A casual, friendly meze bar near Heraklion's harbour popular with students and locals. Good selection of small plates, fried snacks, and cold meats to accompany raki or beer. Open from late afternoon. Great for budget travellers who want to eat well without spending much.
Meze Meze is a casual, affordable meze bar on 25 Avgoustou near Heraklion's harbour, popular with the city's students, young professionals, and budget-conscious travellers looking for good food and drink without spending much. The format is simple: a selection of small plates (mezedes) covering fried snacks, cold meats, cheeses, and seasonal preparations, designed to be shared over drinks rather than eaten as a formal meal. Opening from late afternoon, Meze Meze functions primarily as an early-evening gathering place for locals finishing work, making it livelier and more social from around 18:00 onwards. The menu's strength lies in its fried snacks and Cretan staples: the mixed meze plate is a reliable starting point, featuring a rotating selection of cheeses, olives, loukaniko (Cretan sausage), and dips. Tiganito tyri — fried cheese, typically graviera or kefalograviera, served with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of honey — is a Cretan taverna staple done well here. Pitaroudia are another highlight: these chickpea fritters, seasoned with cumin, fresh herbs, and spring onions, are a distinctly Cretan snack not found widely outside the island. Cold Cretan beer (Fix, the main Greek lager) and raki by the glass complete the offering. The atmosphere is cheerful and unpretentious — bare tables, a simple fit-out, no bookings, no dress code. For travellers staying near the Heraklion harbour who want to eat well and inexpensively before exploring the city's evening culture, Meze Meze provides exactly that function. Average spend is around €12–16 per person including drinks, making it among the most budget-friendly quality eating options near the Heraklion waterfront.
Good to know
- Reservations
- No booking
Location
25 Avgoustou, Heraklion 71202
35.3403, 25.1325 View on map
Highlights
- Casual harbour-area meze bar popular with Heraklion students and locals — affordable and lively
- Pitaroudia (Cretan chickpea fritters with cumin and herbs) — a distinctly Cretan snack done well
- Tiganito tyri (fried graviera cheese with lemon and honey) — a reliable Cretan classic
- Opens from late afternoon and becomes a social pre-dinner gathering spot from around 18:00
- Average spend of €12–16 per person — among the most affordable eating options near the harbour
Tips for visiting
- The restaurant opens at 16:00 — ideal for a late afternoon meze and drinks session.
- Order pitaroudia and tiganito tyri alongside the mixed meze plate for a well-rounded spread.
- Cold Cretan raki and Fix beer are the natural drinks companions to meze; both are very reasonably priced.
- No bookings are taken; arrive between 16:00–18:00 to secure a table before the evening crowd builds.
- This is a grazing spot rather than a formal dinner — order in rounds and take your time.
Accessibility
The restaurant is on 25 Avgoustou, a main road near Heraklion harbour, with flat pavement access. The interior is on one level with no steps. The casual, uncluttered layout is generally manageable for wheelchair users.
Frequently asked questions
Is Meze Meze open for lunch?
No. The restaurant opens from 16:00 onwards. It operates as an afternoon and evening meze bar, closing around 01:00.
Is Meze Meze suitable for vegetarians?
Reasonably so. The fried cheese (tiganito tyri), pitaroudia (chickpea fritters), olives, dips, and some seasonal vegetable mezedes are all meat-free. The menu is not exclusively vegetarian but options are available.
Can you eat a full meal here?
Meze Meze is designed for grazing rather than a structured multi-course meal. Ordering several plates of mezedes adds up to a satisfying and inexpensive evening meal, though it is not presented as a full-service restaurant.
What is a meze in the Cretan context?
In Crete, meze (mezedes in plural) refers to small plates of food — cheese, sausage, fried snacks, dips, pickles — traditionally served alongside raki or ouzo as a social eating format rather than a formal meal.