Best Places to Eat in Symi: Restaurants, Tavernas and Local Food
The best places to eat in Symi combine the island’s distinctive settings with Greek cooking, seafood and local specialities. Visitors can dine beside the colourful harbour, walk towards Harani for a waterside table or climb into Chorio for a traditional taverna meal.
Seafood is an important part of the island’s appeal, particularly its famous small fried shrimps. However, a varied stay should also leave room for vegetable dishes, cooked specialities and meals away from the busiest waterfront.
Location deserves attention when choosing a restaurant. A terrace overlooking Gialos may involve steps, while dinner in Pedi requires a separate journey from the main harbour.
This guide compares five verified restaurants offering different styles and settings.
Where to Eat in Symi at a Glance
| Restaurant | Location | Style | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pantelis | Gialos harbour | Greek and Mediterranean seafood | A harbour meal and seafood dishes |
| Tholos | Harani waterfront | Greek and Mediterranean cooking | A waterside meal beyond the central harbour |
| Taverna Zoe | Chorio | Traditional Greek and Symian cooking | Combining village exploring with dinner |
| Agora | Lower Kali Strata, above Gialos | Modern Greek fine dining | A special-occasion evening |
| Katsaras Restaurant & Beach Bar | Pedi | Greek dishes and seafood | A relaxed coastal meal |
Opening periods, menus and reservation arrangements can change. Confirm current details before making a special journey, particularly outside the main summer season.
1. Pantelis: Seafood Beside Gialos Harbour
Pantelis is located on the waterfront at Gialos, making it convenient for visitors staying around Symi’s main harbour.
Greek and Mediterranean seafood dishes are central to its identity. Its location suits a meal combined with an evening walk past the harbour’s neoclassical buildings and moored boats.
Visitors interested in Symi’s small fried shrimps can ask whether they are available. Fish, seafood and other dishes should be chosen from the current menu rather than from photographs taken during previous seasons.
Pantelis works particularly well for travellers who want dinner within the main settlement, without arranging a journey to another bay.
A harbour table can make the meal feel part of the surrounding activity, although seating positions differ.
Best for: seafood and a convenient evening beside the harbour.
Practical consideration: reserve ahead when a particular evening matters. Confirm portion sizes and prices before ordering fish or shellfish sold by weight.
2. Tholos: Waterside Dining in Harani
Tholos stands along the Harani waterfront, beyond the central stretch of Gialos.
The setting is its clearest distinction. A walk around the harbour leads towards tables close to the water, providing a different perspective on Symi’s waterfront.
Greek and Mediterranean cooking, including seafood, forms the basis of the restaurant’s appeal. It suits visitors who want a leisurely meal rather than a quick stop between ferry arrival and departure.
Tholos can also make a useful destination for an evening walk. Allow time to enjoy the approach instead of treating the restaurant as another address immediately beside the main ferry quay.
The atmosphere will depend on the season, weather and table position, so discuss preferences when reserving.
Best for: couples, small groups and a meal overlooking the water.
Practical consideration: confirm the walking route and allow extra time from the central harbour. Ask about a preferred table without assuming that a particular position can be guaranteed.
3. Taverna Zoe: Traditional Cooking in Chorio
Taverna Zoe is located in Chorio, Symi’s upper settlement.
It provides a reason to explore beyond the harbour restaurants and spend an evening among the village streets. The taverna is associated with traditional Greek and Symian cooking, making it worth considering for visitors interested in cooked dishes and shared plates.
Ask about the day’s preparations rather than choosing only familiar grilled items. Vegetable dishes can also be rewarding, although dietary requirements should be discussed directly.
A meal here fits naturally after exploring Chorio or visiting the Archaeological Museum earlier in the day.
The journey is part of the decision. Climbing from Gialos along the Kali Strata involves many steps, while road transport provides an alternative.
Best for: traditional taverna dining and an evening in the upper settlement.
Practical consideration: plan both the ascent and return journey. Visitors who prefer to avoid stairs should confirm the nearest suitable vehicle drop-off point.
4. Agora: Modern Greek Dining Above the Harbour
Agora offers a more formal alternative to Symi’s traditional tavernas.
Located at The Old Markets Hotel’s Captain’s Mansion building, near the lower Kali Strata, it serves modern Greek cuisine in an elevated setting above Gialos.
The restaurant suits an anniversary, birthday or another evening when visitors want to plan around the meal itself. Its terrace and outlook contribute to the experience, alongside a more refined dining approach.
Review the current menu before booking to ensure that the style and price match expectations. Dietary requirements are best raised in advance rather than on arrival.
Agora can be combined with a harbour walk, but access involves steps from the waterfront area.
