Food tours in Santorini
Food on Santorini is about local dishes, long lunches and cooking lessons rather than a single signature meal. Many visitors start in Fira, the white cobblestone capital on the caldera rim, where tavernas and cafes line the streets. Winery food tours and hands-on cooking classes are the main way to go deeper into the island's gastronomy.
Places to go
Fira
Fira is the capital of Santorini, a white town of cobblestone streets stacked on the caldera rim. Shops, tavernas, hotels and cafes line the lanes, and most visitors come up from the old port.
Tours to book
Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Exclusive Santorini, Oia and Winery Tour
What to expect
A food day here usually means one of two things. The first is a four to five hour food or cooking tour, often built around a winery, where you taste local wines and dishes and may get a hands-on lesson. The second is a long lunch at a taverna in Fira or in Kamari, on the east coast, where the fish, steaks and Macedonian specialties are a draw.
Local dishes to look for include melitzanosalata, a dip made with white aubergines, and tomatokeftedes, small tomato fritters. Wine is a big part of the picture, since the island's volcanic soils give its wines a distinct character. Some tours combine both, with a tasting at a family estate followed by a cooking session or a meze-style meal.
Where to go
- Fira tavernas and cafes. Tavernas and cafes in the white cobblestone capital, with shops and hotels along the streets on the caldera rim. 3 minutes by cable car from the old port. A trip that goes here: Private Best of Santorini with Lunch, 7 Hours 15 Minutes
- Alexander's Restaurant, Kamari. Fresh fish, steaks and Macedonian specialties, a short walk from the main bus terminal in Kamari. 50 m from the main bus terminal in Kamari. A trip that goes here: Private Best of Santorini with Lunch, 7 Hours 15 Minutes
- Santorini Wineries and Greek Gastronomy. A four-hour culinary excursion combining wineries with Greek food. A trip that goes here: Exclusive Santorini, Oia and Winery Tour, 4 Hours 30 minutes, $139 a person
Getting there
The Santorini cable car runs from the old port up to Fira in about three minutes, the easiest way up for a day of eating. The steps and donkeys are the other options, though the steps are narrow and steep in places. Once in Fira, buses from the Fira Bus Station run to Kamari and other towns, with cash fares paid on board.
When to go
Restaurants and wineries work from March into January. Spring and autumn are pleasant for long lunches and walking between towns, while the summer heat can slow things down around midday.
Good to know
- Book cooking classes and food tours ahead.
- Bring cash for KTEL buses, which take coins or notes on board and cannot be paid by card.
- Wear comfortable shoes; Fira is reached by cobblestone streets and steps.
- Check your return bus times from Fira, as low season services end early in the afternoon.
Questions
What food is Santorini known for?
Try melitzanosalata, a dip made from white aubergines, and tomatokeftedes, tomato fritters. Fresh fish, steaks and Macedonian specialties are served in Kamari, and the island's wines are a main draw for food-focused visitors.
Can I do a cooking class on Santorini in a day?
Yes. Cooking classes and food-and-wine tours often run four to five hours and include a tasting at a family estate winery. They need to be booked in advance.
How do I get from the old port to Fira?
The cable car from the old port reaches Fira in about three minutes. Steps and donkeys are also available, but the steps are steep and narrow in places.
