An author and food enthusiast, Dimitris Rousounelos knows Mykonos better than most. To date, he has published four books focusing on the food culture of Mykonos and the Cyclades. In 2012, together with a group of cooks from the island, he founded the active Mykonos Gastronomy Club. On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, he also conducted extensive research into Cycladic cheesemaking and authored the nomination file for its inscription on Greece’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage and its inclusion in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage framework.

“Recommending places in Mykonos is difficult,” he said when we asked him to complete a short questionnaire designed to serve as an insider’s guide. “Budget, taste, what we want from our vacation, lifestyle – all of these can lead us to different choices. Steering clear of the best-known places, I’m limiting myself to personal favorites and the places I would recommend to friends.”

Where to Eat if We’ve Just Arrived?

If we arrive on the island at lunchtime, we eat at Fokos restaurant on Fokos beach, Nikolas at Aghia Anna in Paraga, Tasos in Paraga, or Maizevelo on the ring road.

If we arrive in the evening, we dine at Captain’s, MandΩ, Phoebus, Katrin, d’Angelo, or Sale e Pepe in Hora. In Ano Mera, try Oti Apomeine or one of the restaurants around the village square.

For fish, head to Kounelas, a fish taverna tucked away in a narrow alley off the waterfront in Hora. If you’re more of a meze person, try Bagogia (or Gialos) on the waterfront or Odos Araxame on a narrow street in Ano Mera.

For souvlaki, go to Lefteris in Ornos or Strong Rooster, on the main square in Ano Mera.

Where Can I Get a Good Breakfast?

For breakfast, some good options include Cosmo, by the bus terminal at Fabrika; Anemi, at the Theoxenia hotel, where breakfast is curated by chef Giannis Baxevanis; and Seamera, at the Riviera hotel, where breakfast is curated by chef Stergios Bitsis.

What’s the Best Bakery for Stocking Up Before Heading to the Beach?

There are plenty of bakeries on the island. A few worth seeking out are Koutsothanasis in Ano Mera, for its bread and piroshki; Davelaki, for local rusks and traditional spiced Mykonian raisin bread (similar to a muffin); Mykonos Bakery in Ornos, for its excellent Thessaloniki-style sesame bread rings; Gioras Bakery in Hora, for biscuits and pastries; and Papu, for croissants and cheese pastries, in the alley opposite the fishermen’s stalls on the waterfront.

For the beach, my personal choices are the excellent sandwiches from Degu in Ornos and Fusca in Fabrika, or the sandwiches and unique traditional Mykonian pastries – including melopita (with honey) and kremmydopita (with onion) – from To Chorio café.

Which Taverna Should I Choose for Lunch?

My favorite lunch spots include Mathios in Tourlos, where, in addition to the food, you can enjoy a full tasting and presentation of Mikonu, the only beer produced on the island. I also recommend Maria Daktylidi’s Aghios Stefanos, on the beach of the same name; Lia Taverna, just before Lia Beach; and Lountas in Glastros, which is a great choice for both lunch and dinner.

Where Should I Book a Table for a Special Dinner?

M-eating, Kalita, Nautilus and Maranto in Hora, Kalesma in Aleomandra, and the distinctive Kukumi, which is entirely vegan. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it several times myself – morning and evening – even though I eat pretty much everything!

Which Places Are Worth Seeking Out, Even if They’re a Little off the Beaten Track?

Rizes Farm in Maou, for authentic traditional flavors; Limnios, above Aghios Stefanos; Kiki’s at Aghios Sostis; Xarathymio, near the airport; Karteri taverna in Skalado; and Kardamomo in Ano Mera, opposite the sports field, an Italian restaurant that tends to fly under the radar.

Where Can I Get Good Ice Cream?

In Hora, try I Scream, near the Fabrika bus terminal, or Dópio on Mitropoleos Street. Outside Hora, head to Casa Dolce in Vangelistraki.

Where Should I Go for a Drink?

Mykonos has countless well-known bars and is famous for its nightlife, so I’ll stick to my own personal favorites. Just 200 meters from my house is Vero, a small bar behind the OTE building in Hora, with great music and reliably good drinks. I also like the bar-restaurant Appaloosa, just before Ano Mera, as well as Lola and Porta, both in the heart of Hora and still retaining something of the atmosphere of old Mykonos. For cocktails with a view, head to the balcony at Veranda in Little Venice.

Where Can I Buy Local Products?

Mykonos may have a relatively limited range of local products, but what it does produce is excellent and well regarded. For amygdalota (almond sweets) and kalathakia pastries, head to Kyklamino. You’ll find louza cured pork and sausages at butcher shops across the island. Menagias is particularly worth visiting, as it stocks not only cured meats but also local cheeses and wines from the small Xydakis winery.

For Mikonu beer, visit the microbrewery in Argyrena, which is open to visitors. Local cheeses – including kopanisti, xinotyro, tyrovolia, vrasto, anthotyro and graviera – as well as Mykonos yogurt and milk are available in supermarkets and the island’s dairies: the Mykonos Cheese Factory, run by the Koukas family in Palaiokastro, Ano Mera, and Mykonos Farmers in Aghios Lazaros, which is also officially certified as a visitor-accessible cheese dairy.

The Mykonos Chocolate Factory, launched just a month ago by five young Mykonians, produces a full range of chocolates which is available at Flora Supermarket. The factory is based in the center of the island, just before the Marathi Reservoir.

For fresh, locally grown produce, visit the small farmers’ market at Gialos or the Sunday farmers’ market in Ano Mera. You can also find local fruit and vegetables at the DEI square in Hora, at the Daktylidi family’s Margarita nursery, and at the Asimomytis family’s Agrofilo in Argyrena.

And Where Should I Go for a Swim?

On an island like Mykonos, with more than 40 beautiful beaches – both serviced and wild – the answer largely depends on the direction of the wind. When it blows from the south, choose the northern beaches: Fokos, Ftelia, Myrsini and others. When it blows from the north, head to the island’s famous southern beaches. My personal favorites are Agrari, Lia, Elia and Kalo Livadi.

Originally published in Greek at gastronomos.gr