Spinalonga Restaurant

Spinalonga Restaurant Spinalonga Restaurant since 1988. Fresh fish,seafood,meat & breathtaking view of Spinalonga island...

Every good kitchen keeps a secret. Our kitchen keeps a fairy.Maybe you have tasted her magic already. The Spinalonga Sal...
13/06/2026

Every good kitchen keeps a secret. Our kitchen keeps a fairy.

Maybe you have tasted her magic already. The Spinalonga Salad - our guest favorite.

Tender baby leaves, still cool. Sweet little cherry tomatoes. Parmesan, shaved so thin it almost disappears on your tongue. A handful of mixed nuts for the crunch. And a thread of balsamico over the top, the way you would sign your name.

Her name is Giota. She works in the cold corner of the kitchen, and from there she conjures every salad, every tzatziki, every cold mezze that reaches your table first, long before the warm dishes are ready. She has been with us for more summers than I can count. A true treasure in this kitchen.

I love Giota. She feeds me, and she is wonderful. And our guests love her salads.

Filakia, Giota. 💙

Kali orexi.

Gláros

This weekend, all of Greece will be at the sea.Sunday, May 31st is Agiou Pneumatos. Pentecost in the Orthodox tradition....
29/05/2026

This weekend, all of Greece will be at the sea.

Sunday, May 31st is Agiou Pneumatos. Pentecost in the Orthodox tradition. While the Catholic world celebrated last Sunday with the Gregorian calendar, we Greeks follow the old Julian calendar and the ancient lunar tables from Alexandria. Same feast. Different moon. Different Sunday.

Pentecost is no small thing here. The Orthodox call it the „second Pascha“. Three days of celebration. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Family gathers. The grandmothers cook. The grandchildren swim. The whole island moves toward the water.

Plaka is going to be alive.

A small whisper from your favourite seagull: if you are coming with the family, three generations at one table, perhaps four, please reserve in advance. We now have an online booking link in our bio. A few clicks. The table is yours.

Bigger gathering needs bigger table. And the best tables look directly at Spinalonga.

I will be on my usual railing. Watching. Counting plates. Hoping.

Pame. The sea is waiting. Filakia.

Gláros 💙

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Opposite Spinalonga · 🐟 Daily 10:00 – 22:00

Some of you call Greece a „developing country“ for vegetarians.I have heard you. From my railing. 😏Now let me show you s...
26/05/2026

Some of you call Greece a „developing country“ for vegetarians.

I have heard you. From my railing. 😏

Now let me show you something.

Long before „plant-based“ became a hashtag, Evangelia’s mother was already cooking this way every Wednesday, every Friday, through the long fasting seasons. She simply called it… food.

Today, the kitchen of Thanasis and Agamemnon carries that on.

Fava. Velvety yellow split pea purée with caramelized onions and capers. Pure, or with smoked mackerel.

Kolokythoanthoi. Zucchini blossoms stuffed with rice and fresh herbs. A flower on a plate.

Kolokythokeftedes. Zucchini balls with carrots, herbs and feta. Difficult to stop at one.

Mista. Tomatoes and peppers slow-baked with rice and herbs. The way Evangelia’s mother used to make them.

Bouyurdi. Tomato, peppers, feta and oregano in the oven. Bubbling. Golden.

Dakos. Cretan barley rusk with grated tomato and xygalo cheese. Older than bruschetta. Better too.

Greek Salad. Spinalonga Salad. Island Salad. Three different stories.

Hortopitakia. Horta. Fried Feta. Saganaki. Tiropitakia. Mushroom risotto. Trahanas. All here. All waiting.

Speak with our team. Tell them what you love. The kitchen adapts with joy. This is filoxenia.

Developing country? From my railing, I see fresh Cretan fruits and vegetables. Lots of colour. Lots of love.

Maria, Aris, Vasilis, Lena, Ira and the whole team and family are looking forward to welcoming you.

Kali orexi.

Filakia.

Gláros 💙

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Opposite Spinalonga · 🐟 Daily 10:00 – 23:00

Ask and you shall receive. ✨Psst. Between us.The menu shows what we have every day. The kitchen does more.Oysters, for e...
17/05/2026

Ask and you shall receive. ✨

Psst. Between us.

