagopoieion took over a former ice factory on Agios Titos square in Heraklion, serving breakfast, ethnic-tinged plates and a deep Greek wine list.
OrderMushroom risotto, with a glass off the Cretan list
TipThe old ice factory on Agios Titos square works as breakfast room, lunch stop and wine bar, so time your visit to the mood you want.
Herb's Garden runs the Lato hotel roof in Heraklion from April to October, looking straight at Koules over fish, Cretan cheeses and seasonal salads.
OrderFresh fish with a Cretan white, watching the fortress
TipRooftop of the Lato Boutique Hotel, and seasonal: the team moves downstairs to Brillant from November to March.
Chalali is a plain Greek and Cretan taverna on Strofadon in Heraklion, cheap enough that the room stays local, open six days a week from lunch.
OrderA mezes spread with a carafe of raki
TipClosed Mondays, and prices sit well under the old-town average, so the room stays local rather than filling with cruise traffic.
Kouzeineri is the steak address in Heraklion, working charcoal near Agiou Titou square with pork hock, chicken wings and a long Greek wine list.
OrderPork hock, or a steak off the charcoal
TipTables sit out on Agiou Titou square, and those are the ones worth a booking.
Peskesi is the Cretan kitchen Heraklion gets judged by, rebuilding near-lost island recipes with produce grown on the restaurant's own farm.
OrderSfakiano lamb, then the carob mousse to finish
Book3 to 5 days in summer ahead
TipAsk for the olive oil tasting. The kitchen is supplied by its own farm at Haraso, and the oils are poured alongside rusk.
The Walls is the most technical cooking in Heraklion, a garden dining room inside the Venetian ramparts, run as a modern Greek gastrobistro.
OrderCrab-stuffed samosas, then the duck
Book1 week at weekends ahead
TipThe dining room sits inside the Heraklion Tennis Club grounds by the Venetian walls, so allow time to find the gate.
Herb's Garden is the Heraklion rooftop for an occasion dinner, plating contemporary Greek food above the Venetian harbour from April to October.
OrderFresh fish with a Cretan white, watching the fortress
Book3 days, longer for a rail table ahead
TipRooftop of the Lato Boutique Hotel, and seasonal: the team moves downstairs to Brillant from November to March.
Brillant is the winter dining room of the Lato hotel in Heraklion, running Mediterranean and Cretan cooking from November until the roof reopens.
OrderThe winter Cretan plates the kitchen builds each season
Book2 to 3 days ahead
TipBrillant is the winter half of the Lato hotel operation. From April the same team moves up to the Herb's Garden roof.
Merastri is the wood-oven address in Heraklion for an unhurried Cretan dinner, from lamb closed in the fire to a long list of island bottles.
OrderArnaki ofto, milk-fed lamb held in the wood oven
Book2 days, more at weekends ahead
TipDinner only from 18:00, and the courtyard tables go first at weekends. The Cretan list is worth an extra glass.
Parasties has cooked Cretan food over live fire in the centre of Heraklion since 1999, and is one of the city's steadiest special-occasion rooms.
OrderSmoked steak straight off the open wood fire
Book2 days ahead
TipSit where you can see the open kitchen. Staff will walk you through a mostly Cretan wine list if you tell them what you ordered.
Lola is the sharpest small-plates cooking in central Heraklion, a compact room on Kydonias where Mediterranean technique meets Cretan produce.
OrderA spread of small plates and a glass of Cretan white
Book1 to 2 days ahead
TipClosed Mondays. The room is small and popular with locals, so book if you want a table after 21:00.
Kouzeineri is where Heraklion goes for a serious steak, a charcoal kitchen near Agiou Titou square with a Greek wine cellar to match the meat.
OrderPork hock, or a steak off the charcoal
Book2 days at weekends ahead
TipTables sit out on Agiou Titou square, and those are the ones worth a booking.
Erganos is the taverna Heraklion locals default to, a 1986 dining room beside Kazantzakis park with goat, keftedes and honeyed sfakianopites.
