SANTORINI

Assyrtico

Housed in an old mansion, a lovely courtyard of olive and pistachio trees greets visitors taking part in wine and spirit tasting sessions in an outdoor bar under the trees. A rich selection of wines from local wineries is available, with an emphasis on Santorini’s most famous variety: Assyrtiko. Choose from 70 labels ranging from €22 – €700 to accompany Mediterranean dishes. Some wines are also available by the glass. The restaurant opens early in the day. • Fira • Tel. (+30) 22860.224.63

MILOS

Armenaki

In the most beautiful village of the island, Pollonia, right by the sea you can enjoy fresh seafood and excellent lobster, and accompany your meal with wine labels exclusively from Greek vineyards. The list changes every year and is personally curated by the owner and sommelier, who will knowledgeably guide you to the right choice. It features 50 labels and the prices range from €7.5-46 euros per bottle. • Tel. (+30) 22870.41.061

Yialos

Also located in Pollonia, Yialos presents modern Greek cuisine and is famous for its seafood dishes, while also offering several pasta and meat options. The wine list focuses on Greek vineyards and contains interesting options, from sparkling to dessert wines. It includes 70 labels (€14 – €76 per bottle). • Tel. (+30) 22870.412.08

TINOS

Thalassaki

The natural beauty of the area, its Cycladic charm and the bold culinary creativity of Antonia Zarpa are three good reasons to visit Thalassaki. The wine list (40 labels, €22 – €120 per bottle), are compiled by Aris Tatsis, Antonia’s husband and restaurant co-owner, and emphasize local vineyards. In fact, this year thanks to the Coravin System, they are able to serve their complete range of Tinos wines by the glass. • Ysternion Bay • Tel. (+30) 22830.313.66

MYKONOS

Bill & Coo

This hotel combines contemporary design with elegant luxury. The same applies to the restaurant by the pool where you can enjoy a fine-dining experience. The cuisine follows the current trend for fusion dishes based on raw materials mainly sourced from local producers. The wine list includes a wide variety of commercially available wines (107 labels from €25 – €1,600 per bottle). • Bill & Coo Hotel, Megali Ammos, Mykonos town • Tel. (+30) 22890.262.92-3

Ling Ling by Hakkasan

The prestigious chain of modern Japanese izakaya bars has spread from Mumbai to London, and now to Mykonos, where it has become the entertainment hotspot of the island. Try the excellent high-end Cantonese cuisine and accompany your dishes with a signature cocktail. The wine list includes selections from all over the world (from €40 – €5,000 per bottle). Put your faith in the sommelier to pick the perfect drink for you. • Philipi Street, Chora, Mykonos • Tel. (+30) 22890.225.15

Sale e Pepe

With a clear inclination towards showcasing wine since its first day in business, their wine list contains around 600 labels, of which 200 are Greek. Thanks to the efforts of talented sommelier/owner, Ivan Ottaviani, Wine Spectator magazine has consistently recognized Sale e Pepe with awards for its wine list.

Prices start at €26 per bottle, but you can also purchase half bottles of certain wines, depending on what is available on the day. About seven labels are served by the glass. Regulars often place their faith in the maestro of wine to choose the best one for them. • Lakka, Mykonos town • Tel. (+30) 22890.242.07

CENTRAL GREECE

Gastrodromio en Olympo

It would probably take you less time to climb Olympus than it would to try all the wines on this restaurant’s list. With self-taught chef Andreas Gavris at the helm, a visit to this restaurant in the town of Litochoro is nothing short of a culinary adventure. The wine list has suggestions from 500 labels from all over Greece and the world (€10 – €1,200 per bottle) and more than 20 are served by the glass. • 36 Aghiou Nikolaou, Litochoro • Tel. (+30) 23520.213.00

Grapa

A little wine bar, with a large wine list and delicious accompanying dishes. All of the 180 labels from Greece and the world come served by the glass. Furthermore, every week 10 new labels are made available by the glass (via a dispenser maintenance system), which are selected either according to prevailing trends or seasonality. • 1 Kontaratou, Volos • Tel. (+30) 24210.303.70

Klimax

This place enjoys views of the ruins of Larissa’s ancient theater, and is worth a visit for the walk-in wine cellar alone (540 labels, €15-150).

