Nikos Skaltsas

Nikos Skaltsas is a harbour-front fish restaurant at 25 Avgoustou 10 in Heraklion, positioned close to the famous Koules Venetian fortress and the city's old harbour — one of Crete's most historically significant waterfront settings. The restaurant has built its reputation on simple, reliable, and honestly priced seafood that reflects the quality of daily catches from the Cretan Sea rather than theatrical presentation. This approach has earned it a loyal following among Heraklion's own residents, who continue to choose it over flashier alternatives — a reliable indicator of consistent quality. The menu is straightforward Greek fish taverna: grilled whole fish is always the centrepiece order. Sea bream (tsipoura), sea bass (lavraki), red mullet (barbounia), and whatever else arrived from the boats that morning are presented simply — charcoal-grilled with a drizzle of Cretan olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh oregano. Boiled fresh anchovies (gavros) are a traditional Cretan preparation where the tiny fish are briefly boiled then dressed with olive oil and vinegar — delicate and excellent when fresh. Grilled octopus (htapodi), beaten flat and charred over high heat, is another standard order done well. Fried zucchini with tzatziki makes a reliable vegetable side. The house wine by the carafe and cold Fix beer are the natural drinks accompaniments. Service is efficient and unpretentious. The restaurant operates daily from noon through midnight, allowing it to serve both lunch visitors and the late Heraklion dinner crowd that typically eats from 21:00 onwards. Reservations are recommended for evenings, particularly for harbour-view tables. Average spend is around €32 per person including wine.