Despite being so close to Mykonos, Tinos is the opposite of a party island. It’s known for its scenic villages, hiking routes, unspoilt beaches and quietness. Tinos has good food options if you’re into modern Greek restaurants. I like that a lot of the restaurants use local produce only and have seasonal menus.
📝 The best way to explore the Greek islands is by ferry. In summer ferry tickets can sell out quick so I recommend buying them ahead of time. The best website to book your tickets is on ferryhopper.com. I also find it useful to check ferry routes here.
📝 Every restaurant is written in three different ways; Greek, anglicised Greek, and English. These are used interchangeably so sometimes it’s hard to find places on Google maps or Instagram.
📝 Tinos is home to Holy Church of the Virgin Mary. Mainly on 15 August (Assumption of the Holy Virgin) pilgrims arrive on their knees and crawl along a carpet pathway leading from the port up to the church. It‘s said that if you complete this task, the Virgin Mary fulfills your wish. For some reason it’s only women who do it.
📝 You’ll see little houses scattered all over Tinos. There are more than 600 of them in total. These are pigeon houses that date back to the 13th century (nearly 800 years old!) when Venetians began breeding and exporting pigeons. Near the village of Tarabados, you’ll find a valley with loads of them.
📝 @nissosbeer is brewed on the island. You’ll find it at every restaurant on the island but you can also visit the brewery. If somewhere is serving it on tap then it’s better than the bottle.
📝 Artichokes are extremely popular on Tinos. In the Komi Valley they produce 600,000 artichokes a year, a lot of which are shipped to Athens, but you’ll find them on almost every restaurant on the island.
📝 The island is also known for making some pretty good wine. A few wineries to checkout; Vaptistis Winery, T-OINOS Winery & Vineyards, Domaine de Kalathas.
📝 Bakeries; Φούρνος 2Ε Boulangerie, The Centre (Το Κεντρικόν).
📝 Breakfast; Triantaraki, Στο Καπάκι (Aganta).
📝 Restaurants I didn’t make it to; Ψησταριά Μπεεε, To Thalassaki.
1. Tereza
📍Myrsini. Τερέζα (Teréza) is a part restaurant/part shop in the village of Myrsini. Teréza has been a grocery store since 1985 but only a restaurant for the last six years. Super friendly owners. A must-visit if you’re on Tinos.
2. Svoura
📍Komi. Svoura offer a seasonal menu which is predominantly sourced from Komi’s village farm. It’s next to the Komi Valley where they produce 600,000 artichokes a year. The vegetable dishes are delicious but the loukoumades were my favourite dish. We also tried the pork neck but I wouldn’t order it again.
3. O Ntinos
📍Paralia Giannaki. The artichokes here were definitely some of the the best I’ve had on the island. They had a team of people cleaning a massive pile whilst we were there. We also had the shrimp linguine and fried squid. It’s got to be one of the most beautiful spots on the island for a meal but you a pay a bit extra for the views.
4. Malamatenia
📍Tinos. A no-thrills traditional Greek taverna in Tinos Chora serving all the classics. The kleftiko slow-cooked in a bag with potatoes & cheese was the standout dish for me. It’s always busy so go early or book ahead.
5. Το Κεντρικόν
📍Pyrgos. ‘The Centre’ in English. If you’re visiting the village of Pyrgos then this is a great spot to stop for a coffee and some of the best galaktouboreko on the island.
6. Mikro Karavi
📍Tinos. Mikro Karavi, located in a peaceful courtyard just off the seafront in Tinos Town, serves some beautiful modern Greek dishes. ‘Itan Ena Mikro Karavi’, meaning ‘there was a little boat’, is a line from a famous Greek nursery rhyme.
7. San to Alati
📍Tinos. San to Alati (Like Salt) is a fish tavern on the waterfront just outside of Tinos Town. It’s a peaceful spot to enjoy lunch or dinner and watch the waves. The sardines are super fresh. Expect sweet wine at the end of your meal.
8. Marina Panormos
📍Panormos. A seafood restaurant on the waterfront in the port of Panormos. The sardines were delicious. They do an awesome looking seafood spaghetti for two.
9. Taverna Volax
📍Volax. Ταβέρνα “Βωλάξ” (Taverna “Volax”) is located in the village Volax, amongst a site full of huge granite boulder formations. The unique scenery around the the village is stunning, especially close to sunset. It’s a lovely setting but the dishes were a bit hit and miss. The fennel fritters, tzatziki and artichokes were great. I liked the local sausage too. The lamb was a little dried out, the gigantes were quite dry too, and the rusks in the salad had gone mushy. There’s also a lovely traditional coffee shop in the village called καφέ-ναι.
10. Marathia
📍Agios Fokas. A beautiful seaside restaurant serves modern Greek food. The snapper was delicious and I loved the tinos cheese pie but service wasn’t great for the prices – over thirty minute wait between starter and the beer I asked for twice never arrived.
James Dimitri 