OrderBite-sized sfakianopites with cheese and honey
TipThe taverna sits beside Kazantzakis park, a short walk uphill from the Archaeological Museum.
Athali is an easy all-day Cretan taverna in central Heraklion, cooking wood-oven meats and wild greens from lunch until one the following morning.
OrderWhatever the wood oven is holding that day
TipKydonias meets Kapetan Charalampi here, two minutes from Peskesi, so it is a useful fallback when that room is full.
Apiri Greek Eatery is a good-value Heraklion dinner, grilling octopus and sea bass and charring its wild greens pie over open coals every night.
OrderThe char-grilled wild greens pie
TipSmall room, so book for dinner. Lunch is quieter and the same kitchen is running the grill from 13:00.
Chalali is the cheap Cretan taverna on Strofadon that keeps central Heraklion honest, with mezedes, grills and raki for well under a tenner.
OrderA mezes spread with a carafe of raki
TipClosed Mondays, and prices sit well under the old-town average, so the room stays local rather than filling with cruise traffic.
Pagopoieion is the all-day room on Agios Titos square in Heraklion, an old ice factory pouring coffee from nine and serving through to dinner.
OrderMushroom risotto, with a glass off the Cretan list
TipThe old ice factory on Agios Titos square works as breakfast room, lunch stop and wine bar, so time your visit to the mood you want.
Krasas is the Ikarou grill house that Heraklion falls back on, running gyros and skewers until three in the morning at prices well under a tenner.
OrderA pita gyros with everything, eaten standing
TipOpen until 03:00, which makes it the default stop after a long evening on Ikarou.
Chagiati is the backstreet Heraklion mezedopoleio on Erotokritou, grilling sardines and pouring raki for a room that stays stubbornly local.
OrderGrilled sardines with a carafe of raki
TipDinner only, and closed Sundays. The room is small enough that a walk-in after 21:00 usually means waiting outside.
Dish Bar has worked its corner of Agios Titos square in Heraklion since 2007, running Mediterranean plates early and a busy cocktail room late into the night.
OrderBeef carpaccio with truffle mayonnaise
TipIt sits a few metres from Agios Titos church, and the room turns from restaurant into a cocktail bar later in the evening.
El Sur brings Mexican food and sushi to Arkoleon in central Heraklion, a loud multicultural room pouring margaritas and mojitos to Latin music.
OrderTacos and a margarita, or the sushi for a change
TipOne of the few kitchens in Heraklion doing Mexican and sushi under one roof, a short walk from Lions Square.
626 All Day runs a garden lounge off Idomeneos in Heraklion, serving brunch plates and comfort food from nine in the morning until midnight.
OrderA brunch plate, eaten out in the city garden
TipIt sits on the corner of Meramvelou and Idomeneos beside the Olive Green Hotel, with a garden that stays cool in August.
Granary is the all-day eatery and espresso bar in central Heraklion, pouring Taf Roastery coffee alongside Mediterranean plates and Greek wine.
OrderSpecialty filter coffee and whatever is on the day plate
TipNamed for the Venetian grain store that once stood opposite the Ducal Palace, and it keeps a wide Greek wine list.
Alla ki Alla is the Kagiampi kitchen in Heraklion that locals fall back on, sending out stuffed mushrooms, fried zucchini balls and meat platters.
OrderStuffed mushrooms, with the fried zucchini balls
TipOn Kagiampi a minute from Peskesi, with stuffed mushrooms and fried zucchini balls among the plates worth ordering.
Hovoli works the charcoal on Daskalogianni square in Heraklion, an unfussy grill house with Cretan salads and prices that stay entirely reasonable.
OrderGrilled meats off the charcoal with a Cretan salad
TipOn Daskalogianni square, which is a useful place to eat when the Lions Square terraces are all full.
The Whistler Espresso Bar sits on Agiou Titou in Heraklion, pulling specialty espresso through the day and mixing cocktails deep into the night.
