What is the local food in Rhodes?

Rhodes has several local specialities worth seeking out. Pitaroudia are chickpea and herb fritters - a street food common on the island. Melekouni is a sesame and honey bar traditionally served at Rhodian weddings. Fresh fish from the Dodecanese (especially octopus, sea bream, and red mullet) is excellent. The island also produces its own wine - the Cair cooperative makes table wines widely served in restaurants.

Are there restaurants to avoid in Rhodes Old Town?

Yes - the main tourist drag around Sokratous Street and Ippokratous Square has several restaurants with aggressive touts who approach pedestrians and offer laminated menus in multiple languages. These tend to serve mediocre food at inflated prices aimed at one-time visitors. Walk away from any restaurant with a tout at the door and look for places one or two streets back where the clientele includes local residents.

Does Mavrikos in Lindos require a reservation?

Yes, strongly. Mavrikos has been operating since 1933 and is one of the most well-known restaurants in the Dodecanese. In summer it books up quickly, especially for dinner. Reserve at least 3–5 days ahead for July and August visits. Lunch is slightly more accessible than dinner.

How expensive is eating in Rhodes compared to Mykonos or Santorini?

Considerably cheaper. A mid-range meal in Rhodes Old Town typically costs €12–20 per main course - roughly half what an equivalent restaurant charges in Mykonos Town or Oia. Lindos is more expensive than Rhodes Town, particularly restaurants near the beach with acropolis views, but still below Cyclades pricing.

Best Restaurants in Rhodes | The Greece Guides

Rhodes is the most affordable of the four major Aegean islands for food - a meal at a good mid-range restaurant in the Old Town typically costs €12–20 per main, versus €20–35 for equivalent quality in Mykonos or Santorini. The Old Town has tourist traps but also genuine restaurants; the trick is knowing which streets to use and which restaurants to avoid. Prices listed here are approximate as of 2026.

Food Tours and Culinary Experiences

Tour	Duration	Price (from)	Group Size	Highlights
Rhodes Old Town Food Tour	3 hrs	from €55/person	Up to 12	Pitaroudia, mezedes, local Cair wine, hidden Old Town eateries
Rhodes Market and Cooking Class	4 hrs	from €75/person	Up to 8	Central market visit, Dodecanese recipes, shared meal with wine
Lindos Village and Taverna Lunch Experience	6 hrs	from €60/person	Up to 15	Guided Lindos walk, rooftop taverna lunch, local wine tasting
Rhodes Wine Tour with Local Wineries	4 hrs	from €65/person	Up to 12	Emery Winery, Cair cooperative, island wine varieties and mezedes
Sunset Dinner Cruise with Greek Buffet	4 hrs	from €80/person	Up to 25	Sailing from Mandraki, Greek buffet on deck, Old Town lit at sunset

Browse all Rhodes food tours and culinary experiences → GetYourGuide

Rhodes Old Town - Best Restaurants

Marco Polo Mansion is the most atmospheric dining experience in the Old Town - a 15th-century Turkish mansion with a garden courtyard, candlelit tables, and creative Greek cooking at upscale prices (mains approximately €22–35). The setting is genuinely exceptional: a restored Ottoman-era building with jasmine overhead and stone arches around you. Reserve for dinner.

Ta Kardasia is a more traditional, more affordable option in the Old Town - a family-run taverna serving Rhodian food at approximately €10–15 per main course. Grilled meats, fresh fish, moussaka, and local mezes. Popular with both locals and visitors who have found it by asking around rather than following the tourist street. Walk-in is usually possible at lunch.

Nireas is the best seafood restaurant in the Old Town - straightforward grilled fish priced by the kilo, calamari, octopus, and seafood pasta at approximately €14–22 per main. The fish comes in from the Dodecanese boats daily. On the quieter streets near the Jewish Quarter rather than the main tourist drag.

Old Town - What to Avoid

The restaurants lining Sokratous Street (the main shopping lane) and those immediately around Ippokratous Square frequently employ touts who stand at the door with menus in English, German, and Russian. This is the clearest signal that the restaurant is oriented toward tourists who won’t return. The food at these places is rarely terrible but consistently mediocre at premium prices.

Two minutes’ walk away from these streets, the quality and value improve markedly.

Rhodes New Town - Local Choice

Koykos is a well-regarded mid-range restaurant in the New Town, popular with Rhodes residents rather than tourists. The menu covers standard Greek dishes - grilled fish and meat, fresh salads, meze - at approximately €10–16 per main. The atmosphere is unpretentious; this is where locals bring family for a weekend lunch. The New Town in general has better value restaurants than the Old Town for those willing to leave the historic walls.

Lindos - Mavrikos

Mavrikos has been operating since 1933 and is the longest-running and most respected restaurant in Lindos. It occupies the main square of the village and serves an upscale, creative take on Dodecanese cuisine - Rhodian lamb, fresh fish from the local boats, and classic Greek dishes prepared to a high standard. Mains approximately €20–35.

The restaurant has been featured in international food guides consistently for decades. Reserve well ahead for summer evenings - at least 3–5 days is advisable in peak season.

For something more casual in Lindos, the Village Cafe on the main square serves lighter food (salads, sandwiches, mezedes) at more accessible prices, good for lunch before or after the acropolis.

Local Specialities to Order

Pitaroudia: chickpea fritters flavoured with herbs - a Rhodian street food available at bakeries and small snack shops in the Old Town, particularly in the market area near the entrance to the Old Town. Approximately €1–2 per portion as of 2026.

Melekouni: a flat bar made from sesame seeds, honey, orange peel, and pepper - traditionally prepared for Rhodian weddings but available in confectionery shops year-round. Sweet and dense; sold by the piece or by weight.

Marides: small fried whitebait common throughout Greece but particularly good in Rhodes when freshly caught and fried immediately. Usually a starter at approximately €8–10.

Cair wine: the Cair cooperative near Rhodes Town produces basic table wines widely served in Old Town restaurants. The rosé is the most commonly drunk locally. Not extraordinary but decent and local.

Average Costs

A mid-range dinner in Rhodes Old Town - starter, main, house wine, dessert - typically costs €25–40 per person. Lindos restaurants are approximately 20–30% more expensive than equivalent quality in Rhodes Town. Street food (pitaroudia, souvlaki) costs approximately €2–5. The lowest-cost good meal is a gyros from the shops near the Old Town entrance, at approximately €4–5.

For the complete Rhodes island guide including where to stay and getting around, see our Rhodes travel guide. For beaches from Faliraki to Tsambika and Prasonisi, see best beaches in Rhodes. For things to do including the Old Town, Lindos, and Symi day trips, see things to do in Rhodes. Comparing Greece’s two most popular holiday islands? See Rhodes vs Crete. Book guided Old Town walks and island tours with our Rhodes tours guide.

Book Rhodes tours and excursions with GetYourGuide. Pick up a Greece eSIM before you fly - keeps you connected without roaming charges.

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Best Restaurants in Rhodes: Old Town, Lindos, and Where to