Aby Saltiel, local insider and owner of Mykonos hotel Kalesma, recommends Bar 180 “because of the amazing sunset and great music.” The west-facing spot overlooks the Aegean and the neighboring island of Delos. Dishes celebrate Greek culture and include land and sea favorites such as lamb pita, tuna tartare, shrimp ceviche, and veggie platters with hummus Greek-stuffed vine leaves.

For Mykonos nightlife, Aby Saltiel, local insider and owner of Mykonos hotel Kalesma, recommends Alemagou, saying that some of the best DJs play here for the beach parties. The all-day beach bar and restaurant is an open-air style setup in the sand, with plush lounge chairs for relaxing and Greek menu items like eggplant with yogurt and grated tomatoes, gyros, crawfish orzo, lobster pasta, and fresh-grilled fish.

For spectacular views and modern renditions of Greek cuisine, book a table at Ambrosia, which overlooks the caldera and has long been ground-zero for the Santorini jet-set.

One of the best restaurants in Imerovigli, Anogi serves traditional Greek cuisine like grilled octopus and baked feta. The popular restaurant boasts a simple terrace and warm dining room with sand-colored walls and vibrant red lanterns on each table.

Finally Athens has its own juice bar and vegan hot spot. Avocado, a friendly narrow café located next to a small little organic market, is the place to go when you're craving a green juice, kombucha, or raw chocolate dessert.

The Mykonos outpost of chef Ettore Botrini’s Michelin-starred Athens hot-spot serves one of the island’s most creative takes on fine-dining.

TheBuddha Bar restaurant, at the Santa Marina hotel, is ideally situated for star and yacht gazing with its commanding views over Ornos Bay. The wind-protected restaurant has an oyster bar for lunch, sushi for dinner and also offers plenty of more filling Mediterranean options. It’s chic, laid-back yet upscale ambiance works well for couples or families.

On an island where traditional tavernas and white-tableclothed restaurants reign supreme, Catch is an anomaly, with a sleek, stylish interior and serving beautifully plated, innovative dishes. The stunning, open-air dining room is accented by lush greenery and vibrant flowers. Tables are centered around the bar, above which hangs a white, nest-like light fixture. The rooftop alcove is the best spot for sunset dining thanks to the stunning panoramic views it offers. The cuisine is Mediterranean fusion, and includes traditional dishes with surprising twists—Catch’s take on spinach pie comes deconstructed (spinach mousse, feta foam) and served in a mason jar. Other menu items might include octopus with fava beans, scallops with saffron and beetroot marshmallows, red mullet risotto and the particularly delicious “pastichio,” a lasagna-like dish of beef ragout, San Michali cheese and allspice. The setting feels more Miami than Greek Isle, and despite having a somewhat obscure location in Oia town, the restaurant provides an oasis from the bustling streets.

This beachside restaurant on the northeastern side of Corfu (an hour’s drive from town) is a wonderful choice for lunch if exploring the farther reaches of the island. Dine on fresh seafood and Greek specialties under the leafy portico after swimming in the clear, aquamarine waters of the pebble beach.

Just off the well-worn path of Chania’s harbor, this lively taverna serves authentic Cretan food, mainly from the Sfakia region. (Dialiskari, the amazing sister taverna at Marmara beach is well worth the trip – accessible only by boat or on foot from Sfakia). Lamb, goat, and suckling pig from the owner’s farm are roasted in a wood-fired oven, which also turns out deliciously smoky bread. The ‘village omelet’ with local graviera cheese and stamnagathi (wild chicory) is another must-try.

Cookoovaya is the collaboration of five Greek chefs looking to create “wise cuisine.” The name is a cute play on words (the first park being cook, the second part, koukouvaya, meaning owl in Greek. Hence “wise cuisine.”), but the philosophy—and the food—is serious. The chefs source ingredients from small producers and farms throughout Greece, and the result is a simple yet inventive menu. The open kitchen and clean lines make for a cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

While Dionysos was a tourist trap in its first 50 years of business, new ownership and a new chef have transformed the restaurant completely.  Situated at the base of the Acropolis, the elegant spot’s idyllic atmosphere and panoramic views of the Parthenon make it perfect for a pre- or post-Acropolis meal of delicious, modern Greek food.

Aby Saltiel, local insider and owner of Mykonos hotel Kalesma, recommends Dopios, calling it “elevated Greek food.” A modern Greek mezze restaurant, Dopios uses local products and small producers from across Greece to create beloved appetizers and mains like hummus, smoked eggplant dip, fish croquettes and seafood orzo.

Set on a corner of Adrianou, a popular shopping street, Eat at Milton’s serves fresh and delicious seafood dishes in an airy patio restaurant.

This award-winning restaurant makes an upmarket pit stop after visiting the Minoan Palace of Knossos, 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away. Chef Argyro Varda focuses on seasonal Greek fare: hand-made pasta twirls with local goat’s cheese, snail and bulgar pilaf, and lamb’s liver risotto, a dish traditionally served at Cretan weddings. The vibe is a little pretentious but the food is consistently good, especially if you’re tired of typical taverna fare.

“They serve very creative food at Ex Machina,” says Aby Saltiel, local insider and owner of Mykonos hotel Kalesma. With influences from Asia and the Middle East, Ex Machina sources spices from the Khan el-Khalili market in Cairo, and has seafood delivered daily by dayboat. Menu items include oysters with Ibérico ham and ponzu, cuttlefish with yellow curry sauce, and potato chips with furikake, taramosalata and tomato jam.

This is the antithesis of Nammos. A simple, authentic lunchtime restaurant, Fokos serves grilled seafood, meats, salads and light local dishes. Located on a secluded beach past the small village of Ana Mera, on the northeastern part of the island, Fokos is worth the drive.

Franco Colombo is a local legend. Franco’s Bar in Fira—famous for its operatic sunsets—still bears his name, but the adored chef has moved on to Pyrgos, the highest village on Santorini. His new café is located on the square just beneath the Venetian castle that crowns the village. The views are phenomenal, especially as the sun sinks into the distant sea. Simple choices include iced coffee, cakes and cocktails.

This ice-cream parlor uses freshly churned milk to create delicious flavors like crunchy praline with almonds, melon, and fig.

One of the only nightlife options in sleepy Oia, Hassapiko has been the bar of choice for locals and visitors since opening in a former butcher’s shop in 1991. Known for playing lively music from the 1970s and 1980s, the institution is perfect for a low-key drink before or after dinner.