Wine tastings are organized upon request. The bar’s list showcases wines from Greece and the world, arranged geographically. There is a selection of PDO wines and an emphasis on the wine regions of Greece, such as Santorini, Nemea and Naoussa. Locally sourced wines from Thessaly are also featured at very reasonable prices. • 2 Ifaistou & Venizelou, Larissa • Tel. (+30) 24102.511.08

Plagios

Perhaps the only wine restaurant in the city of Volos with 160 selections from Greek labels alone, geographically varied and with relatively good prices (€19-180 per bottle). About 20 of the wines come served by the glass (€5 per glass). • 8 Kontaratou, Volos • Tel. (+30) 24210.219.00

CRETE

Avli

The restaurant operates in the inner courtyard of a complex of three Venetian-influenced buildings and serves modern Cretan cuisine prepared with mainly local ingredients. It is linked  to a hotel and has a wine list containing 460 wine labels from Crete’s major wine regions. The list is divided into geographical regions and producers. The selection of 20 that are available by the glass change very often. • 22 Xanthoulidou & Radamanthyos, Rethymno • Tel. (+30) 28310.582.50 / 28310.262.13

Peskesi

This restaurant is the epitome of Cretan hospitality. Tradition is brought to life through dishes based on ancient recipes, and the service is characterized by the authenticity and passion that Cretans are famous for. The food is cooked with local ingredients, procured from either the owner’s own farm or from local producers. The wine list showcases Cretan wineries, with more than 70 options, with many served by the glass. • 6-8 Kapetan Haralambi, Irakleio • Tel. (+30) 2810.288.887

Tamam

At the top of every foreign visitor’s to-do list in Chania. The excellent location and consistently good quality Mediterranean and Greek cuisine are the elements that have made this place popular for years. The wine list features around 60 Cretan and Greek labels including some by the glass. In the summer months, a table can be hard to find. • 49 Zambeliou, Chania • Tel. (+30) 28210.960.80

IONIAN ISLANDS

Kiani Akti

A remarkable eatery by the sea, with fresh seafood and a gracious host, Andronikos Lazaratos, to elevate the whole experience. On the wine list you will find Greek and foreign vineyards, but you should definitely try something from the island’s well-known wineries, Domaine Charitatos, Sklavos, Gentilini and Melissenos, which come at very good prices. • Metaxa Ioannou, Argostoli, Cephalonia • Tel. (+30) 26710.266.80

NORTHERN GREECE

Kontosoros

The culinary skills of chef Nikos Kontosoros and his imaginative use of local ingredients make this restaurant an experience. The cuisine is rustic, with influences from rural Greece and Europe. In the impressive cellar there are approximately 200 labels (€12 – €2,000 euros per bottle), over 150 of which are Greek, covering all major wine producing areas of the country. Around 30 excellent choices of exclusively local vineyards are available by the glass at very attractive prices. • Xino Nero, Florina • Tel. (+30) 23860.812.56 

Thomas

Creative Greek cuisine in a gem of restaurant that has contributed to the area’s touristic development. Their love of good Greek wine is demonstrated in their not one but three wine lists! The first has 365 labels of 750 ml, one for each day of the year and very reasonably priced (from €6.50-85 per bottle). The second features magnum bottles of 1 – 27 (!) liters, and the third is for vintage wines, from 1944 until 2003. There are 20 selections which come served by the glass with an emphasis on local wines. • 14th kilometer on the Amyntaio-Kastoria road, Florina • Tel. (+30) 23860.310.80/312.06

PELOPONNESE

Bodegas

An industrial environment, open kitchen and a selection of 100 labels (€16 – €100 euros), which are categorized by type of wine – white, rosé or red. If you know your stuff and are looking for something rare or old, you will have access to their cellar. Around 22 selections come served by the glass, with the available options rotated regularly. • 147 Riga Fereou, Patras • Tel. (+30) 26102.211.13

Costa Navarino

The wine collection at Costa Navarino includes 260 labels from 15 countries. However the emphasis is on Greek vineyards, which are represented through a wide selection of varieties and geographical locations. 120 labels from 80 wineries have been selected for their balance between aroma and flavor. The master wine list is available in the suites and villas of Costa Navarino hotels, while each restaurant has a rich range selected on the basis of style, culture and cuisine. In each restaurant, a wine ambassador, trained by the head sommelier, will help you make your choice. Wine lovers should visit the wine cellars of the Italian restaurant Da Luigi and that of Pero, the main restaurant of the Romanos Luxury Collections Resort. • Messinia • Tel. (+30) 2723.095.000

3Sixty

A busy place with modern decor and a relaxed atmosphere, this restaurant is a great choice for a meal with friends. It opens in the morning for coffee, but the impressive cellar is what steals the show later on in the day. It showcases more than 350 labels from all over Greece, with an emphasis on Peloponnesian vineyards (150 bottles of 750 ml). There are also magnum wines from all over Greece, as well as several options served by the glass (€5 per glass).  • 1 Koletti & Papanikolaou, Nafplio • Tel. (+30) 27520.280.68