OrderAn espresso by day, a cocktail after dark
TipOn Agiou Titou, so it doubles as a coffee stop between the church and the Venetian Loggia.
Think Tank is the espresso and wine bar of central Heraklion, a neoclassical room on Idaiou Androu with specialty coffee and Cretan bottles.
OrderThe house espresso, then a glass of Cretan white
DrinkSpecialty espresso
TipBook the terrace in advance. The room hosts wine tastings, and the same team runs both counters.
Granary pours Taf Roastery coffee in central Heraklion, an espresso bar and eatery serving Mediterranean plates and Greek wine by the glass.
OrderFilter coffee and a plate off the day menu
DrinkFilter coffee
TipOne of the few Heraklion rooms that genuinely works as a cafe, an eatery and a wine stop in turn.
Hacienda works a third-wave coffee programme in Heraklion, with homemade sweets and avocado toasts served beside Agia Ekaterini square in the centre.
OrderAn avocado toast and a long black
DrinkThird-wave espresso
TipThere are several Hacienda branches across the city. The Agias Ekaterinis room is the one in the old town.
Central Park is the all-day cafe on Arkoleontos in central Heraklion, running from an eight in the morning espresso through to a half eleven last order.
OrderCentral Breakfast for two, with bread and village sausage
DrinkEspresso Guatemala
TipThe two-person breakfast comes with homemade bread, croissants, village sausage and eggs, and stretches to three at a push.
Frankly My Dear is the specialty coffee and brunch room on Karterou in Heraklion, doing freddo espresso, salmon toast with avocado and fresh juices.
OrderSalmon toast with avocado, and a freddo espresso alongside
DrinkFreddo espresso
TipIt sits on Karterou beside Agia Aikaterini square, five minutes uphill from the Agora.
ML Espresso Bar is a third-wave coffee counter on Eleftherias Square in Heraklion, rotating single-origin beans through espresso and filter.
OrderA filter coffee, whichever origin is on that week
DrinkEthiopian filter
TipA takeaway-first counter on Eleftherias Square, open from seven in the morning until eleven at night.
Crumb Healthy Living Lab bakes gluten-free and sugar-free for a health-minded Heraklion crowd, with specialty coffee and a plant-heavy brunch.
OrderA gluten-free bake with a flat white
DrinkSpecialty coffee
TipThe kitchen labels sugar-free and gluten-free bakes clearly, which is still rare in Heraklion.
The Whistler Espresso Bar is the Agiou Titou coffee stop in Heraklion that turns cocktail bar after dark, where free snacks arrive with every drink.
OrderAn espresso and a plate of nibbles
DrinkEspresso
TipSmall pavement terrace on Agiou Titou, busiest in the hour before dinner when it switches to drinks.
626 All Day is the city-garden cafe off Idomeneos in Heraklion, open from nine for coffee, brunch plates and a glass of wine after work ends.
OrderBrunch in the garden, with a filter coffee
DrinkFilter coffee
TipThe garden is the reason to come. Ask for a table outside rather than in the indoor lounge.
Pagopoieion serves coffee under old ice-factory beams on Agios Titos square in Heraklion, with art shows and poetry readings through the week.
OrderMushroom risotto, with a glass off the Cretan list
DrinkGreek coffee
TipThe old ice factory on Agios Titos square works as breakfast room, lunch stop and wine bar, so time your visit to the mood you want.
Queen Boulangerie bakes through the day on Agiou Titou in Heraklion, a patisserie counter that runs late into the evening for pastries and cake.
OrderA pastry from the counter with a filter coffee
DrinkFilter coffee
TipOn the corner of Agiou Titou and Evropis, open late enough to work as an after-dinner stop.
Savoidakis bakes right across Heraklion, and its kalitsounia are the ones food tours stop for, alongside a long counter of sweets and gelato.
OrderKalitsounia, the Cretan cheese pie
TipA Heraklion chain with several city branches. The Dikaiosinis counter is the handiest one from the Agora.