Best for: special occasions and visitors seeking contemporary Greek cooking.
Practical consideration: book ahead and ask about access if stairs are a concern. Confirm the current menu format, reservation terms and seasonal opening dates.
5. Katsaras: A Coastal Meal in Pedi
Katsaras Restaurant & Beach Bar is located beside the water in Pedi, a separate coastal settlement east of the main town.
Its Greek and Mediterranean menu includes seafood, providing an option for visitors spending time around the bay.
The principal attraction is the setting: a meal close to the shore, away from Gialos’s ferry activity. It is particularly convenient for guests staying in Pedi who prefer to eat locally rather than travel into the harbour every evening.
Visitors based elsewhere can combine lunch with a walk around the bay or other coastal plans. Check the menu and atmosphere on arrival to decide whether it suits the occasion.
Best for: a relaxed waterside meal and visitors staying around Pedi.
Practical consideration: confirm return transport before an evening visit. The journey back towards Chorio or Gialos should be planned separately from the restaurant booking.
What Food Should Visitors Try in Symi?
Symi’s Small Fried Shrimps
The island’s best-known speciality is Symi shrimp, commonly called symiako garidaki.
These small shrimps are usually fried and, when appropriately prepared, eaten whole. They make a useful shared dish alongside salads and other plates.
Ask whether they are available and how they are served. Their association with the island does not establish the origin of every restaurant’s supply, so enquire if local sourcing matters.
Fish and Seafood
Fish, octopus, calamari and other seafood appear across Symi’s restaurant menus.
The most useful question is what the kitchen recommends that day. Availability and preparation can vary, and an expensive whole fish is not automatically a better choice than a carefully cooked smaller dish.
For fish priced by weight, establish the approximate total before confirming the order. The same applies to lobster and other premium seafood.
Vegetable Dishes and Meze
A meal of shared plates provides variety beyond the main-course section.
Depending on the restaurant, choices may include dips, salads, beans, stuffed vegetables, greens and cheese dishes. Daily preparations can be particularly interesting.
These dishes can form a full meal rather than simply precede a large main course. Ordering gradually also helps when portion sizes are unfamiliar.
Greek Wine and Simple Desserts
Ask about Greek wines available by the glass when trying something unfamiliar.
Dessert choices vary between kitchens, so check what is made in-house or prepared that day. A simple sweet can be a pleasant finish without making every meal an elaborate occasion.
Which Area Is Best for Eating Out?
Gialos: Convenience and Harbour Atmosphere
Gialos offers the easiest starting point for visitors who want to compare restaurants on foot.
The waterfront provides sea views and harbour activity, while nearby streets contain additional options away from the first row of tables.
It suits shorter stays and visitors who prefer not to arrange transport after dinner.
Harani: A Different Waterfront Perspective
Harani extends the dining possibilities beyond the central harbour.
It is worth considering for visitors who enjoy a walk before eating and want to see another part of the waterfront.
Check the actual distance from accommodation rather than assuming every harbour-area restaurant is equally close.
Chorio: Village Dining Above the Port
Chorio suits travellers who want to combine food with exploring Symi’s upper settlement.
Its lanes and squares provide a different evening atmosphere from Gialos, but steps and gradients deserve attention.
Using road transport for one or both journeys can make the outing more comfortable.
Pedi: A Meal Beside the Bay
Pedi is useful for visitors staying near the coast or planning an outing away from the main harbour.
A lunch or dinner here can add variety without requiring a long sightseeing itinerary. Confirm transport arrangements before settling in for the evening.
Practical Tips for Eating in Symi
Reserve important meals. Book ahead for a particular restaurant, occasion or seating preference during busy periods.
Check seafood pricing. Clarify whether a price is per portion or by weight, and agree on the approximate total.
Ask about daily dishes. Cooked vegetables, stews and other preparations can add interest beyond standard grilled choices.
Explain dietary requirements clearly. Vegetable dishes, sauces and pastry may contain cheese, eggs, stock or other ingredients not obvious from the name.
Allow time before ferries. A leisurely restaurant meal and a tightly timed departure are an awkward combination.
Plan for steps and transport. A restaurant with a harbour view may sit above the water rather than directly beside it.
Choosing Where to Eat in Symi
For a varied stay, combine a harbour meal at Pantelis, a walk towards Tholos, and an evening of traditional cooking at Taverna Zoe.
Agora provides a more formal option for a special occasion, while Katsaras adds a reason to spend time beside Pedi Bay.
The most suitable choice depends on the day’s plans, current menu and preferred atmosphere. Exploring more than one part of the island gives visitors a broader experience than eating along the same stretch of waterfront every evening.