Heraklion (Irakleion) is the capital and largest city of Crete, a port city of about 179,000 people beside the Palace of Knossos, with a Venetian harbour, 16th-century walls and the world's finest collection of Minoan art.
Heraklion cooks the Cretan diet at its plainest and best: olive oil, wild greens (horta), barley rusk, goat and lamb, snails, graviera and myzithra cheeses and thyme honey, washed down with tsikoudia (raki) poured free at the end of many meals. The Old Town's tavernas around Kydonias and Chandakos streets sit beside bougatsa shops on Lions Square and seafood ouzeris along the Venetian harbour, while the 1866 Street market feeds the city's own kitchens.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Irakleion.
Dakos
Twice-baked barley rusk topped with grated tomato, crumbled xinomyzithra or feta, olives and oregano.
Where to try: Chagiati, Erganos and most Old Town tavernas
Price: EUR 6-9 (USD 7-10)
Sfakianopita
Thin pancake-pie from Sfakia filled with soft myzithra cheese and finished with thyme honey.
Where to try: Erganos, Old Town tavernas
Price: EUR 4-8 (USD 4.60-9)
Arni ofto (oven-roasted lamb)
Lamb slow-roasted with herbs in a wood oven until it falls from the bone.
Where to try: Merastri, Arismari & Varsamo
Price: EUR 12-20 (USD 14-23)
Bougatsa
Phyllo pie filled with warm cream (or cheese), dusted with sugar and cinnamon; a breakfast staple.
Where to try: Kirkor, Lions Square
Price: EUR 3-5 (USD 3.50-5.75)
Kalitsounia
Small Cretan cheese or herb pies, sweet (myzithra, honey and cinnamon) or savoury, fried or baked.
Where to try: Bakeries and tavernas on 1866 Street and in the Old Town
Price: EUR 1-2.50 each (USD 1.15-2.90)
Chochlioi boubouristi (snails)
Snails fried in olive oil, rosemary and vinegar, a Cretan meze classic.
Where to try: Chagiati and other meze tavernas
Price: EUR 8-12 (USD 9-14)
Apaki
Vinegar-cured, smoked pork served in thin slices or cooked with greens.
Where to try: Peskesi and Cretan tavernas
Price: EUR 9-14 (USD 10-16)
Stamnagathi and horta
Wild greens, including the prized stamnagathi thistle, boiled and dressed with olive oil and lemon.
Where to try: Petousis Taverna, Apiri Greek Eatery, Peskesi
Price: EUR 5-8 (USD 5.75-9)
Fresh grilled fish and octopus
Catch of the day grilled, or octopus with ouzo and oregano, served along the Venetian harbour.
Where to try: Ippokampos, Kastella, Ligo Krasi Ligo Thalassa, Ouzeri tou Terzaki
Price: EUR 14-30 (USD 16-35)
Raki with meze
Tsikoudia served with a small plate of fruit, rusks or cheese, often as a free end-of-meal treat.
Where to try: Chagiati and Old Town kafeneia such as Kafeneio O Tempelis
Price: EUR 2-5 per carafe (USD 2.30-5.75) or free
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Greek
Mediterranean
Cretan
Cretan Kafeneio
Cretan Meze
Food tours & tastings in Irakleion
Eat your way through Irakleion with a guide.
Browse food experiences in IrakleionWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Bougatsa
Cream or cheese bougatsa cut to order and eaten standing or at a table with a coffee
Find it at: Kirkor, Eleftheriou Venizelou (Lions) Square
Souvlaki and gyros pita
Pork or chicken in pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and chips; the standard cheap meal
Find it at: Grill shops around Daskalogianni Square, Eleftherias Square and Dedalou street
Kalitsounia and pies
Hand-sized cheese and herb pies bought warm from bakeries
Find it at: Bakeries on 1866 Street and Dedalou
Loukoumades
Fried dough balls dipped in honey and cinnamon
Find it at: Cafes around Lions Square and Eleftherias Square
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
1866 Street Market (Agora)
The narrow central market street selling cheese, olives, herbs, spices, meat, honey and raki, with small tavernas along it
Hours: Typically Mon-Sat mornings to evening, shorter hours Sunday; confirm locally
Saturday street market on 1866
Saturday local-produce market on and around 1866 Street
Hours: Saturday morning to afternoon
Laiki Agora (Itanou)
Neighbourhood open-air produce market with fruit, vegetables and local products
Hours: Thu and Sat 8:00AM-2:00PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch runs about 1:00PM-4:00PM and dinner starts after 8:00PM; many tavernas open all day on weekends.
Many tavernas bring a free carafe of raki and a small dessert or fruit at the end of the meal; accept it as a courtesy.
Order several shared dishes (dakos, greens, a grilled meat, a cheese pie) rather than one main each.
Fish is sold by weight; ask the price per kilo before ordering and let the waiter weigh it.
Cover charges of about EUR 1-2.50 (USD 1.15-2.90) per person for bread are normal; tipping 5-10 percent in cash is customary for good service.
Book ahead for Peskesi and Parasties in July-September; the other tavernas usually seat walk-ins early in the evening.
- Vegetarian
- Straightforward: dakos, horta, gemista, fava, fried cheese, boureki and cheese pies are on nearly every menu.
- Vegan
- Many Cretan fasting dishes are naturally vegan (horta, gigantes beans, stuffed vegetables); ask for no cheese and olive-oil-only preparation. Fast Vegan Food (Milatou 22) is a dedicated vegan restaurant.
- Halal
- No dedicated halal restaurants were verified; fish, vegetable and cheese-based meze are the practical choices, and pork is common in grills.
- Gluten free
- Grilled meat, fish, salads and horta are gluten-free by nature; avoid dakos, pies and bougatsa and ask staff to check sauces.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | EUR 15-25 per day (USD 17-29) | Bougatsa breakfast, souvlaki or a pie for lunch and a simple taverna dinner with house wine. |
| Mid-range | EUR 30-50 per day (USD 35-58) | Sit-down lunch or dinner at an Old Town taverna with meze, wine and raki. |
| Upscale | EUR 60-100+ per day (USD 69-115+) | Tasting-style Cretan dinner at Peskesi or Parasties with local wine. |