Artopoiio Christoforos Veneris bakes bread, pies and tsoureki on Evans in central Heraklion, with the oven working directly beneath the shop.
OrderTsoureki, plain or with chocolate
TipThe bakery works below the shop, so the pastries come up warm. At Christmas it bakes a chocolate panettone.
Veneris Bakery & Coffee is the neighbourhood bakery on Meandrou in Heraklion, where the owner still makes the breads and the pastries himself.
OrderA savoury pastry straight off the tray
TipFamily-run and far enough from the tourist streets that the queue is almost entirely local rather than visiting.
Queen Boulangerie is the late-opening patisserie on Agiou Titou in Heraklion, baking through the day and still selling pastries at eleven at night.
OrderA pastry from the late-night counter
TipThe counter runs late into the evening, so it covers the gap after the tavernas stop serving.
Costis Patisserie bakes on the Knossos road out of Heraklion, selling cakes, sweets and coffee to take away from morning through to late evening.
OrderA slice from the cabinet with a Greek coffee
TipOn the Knossos road, so it works as a stop coming back from the palace rather than a city-centre errand.
Crumb Healthy Living Lab is the Heraklion bakery to know if you avoid gluten or sugar, with clear labelling and a plant-leaning brunch menu.
OrderA gluten-free cake with specialty coffee
TipOne of very few Heraklion bakeries that labels gluten-free and sugar-free clearly on every item in the cabinet.
Think Tank is the specialty coffee benchmark in Heraklion, a neoclassical espresso and wine bar on Idaiou Androu with its own resident barista.
OrderThe house espresso, pulled by the resident barista
BeansEthiopia, Colombia, Brazil
BrewsEspresso, Filter
TipA sommelier works the wine side of the same room, so a coffee visit can easily turn into a Cretan tasting.
ML Espresso Bar pours third-wave coffee on Eleftherias Square in Heraklion, rotating single origins through espresso and hand-brewed filter.
OrderA filter of whichever Ethiopian is on that week
BeansEthiopia, Kenya, Colombia
BrewsEspresso, Filter, Takeaway
TipThe counter is small and built for takeaway rather than sitting down with a laptop.
Granary is where Heraklion drinks Taf Roastery coffee, an espresso bar and eatery in the old town pairing it with Mediterranean plates and wine.
OrderA filter coffee made with the Taf Roastery beans
BeansSourced through Taf Roastery
BrewsEspresso, Filter
TipGranary buys its beans from Taf Roastery rather than roasting in-house, and serves them alongside breakfast, brunch and lunch.
Hacienda follows a third-wave brief across several Heraklion branches, opening at half past six for espresso, filter and a full brunch menu.
OrderA long black, with an avocado toast alongside
BeansBrazil, Ethiopia, Colombia
BrewsEspresso, Filter
TipSeveral Hacienda branches operate across the city, so check which one you are heading for before you set out.
Frankly My Dear is the Karterou specialty coffee bar in Heraklion, working freddo espresso and filter alongside a full brunch and cocktail list.
OrderA freddo espresso, with a fresh juice alongside
BeansRotating single origins
BrewsEspresso, Freddo espresso
TipThe Karterou room is a five-minute walk uphill from the Agora and much quieter than the square cafes.
Think Tank is the wine bar Heraklion drinkers name first, a neoclassical room on Idaiou Androu pouring Cretan and Greek bottles by the glass.
OrderA Vidiano by the glass, with whatever snack is out
PourA glass of Cretan Vidiano
WineCretan and Greek growers by the glass
FoodBrunch plates and snacks
TipA sommelier picks the list and the room hosts tastings, so ask what has just been opened.
Pagopoieion keeps one of the widest Greek wine lists in Heraklion, poured under the beams of a converted ice factory beside Agios Titos church.
OrderA Cretan red, with the mushroom risotto to match
PourA Cretan red with the mushroom risotto
WineWide Greek list, strong on Crete
FoodAll-day kitchen
TipThe ice-factory room is large enough to find a quiet corner even when Agios Titos square is full.
