No matter how near or far you are from home, a recommendation for a good restaurant or bar is always nice to have.  EATS is a collection of places that I’ve enjoyed during my travels.

Metaxi mas
The Cycladic islands are known for their distinctive, white-washed towns with narrow, winding streets, which is where you’ll find Metaxi mas.  Located in the heart of Naxos’ Old Town/Chora, this taverna offers a wide range of traditional Greek and Naxian dishes made from fresh and local ingredients.  We love to order a couple of small plates to share and started this meal with the stuffed peppers with melty feta, followed by the chicken kebob (one of the only times I ate meat during our time in Greece) served with salad and rice, a half portion of calamari with fries and of course a Greek salad.

If I can offer one piece of advice, when in Greece never pass up the opportunity to order a Greek salad – a generous wedge of tangy feta cheese atop tomatoes, cumbers, bell peppers, onions and olives with a drizzle of olive oil and dusting of spices – simple and delicious, especially when paired with house wine (don’t pass that up either).  I also found it interesting that all the restaurants we ate at during this trip used the name “Greek salad” rather than the traditional name horiatiki salad that I remember seeing on menus the last time we were in Greece nearly a decade ago.

The food at Metaxi mas was good and the portions were hearty, and we enjoyed watching the congregation of cats passing by as we ate, playfully eyeing the parade of dishes as they are brought to each table.  At the end of the meal, we were presented with a lemon concoction served in a shot glass (maybe frozen limoncello, or maybe just sorbetto?), which was a refreshing and unexpected treat.

Metaxi mas, Naxos 843 00, +30 2285 026425, metaximas-taverna.gr

To Elliniko
We knew this place would be special the moment we walked through the trellised entryway entangled with bougainvillea, but we didn’t know it would be one of our favorite meals of our trip.  It was still early in the evening, but the beautiful outdoor seating area of To Elliniko was already full when we arrived, bursting with flowers and bronzed diners as servers moved quickly between tables without sacrificing hospitality.  The restaurant prides itself in offering simple homemade Greek food, cooked with fresh local products, love and Meraki (basically putting your heart and soul into something).

We started with a Greek salad (obviously), which we enjoyed as we sipped Ouzo and house white wine that was served in an adorable aluminum pitcher (we saw these for sale here in the nearby town of Filoti).  While one of the most popular dishes is the Kleftiko (slow roasted lamb in a parcel with vegetables, potatoes and feta cheese), we opted for the stuffed tomatoes and peppers, filled with rice and slow roasted until melt-in-your mouth tender, along with what was listed on the menu simply as “giant beans” cooked in tomato sauce.

This ridiculously underwhelming description did not do justice to the incredible dish that was presented to us, which was indeed large beans that were stewed with tender carrots in a rich, silky tomato and olive oil broth.  Thank goodness we had bread to soak up every last drop of deliciousness of this unassuming dish that quite literally stole the show.  The final act was a small bowl of citrus-flavored yogurt that perfectly cleansed the palate without diluting the memory of this very special restaurant.

To Elliniko, Ioannou Paparigopoulou, Naxos 843 00, +30 2285 027050, toelliniko.com

Meltemi
On our last night in Naxos was also marked with an incredible meal at Meltemi, which has been proudly serving local cuisine since 1970.  We sat outside on the beautiful patio and were warmly greeted by the owner Niko who helped us with the difficult task of deciding what to order.  We ordered both white and rose wine (the latter was his personal recommendation) along with a Greek salad.  He also recommended the pitarakia, crispy filo pastry filled with Naxian cheese and drizzled with honey and sesame seeds, and we couldn’t leave Naxos without trying briam, a medley of traditional vegetables – zucchini, egglplant, peppers, tomatoes, onion and potatoes – roasted together in what can be described as the Greek version of ratatouille.

When we told Niko it was our last night in Naxos, he presented us with “something special”, which included two glasses of ouzo and a slice of orange cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream boasting the same delicious tang as the amazing Greek yogurt we had been treated too all week.  A few minutes later two more glasses seemed to appear at our table, presumably to ensure our farewell to Naxos was a warm and memorable one.

Meltemi prides itself on being a family restaurant, which was more than evident from the snippets of stories we heard Niko share as he made his way from table to table, making each table feel like welcomed guests.  Even the waitstaff had “grown up” in his restaurant, he shared, further adding to its charm.

Meltemi, Aristidi Protopapadaki, Naxos 843 00, +30 2285 022654, meltemi-naxos.gr