Lemonokipos

Lemonokipos — meaning 'lemon garden' — lives up to its name at Moshovitou 14 in Rethymno's old town, where a sheltered garden of lemon trees provides the backdrop for seasonal Cretan cooking that emphasises freshness and simplicity. The restaurant is set in the quieter streets behind Rethymno's main commercial strip, a short walk from the imposing Venetian Fortezza fortress that dominates the headland above the old town. This positioning makes Lemonokipos a natural choice for lunch after a Fortezza visit, providing a peaceful garden escape after the exposed hilltop site. The kitchen takes a straightforward approach: the menu changes seasonally, prioritising what is freshest from local suppliers and the Rethymno market. Dakos — the Cretan barley rusk topped with ripe tomatoes, aged graviera, and Cretan extra-virgin olive oil — is prepared here to a standard that consistently draws praise; the graviera used is well-aged and flavourful. Cheese plates are a strength of the restaurant: local Rethymno-region producers supply graviera, anthotyros, and myzithra, served with fig jam, thyme honey, and walnuts. Grilled fish (when available) is simply prepared with herbs from the garden. Seasonal vegetable dishes reflect whatever the garden and market are offering at any given time. The lemon tree garden dining space is the most sought-after part of the restaurant — shaded, aromatic, and quiet — and is the best option for warm-weather visits. Evening meals in the garden in summer are particularly atmospheric. The restaurant operates daily from noon to 23:00 between April and October. Average spend sits around €22 per person, making Lemonokipos good value relative to Rethymno's tourist-facing restaurants while maintaining a higher standard of ingredient quality.