Manjar Wise Food, Coffee & Wine Bar pours a long list on Dimokratias in Heraklion, with staff who explain every glass and send out bites with it.
OrderA glass off the Cretan list with the small bites
PourA Cretan white with small bites
WineHealth-minded Greek and Cretan labels
FoodWise food plates and small bites
TipStaff talk you through each pour and send out nibbles, which makes it a good first stop for Cretan grapes.
Granary turns from espresso bar into wine room as the evening arrives, pouring Greek bottles with Mediterranean plates in central Heraklion.
OrderA glass of Cretan white with a mezze plate
PourA Cretan white with a mezze plate
WineGreek wines by the glass and bottle
FoodMediterranean all-day menu
TipWine service runs from late afternoon, once the coffee crowd thins out and the kitchen switches to the evening menu.
Merastri keeps a serious Cretan wine list behind its wood oven in Heraklion, and the reds it pours are built to stand up to three-hour roast lamb.
OrderA Liatiko red alongside the wood-oven lamb
PourA Liatiko red with the wood-oven lamb
WineCretan list built around the wood oven
FoodFull Cretan menu
TipThe Cretan list is the reason to linger. Ask what is open by the glass before committing to a bottle.
Parasties runs a Cretan-leaning wine list beside its open fire in Heraklion, with floor staff who match bottles to whatever the oven is cooking.
OrderA Cretan red poured to match the smoked steak
PourA Cretan red with the smoked steak
WineMostly Cretan producers
FoodLive-fire Cretan menu
TipThe floor staff will steer the list if you tell them what is coming off the fire.
Kouzeineri backs its charcoal steaks with a Greek wine list, which makes it the Heraklion address for red wine and grilled meat in one sitting.
OrderA Greek red chosen against the charcoal steak
PourA Greek red with a charcoal steak
WineGreek reds for charcoal cooking
FoodSteakhouse menu
TipThe cellar leans on international labels as much as Greek ones, so ask the floor to match a bottle to the cut you order.
Xalavro pours Greek wine spritzers in a roofless old house on Milatou in Heraklion, with an open kitchen working beside the bar until very late.
OrderA Greek wine spritzer, drunk in the ruined courtyard
PourA Greek wine spritzer in the courtyard
WineGreek wine spritzers and by-the-glass pours
FoodOpen kitchen
TipThe bar sits in the shell of a 1900s house on Milatou, and the open kitchen runs alongside the drinks list.
Xalavro built a bar out of a ruined 1900s house on Milatou in Heraklion, and its courtyard is the most atmospheric drink in the whole old town.
OrderA Jungle Bird in the open courtyard
DrinkJungle Bird
FoodOpen kitchen
TipA seasonal, open-air room running roughly April to October, with an annual summer cocktail festival that brings in bartenders from abroad.
The Bitters Bar works a 1920s speakeasy brief on Idis in Heraklion, mixing from a deep bitters shelf and its own jars of homemade marmalade.
OrderThe Yellow Prince, made with house marmalade
DrinkYellow Prince
FoodHomemade marmalades with the drinks
TipBehind Lions Square on Idis, with jazz and blues on the speakers and homemade marmalades beside every glass.
Swing Thing sits near the Venetian Loggia in Heraklion, pulling espresso by day and building retro-leaning cocktails once the sun has dropped.
OrderThe Cinnamon Treasure, or the yoghurt pina colada
DrinkCinnamon Treasure
PourGreek-yoghurt pina colada
FoodCoffee by day
TipIt works as an espresso bar in daylight and switches to cocktails after dark, with a takeaway drinks list too.
Beer O'Clock is the rock bistro on Parodos Minotavrou in Heraklion, stocking more than a hundred beer labels and grilling burgers to drink alongside them.
OrderA Cretan lager with one of the burgers
DrinkCretan Charma lager
FoodBurgers and bistro plates
TipOver 100 beer labels are stocked, and happy hour runs in the late afternoon before the kitchen gets busy.
