On the main road, leave the house, going left, after Peesses beach, in middle of valley. Margarita defines good Greek home-cooking: decently priced Greek cuisine, some from the pot, some from the oven and grilled local meats or souvlaki. Margarita herself stands out as a personality but also for the good basic Greek food with Kean fresh bio products and vegetarian dishes, one of the few truly value-for-money Kean restaurants. Service can be very slow if busy, that is why it missed the 5/5 mark.

Our rating: 4/5
Price: **

(green restaurant on far right on the beach)

It's prime location may attract you but overall food quality is mediocre and expensive, not always the freshest. For a light nibble or salad may be a viable choice if you are on the beach already but go to Margarita if not too lazy.

Our rating: 2/5
Price: ***

Up-scale taverna in the beach bar complex offering a selection of various salads, fish, and tavern items. If you are on the beach chairs you can also order sandwiches and light lunch items. Is overall pricey, among some on the grill, a lot of fried food and pre-frozen items. Convenient but far from quality or value-for-money. Good for a drink at all hours!

Our rating: 2/5
Price: ***

The beach bar on Koundouraki beach offers some very decent fair. Huge burgers from local meat, fresh salads, eccentric ice teas and smoothies from organic products and apart from all kind soft drinks, beer, soda, some very interesting cold mint teas! On the pricey side overall but you are on the beach!

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

Newcomer, 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.

Our rating: 1/5
Price: *****

A come back! From shoddy to enjoyable! Had a nice lunch (June 21) on the terrace overlookign the Kampi Bay, with many small surprises! Good choice for a light (or not..) lunch if in the area, close to many nice beaches. Its tour-de-force are home-made pies (mushroom to die for, cheese, vegetable, meat), occasionaly when in season lamb-on-the-spit, a Greek tradition, meats on the grill (no fish) but also small Greek delicacies like meat stuffed onions (!) or perfectly fried large prawns. Service is a bit slow in peak times and prices are on a par with othe risland taverns (=on expensive side)

Our rating: 3/5
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. Definitely value-for-money with lots of local ambiance and good home cooking.

Our rating: 4/5
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. 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: 2/5
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 severely over-priced, portions are tiny, at prices like those of a 1-2 star Michelin restaurant, less the taste and quality. Service is from slow to erratic for the genre. Worth to go for a drink during sunset and no more. Trek to Steki from there and skip dinner there: too much hype, too little substance.

Our rating: 2/5
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 on the grill

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

Very popular restaurant with tourists due to its location smack in the middle of the port and in front of the marina. Food is mediocre, nothing to write home about at times stodgy and inedible. I would avoid.

Our rating: 1/5
Price: ***

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. Though has improved in last 2-3 years. not much of a variety or the food is exceptional. Nice for the view. You have better choices in the port.

Our rating: 2/5
Price: **

They say that Greek pizza is the best! This little family run joint verifies the adage. The only issue is that it is quite…pricey for pizza and what it overall offers. If you have had it with Greek cooking, try it. Pizzas are very tasty and at decent size.

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

Phillippos is one of Kea's blue chip restaurants, open year round. With anew building and extended menu, it offers agreat view of the port area plus many Greek delicacies on the grill or spit, the succulent piglet being what they are famous for but also many other grilled local meats. Not stellar but very decent and service is good (except for peak hours).

Our rating: 3/5
Price: ***

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

Our rating: n/a
Price: n/a

Vourkarion from a fancy souvlaki joint has joined its Vourkari sibblings as a fancy fish tavern. Popular opinion has it that though pricey, it is one of the best fish taverns on the island. We have not tried yet.

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 are decently priced and always fresh. A MUST during your visit.

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

I cannot rave enough about this little inconspicuous roadside restaurant with the simple décor! In fact, it may be in my opinion after 25 years of presence on Kea, the BEST, most value-for-money on the island! Despite the humble surroundings and/or offer of any amazing sea view, George the chef and his family prepare Greek cuisine dishes with a twist, to perfection, with local products and served in a Michelin restaurant fashion and 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! The most important surprise the tab: defines the word VALUE-FOR-MONEY (misses the 5/5 for service alone). Do not leave Kea if you do not try it! Worth the drive.

Our rating: 4/5
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: ***

The cute little restaurant next to the mini market on the main square, if you want to hang out with the locals, this is the place. Cute small coffee shop/tavern in the evening serving limited meze and some dishes for...unlimited drinking.

Our rating: 2/5
Price: **