On the main road, leave the Bay, going left, after Peesses beach, in middle of valley. TO EXOHIKO is your typical greek tavern: Greek cuisine, some from the pot, some from the oven and lots of grilled local meats or souvlaki. Cute garden and ambiance, though not on beach. Margarita herself stands out as a personality but also for the good basic Greek food with Kean fresh bio products and vegetarian dishes. Service has improved vastly with new kind staff and overall tavern has improved vastly. Signature dish the rooster on  buccattini (thick spaghett) fro 2 or more... Overall recommended. (2024)

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

Christoforos has undegone a butterfly transformation this year: from an ugly worm to a beautiful butterfly. Since the change of management and under the vigilant eye of Yiannis, the manager, the combination of a prime beach-front location, excellent service and great food, all paint a recipe of success (in yellow color now!) We are fans of the fish-soup but anything you try, is great.  Christoforos also features fresh fish, any size, masterfully grilled or cooked. Though a bit pricey, if you are after finer dining and fresh fish, a rarity on Kea, Christoforos is highly recommended, reservation may be necessary in peak season. (2024)

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ****

The most popular beach bar in the south, for sure. Mykonian-style institution on organized sand beach with serviced sunloungers, all-day beach bar, offering a selection of coffees & drinks, brunch, light snacks. Service is well organized and very efficient. If you are on the beach chairs you can also order sandwiches and light lunch items from the bar, an advantage for families with children or those that do not want to move much from the beach. Overall food has improved vastly in the last two years so for those who like the social experience and the pampering , it is an ideal destination. The same establishement offers a tavern right next to the bar on the beach with several meat and fish dishes, mediocre though overall. Only objection the unplesant odors that occasionally permeate the establishment from its sewers on top of the burning french fries oil... Porto Koundouros is overall a bit pricey (as all beach bars are), but worth once in a while the experience, the sand shalow beach, a great choice for families with younger children. Can get very crowded in peak season (2024)

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ****

Sunloungers, water sports, drinks, light salads and sandwiches this year (2024). Beac.h quieter than Porto Koundouros

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

"Fine dining" restaurant in the new ANAMAR boutique hotel. Expensive and not worth it by popular opinion. Tries to serve Greek nouvelle cuisine but somewhere fails in the greater picture. Ambiance and view are nice but does not justify the 3-digit bill at the end. (2023)

Our rating: 2/5
Price: *****

One of the "blue chip" restaurants on Kea, good quality food year round, if you can find a table. As you enter the town of Ioulis (Chora) through the arch, on your immediate left you will see the Piatsa . Owned by Yannis and Evangelia, this small corner eaterie serves a great assortment of carefully prepared Greek cuisine dishes at very decent prices, making a favourite among the locals. Does not take reservations so arrive early on weekends or…wait for one of the few tables outside on the picturesque piazza. Definitely value-for-money with lots of local ambiance and good home cooking.

Our rating: 4.5/5
Price: **

It is Kea’s less-known gem. It is a family-run restaurant in the middle of the beautiful Ioulis, next to the St Dimitri church. Mom Ritsa cooks, Dad and socialite son Yiannis serve, cannot get more…homey. Great, real, HOME-MADE cuisine with a very tasty, originally Greek menu, good local fresh materials. My favourites are the aubergine wraps with minced meat and the rabbit in beer sauce. Some times slow service when busy but the very polite Yiannis, a joy. Due to popularity, portions have grown lately smaller and more expensive so it misses the 5/5 mark by a sliver but that is no reason not to go. If the walk up (down is easy) does not deter you, recommended whole-heartedly. You may have to wait a bit for a table on busy weekends.

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ***

In the Chora, to your left on the way up, nearly across from Museum. More of a wine bar than restaurant , offering a variety of small and larger dishes. Overall expensive though the food is nice. Terrace has nice view.

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ****

The big tavern on the main square, across from the impressive neoclassical town hall. One of Kea's oldest establishments, family-run, a typical Greek tavern offering some pot dishes, a lot of grilled meat, gets crowded in the summer. Decent food but not exceptional, some dishes stand out more than others. Service can be very slow when busy.

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

Main square to the right from Town Hall. A newcomer offering nice Greek cuisine, some dishes exceptional. Worth trying. Finding seating may be challenging on busy days.

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ***

(past the main town hall square 80m)

You have a sweet tooth? You want to have a relaxing cup of Greek coffee with some nice oriental delights? Panorama is THE place. They make their own oriental sweets (baklava, kataifi, ravani, ekmek, etc) and many more. Their terrace offers sweeping Aegean and sunset views so get there early before sunset to get a seat. Music can be a bit loud and annoying at times.

Our rating: 3/5
Price: **

Much advertised, supposedly gourmet “nouvelle Greek cuisine", bespoke restaurant and bar, offering an impressive view of Hora and the Aegean. However, overall, we found it to be severely over-priced, portions are tiny, prices like those of a 1-2 star Michelin restaurant, less the taste, service  and quality. Service is from slow to erratic for the genre. Worth to go for a drink during sunset and no more. Treck to Steki from there and skip dinner there: too much hype, too little substance.