Dish Bar holds a corner of Agios Titos square in Heraklion, pairing Mediterranean plates with a cocktail list and its nineties dance nights.
OrderTom's Temptation, passionfruit, caramel and lime
DrinkTom's Temptation
FoodFull Mediterranean menu
TipThe room is known for its nineties dance nights, so check the socials before planning an evening around one.
El Sur is the Latin-leaning resto bar on Arkoleon in Heraklion, mixing margaritas and mojitos beside a kitchen doing Mexican food and sushi.
OrderA margarita, with tacos to keep it company
DrinkMargarita
FoodMexican and sushi
TipArkoleon is a two-minute walk from Lions Square, and the kitchen runs as late as the bar does.
La Brasserie stacks a terrace, a bar, a gallery and a club into one Korai Street address in Heraklion, and runs from lunch until the early hours.
OrderA cocktail on La Terrasse before the club opens
DrinkCocktails on the terrace
FoodRestaurant menu until late
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. The club floor opens at 22:00, with Latin nights and karaoke through the week.
Toucan Skybar takes the fifth floor above Plateia Eleftherias in Heraklion, the highest cocktail terrace in the city and the best sunset seat.
OrderA cocktail on the terrace, facing the harbour
DrinkCocktails with a city view
FoodSmall plates
TipFifth floor on Plateia Eleftherias, so it catches the light long after the street below has gone dark.
Stylvie Bar is a Heraklion dance floor off Tagmatarchou Tzoulaki, running music, cocktails and late nights in a small room that takes bookings.
OrderA bottle to share, once the dance floor fills
DrinkSpirits by the bottle
FoodNo kitchen
TipReservations are a must here, on +30 697 153 9300, because the room is small and fills on a good night.
The Whistler Espresso Bar works both shifts on Agiou Titou in Heraklion, specialty coffee through the day and cocktails with free nibbles at night.
OrderAn espresso martini, once the coffee shift ends
DrinkEspresso martini
FoodSnacks with every drink
TipFree nibbles arrive with the drinks, which is a habit more Agiou Titou bars could copy.
Think Tank is the quietest drinking option in central Heraklion, a neoclassical espresso and wine bar that turns into a rooftop cocktail spot after dark.
OrderA glass of Kotsifali on the terrace
DrinkCretan Kotsifali by the glass
FoodBrunch and snacks
TipReserve the terrace in advance. It is the calmest drinking terrace in the old town and it fills fast.
Thraka Grill turns out gyros on Daskalogianni square in Heraklion until midnight, the local answer to where to eat well for about five euros.
OrderA pork gyros pita with everything on it
TipOn Daskalogianni square, and it is the gyros stop the local food tours use rather than the seafront chains.
Krasas grills on Leoforos Ikarou in Heraklion until three in the morning, the default late gyros stop for anyone heading home from the east.
OrderA gyros pita on the way home from Ikarou
TipOpen until 03:00, and there is a second Krasas near the airport in Nea Alikarnassos.
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.
OrderKalitsounia, eaten warm out of the paper bag
TipThe Dikaiosinis branch is the handiest for the Agora, and the pies come out through the morning.
Krasas is the cheap grill on Leoforos Ikarou that keeps Heraklion fed after midnight, with pita gyros and skewers priced well under a tenner.
OrderA pork gyros pita, with chips added in
TipOpen until three in the morning, which is why the queue builds long after the tavernas close.
Thraka Grill is the cheapest proper meal on Daskalogianni square in Heraklion, Crete, with gyros wrapped to order and served through to midnight.
OrderA pork gyros pita with everything in it
TipOn Daskalogianni square, and it is the gyros counter used by the local walking food tours rather than a seafront chain.
Chagiati is the Erotokritou mezedopoleio where Heraklion eats cheaply and well, with grilled sardines and dolmades shared over a carafe of raki.
