The walled Upper Town with Byzantine churches and Ottoman-era wooden houses. Neighbourhood tavernas open on local schedules, often lunch only, no English menus.
Born during the pandemic, Iliopetra sits at the foot of Ano Poli with a handful of tables and a daily-changing menu. Chef Giorgos Zannakis fuses Greek classics with unexpected international accents, generating serious local buzz since 2025.
Signature: Daily market-driven menu
Operating since 1967 on the edge of Ano Poli, Nea Folia serves dishes that have largely vanished from city-centre menus: liver with cabbage, kavourmas of Xanthi beef, smoked mackerel with samphire. Wednesday to Sunday only.
Signature: Soutzoukakia with buffalo mince, Kavourmas of Xanthi beef
Tsinari has stood on this Ano Poli corner since 1865, originally a cafe during the Ottoman period. The same family has run it since 1990, the wood stove still fires, and the tzigerosarmas (lamb liver wrapped in caul fat) remains on the menu.
Signature: Tzigerosarmas, Grilled seafood mezedes
Set on a cobbled Ano Poli street, Rouga is known for its fairy-light courtyard, circus-figure decor, and the Greek custom of complimentary ouzo and homemade desserts at the end of every meal. The kitchen covers the full range of classic mezedes.
Signature: Traditional Greek meze, Complimentary ouzo and dessert