Our rating: 2.5/5
Price: *****

The larger than life Rolando and his wife Chryssa serve specialties from the island and from the island of Corfu where he comes from. Fish, Meats, Specialties or simply nicely grilled fair: fantastic food, real Greek hospitality! My favorites are by far the small fry with caramelized onions, fried baby calamari and the stellar, very unique, scorpion fish burdetto style when Rolando makes it! Whole-heartedly recommended, one of the best on the island. (2024)

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ***

Lagoudera (Rudder) is located across from where the ferries stop, in a you-cannot-miss neoclassical yellow building. Lagoudera features and array of Greek, including many local dishes. Do not miss the eggplant in red sauce with local cheese! Also many items on the grill. Nice location to people watch!

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

In the location of the not suprisingly now defunct MAGAZES, a new restaurant has sprung with a new name and new team of dynamic owners commited to bring new tastes to the island behind it. Namely a fine dining fish restaurant serving shrimp spaghetti, fish carpaccio and other high-end sefood dishes, plus some meat dishes. Overall pricey. We have not tried (2024) yet

Our rating: unrated
Price: unrated

Small tavern up in the port, you have to really look for the sign to take you up the small cobblestone back street to find it.  Food is decent, nothing to write hoem about, nice for the view. You have better choices in the port.

Our rating: 2.5/5
Price: ***

Typical Greek souvlaki joint in the port. Despite its central location, we were not very happy with its food. Twice we got typical "tylixto" gyro and the potatos were soggy and the gyros was not well cooked. SVOURA has far better souvlaki we believe (2024)

Our rating: 2.5/5
Price: ***

I do not know about you, but I have a sweet tooth! Jimmy’s is part of the islands’ history as the first and still one of the best coffee and sweet shops (and people watching corners). Though it makes excellent waffles, ice cream, profiterol, etc, my favorite are its traditional stronghold: the oriental baklava, kadaifi, ravani or galaktopoureko. Let the syrup ooze!

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ***

Phillippos is one of Kea's blue chip restaurants, open year round. With an extended menu, it offers a great view of the port area plus many Greek delicacies on the grill or spit, the succulent piglet being what they are famous for but they also offer many other grilled local meats. Very decent and service is good. Is highly popular, no reservations made (unless you are a large group), wait! (2024)

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

Seirios is another fish tavern in Vourkari. We have not tried yet

Our rating: n/a
Price: n/a

A restaurant that has changed several identities/cuisines in the last few years: from a fancy souvlaki place to a fish tavern and now a high-end fish restaurant for those yacht going folk that park at the marina next to it. Though we have not tried it, a restaurant that changes garb every year is  like a fish that smells to me from the head... Have not tried it, pricey we hear (2024)

Our rating: n/a
Price: n/a

(on the way up to Kastriani)

Definitely stands out as on of the top 3 value-for-money, blue-chip eating places in Kea. Open year-round, it serves delicious meat and fish dishes and vegetables too. Excellent Greek cuisine that includes rarities like saligaria (escargots/snails in red sauce). Fish when available, are decently priced and always fresh. A MUST during your Kea visit.

Our rating: 4.5/5
Price: *** (**** for fish meals)

Organized beach bar with sunbeds and tavern with all the basic fare, souvlakia, salads, etc and beers, coctails to quench your thirst (2024). On this note, Conde Naste Traveller selected in 2024 Spathi as one of the 30 best beaches in Greece! After 30 years in Kea, I would beg to differ, Kea has far nicer ones, but it is a matter of expectations, experiences and good marketing, I guess! To start with, make sure you have the right car to get to it, an SUV, 4X4 ideally, the road to get there is unpaved, overall ok but gets nasty in certain stretches. Worth going off peak season.

Our rating: 2.5/5
Price: ***

On of the best, most value-for-money restaurants on the island! Despite its humble surroundings and need to travel a bit, plus lack of any amazing sea view, George the chef and his family prepare Greek cuisine dishes with a twist, to perfection, with local products, a real farm-to-table original, served in a Michelin restaurant presentation, the one dish is better than the other! A family-run restaurant, the children serving, service lets a bit to be desired –some dishes took a while to get to our table- but well worth the wait! Only objection the lack of new menu items or seasonal dishes, gets boring after a visit or two as menu is limited.. Do not leave Kea if you do not try it! Worth the drive.

Our rating: 4.5/5
Price: ***

(Simon’s old Tavern)

Since Nektarions, Antoni’s brother from ANNA’s Vourkari took it over from Simon, the tavern has seen an amazing transformation in quality of food served. The spacious tavern (that can also host weddings and events) with the large terrace offers an array of local dishes and typical Greek cuisine foods, all well prepared and nicely served. One of the best eating-out choices if you are in the south of the island. Nice and cool on hot summer days up in Ellinika. Beware of the Greek live music on certain summer weekends, if not to your taste.

Our rating: 4/5
Price: ***

Cute little restaurant next to the mini market on the main square of Kato Meria, if you want to hang out with the locals, this is the place. Served limited meze and some dishes for...unlimited drinking. We hear as of 2024 has mor efare, cooked food etc. We have not tried. (2024)

Our rating: 3/5
Price: **

A first attempt to fine, gourmet, bio dining in Kea, in the premises of the Kearetreat. We have not tried, but a professional chef friend of ours who did try their 60 EUR sampler thought it was excellent... If you are a fan of the genre, brave the road down to Psathi and the overall bill, you may want to try it. Reservations a must in high season

Customer rating: 4/5
Price: *****