OrderGrilled sardines and dolmades, shared across the table
TipDinner only and closed Sundays. Order two or three mezedes each and the bill still stays under twenty euros.
626 All Day is the garden brunch address in Heraklion, Crete, open from nine in the morning for eggs, comfort plates and a first glass of wine.
OrderA brunch plate, eaten out in the city garden
TipAsk for the garden rather than the indoor lounge. It sits on the corner of Meramvelou and Idomeneos.
Granary pours Taf Roastery coffee alongside a Mediterranean brunch menu in central Heraklion, from early breakfast through to a very late lunch.
OrderFilter coffee and whatever is on the day plate
TipAn espresso bar and eatery in one, so a slow brunch works here as easily as a coffee stop.
Frankly My Dear is the specialty coffee and brunch room on Karterou in Heraklion, doing freddo espresso, salmon toast with avocado and fresh juices.
OrderSalmon toast with avocado, and a freddo espresso alongside
TipOn Karterou beside Agia Aikaterini square, five minutes uphill from the noise of the Agora.
Central Park serves the biggest Greek breakfast in central Heraklion, a shared spread of bread, croissants, village sausage, eggs and tomatoes.
OrderCentral Breakfast for two, with village sausage
TipThe two-person breakfast brings homemade bread, croissants, village sausage, eggs and tomatoes, and it comfortably feeds three people.
Think Tank serves brunch under the specialty coffee programme in central Heraklion, on a neoclassical terrace that fills up fast in high summer.
OrderThe house espresso with a plate of pancakes
TipBook the terrace ahead. Brunch runs alongside the wine list, so a late one can drift into an afternoon glass.
Hacienda works a third-wave brunch in Heraklion of avocado toasts, pancakes and protein plates, served beside Agia Ekaterini square in the old town.
OrderAvocado toast and a long black
TipSeveral branches operate across Heraklion, so confirm which one you are meeting people at before you set off.
Krasas grills gyros and skewers on Leoforos Ikarou in Heraklion until three in the morning, which makes it the default stop on the way home.
OrderA pita gyros on the way home from Ikarou
TipOpen until three in the morning, and there is a second branch out towards the airport.
Xalavro keeps its open kitchen going with the bar on Milatou in Heraklion, Crete, so a late drink in the courtyard can still come with real food.
OrderA late plate from the open kitchen with a spritzer
TipIn season the kitchen runs alongside the bar, which is rare in the old town once the tavernas have stopped serving.
La Brasserie runs a terrace, a bar and a club on Korai Street in Heraklion, with a kitchen still sending food out while the dance floor fills up.
OrderA late plate on La Terrasse before the club starts
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. The club floor opens at 22:00 and the kitchen keeps going alongside it.
Dish Bar keeps its Agios Titos square room going until four in the morning in Heraklion, with Mediterranean plates running alongside the cocktail list.
OrderBeef carpaccio with truffle mayonnaise, late
TipThe kitchen and the bar share one room on Agios Titos square, so a late plate is still possible after the tavernas close.
Stylvie Bar is the Heraklion, Crete dance floor off Tagmatarchou Tzoulaki, a late room for music and cocktails where booking ahead is expected.
La Brasserie keeps a club floor on Korai in Heraklion, opening at 22:00 with Latin nights, karaoke and a terrace to retreat to between sets.
Toucan Skybar takes the fifth floor above Plateia Eleftherias in Heraklion, Crete, the highest cocktail terrace in the city and its best sunset.
Herb's Garden is the Lato hotel roof in Heraklion, open from April to October with cocktails and a view straight over to the Koules fortress.
The Bitters Bar hides behind Lions Square in Heraklion, Crete, a 1920s-styled room with a deep bitters shelf and homemade marmalades on the bar.
La Brasserie is the gay-friendly bar and club on Korai in Heraklion, Crete, running salsa nights, karaoke and a late floor most of the week.
Krasas is the Ikarou grill house that doubles as a late-night stop in Heraklion, serving gyros and cold beer until three o'clock in the morning.
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