3 Best Restaurants in Crete, Greece

Clinging to the cliff above the lake, this restaurant offers some of the best views in town. Food is on a par, too: Mediterranean-inspired dishes accompany Greek classics, and the steaks are rightly famous. It's set in a building from the 1890s, and a piano player complements the atmosphere with a repertoire of classics. It's more expensive than some, but the appealing dining room and quality of food compensates. A more informal café next door, under the same ownership, is a great place to unwind.

Steps away from the busy harbor, Tamam feels like a giant leap back in time—it's an ancient Turkish bath that now houses one of the most atmospheric restaurants in Chania's Old Town. Tamam means "alright" in Turkish, but the plates presented are certainly more than okay. Under the former bath-house's cool arches, Politiki Kouzina, Turkish-tinged plates from the Greeks of Asia Minor predominate—Chiounkiar Begienti (spiced lamb with eggplant), Staka (a warm creamy fondue-like cheese), and glorious, nuanced kebab. More than 40 wines are carried, most from Crete, and many available by the carafe.

In the old Ottoman district of Splantzia, opposite the underground church of Ayia Irene, this restaurant is somewhat difficult to find even with a map, but it is worth the endeavor. It serves a mixture of Greek and Turkish dishes with the odd trip to Northern Africa and the Middle East. With vaulted ceilings, terra-cotta floors and cobalt-blue walls set with jewel-like windows and the eponymous well, it's a memorable place to eat. Flatbreads, such as Fatayer bi Sabanikh, with spinach, mizithra, walnuts and raisins, and Lahmajun, with minced lamb and parsley, are particularly strong. Best to take a number of small plates and share in the traditional way.