The menu shows what we have every day. The kitchen does more.

Oysters, for example. A whole fish kept aside for you. A fish specialty dish your yiayia used to make. Tell us a day or two before you come.

Telephone. Email. Or a small note in the comments when you book online.

The Vrachasotaki family, Thanasis and Agamemnon in the kitchen, and the whole team asked me to tell you: your wishes are theirs to fulfil.

Enjoy the freshest fish and the fruits of the sea. We love to make your culinary wishes come true.

Gláros 💙

· · ·

Ζήτα και θα σου δοθεί. ✨

Ψιτ. Μεταξύ μας.

Το μενού δείχνει αυτό που έχουμε κάθε μέρα. Η κουζίνα κάνει περισσότερα.

Στρείδια, για παράδειγμα. Ένα ολόκληρο ψάρι κρατημένο για εσάς. Μια ψαρο-σπεσιαλιτέ που έφτιαχνε η γιαγιά σας. Πείτε μας μια δυο μέρες πριν.

Τηλέφωνο. Email. Ή δυο λόγια στα σχόλια όταν κλείνετε online.

Η οικογένεια Βραχασωτάκη, ο Θανάσης και ο Αγαμέμνονας στην κουζίνα, και όλη η ομάδα μου είπαν να σας μεταφέρω: οι επιθυμίες σας είναι δικές τους να εκπληρωθούν.

Απολαύστε τα φρεσκότερα ψάρια και τους καρπούς της θάλασσας. Με χαρά εκπληρώνουμε τις γαστρονομικές σας επιθυμίες.

Γλάρος 💙

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Opposite Spinalonga 🐟

28°C in Plaka today. Summer is here. Finally. 🌞Thanasis and Agamemnon were ready before the heat even arrived. They have...
11/05/2026

28°C in Plaka today. Summer is here. Finally. 🌞

Thanasis and Agamemnon were ready before the heat even arrived. They have added a cold version of fish to the menu. The way I like it.

Ceviche with fresh summer fruit.

Fish so fresh it was still doing laps this morning. „Cooked“ only by lime. Dressed with whatever the season is showing off. Sweet, juicy, sun-drunk fruit.

One bite and the heat becomes your best friend.

A table in the shade. The sea right there. This beautiful blue plate in front of you.

I will be watching from my spot. Smiling. Hoping you drop a piece. (You will not. I know.)

Filakia anyway… I enjoy watching you.

Kali orexi.
Gláros 💙

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Opposite Spinalonga 🐟 Daily 10:00 – 22:00


28°C στην Πλάκα σήμερα. Το καλοκαίρι ήρθε. Επιτέλους. 🌞

Ο Θανάσης και ο Αγαμέμνονας ήταν έτοιμοι πριν φτάσει η ζέστη. Πρόσθεσαν στο μενού μια κρύα εκδοχή ψαριού. Όπως μου αρέσει εμένα.

Σεβίτσε με φρέσκα φρούτα του καλοκαιριού.

Ψάρι τόσο φρέσκο που το πρωί έκανε ακόμα βόλτες στη θάλασσα. «Μαγειρεμένο» μόνο με λάιμ. Ντυμένο με ό,τι δείχνει η εποχή. Γλυκά, ζουμερά, ηλιόλουστα φρούτα.

Μια μπουκιά και η ζέστη γίνεται ο καλύτερός σου φίλος.

Τραπέζι στη σκιά. Η θάλασσα ακριβώς δίπλα. Αυτό το όμορφο μπλε πιάτο μπροστά σου.
Θα σας παρακολουθώ από τη γωνιά μου. Χαμογελώντας. Ελπίζοντας ότι θα μου πέσει ένα κομματάκι. (Δεν θα πέσει. Το ξέρω.)

Φιλάκια έτσι κι αλλιώς… μου αρέσει να σας βλέπω.

Καλή όρεξη.
Γλάρος 💙

Kalo mína, friends. 🌿The first of May. And in Greece, that means something.Today we wish each other a „good month“, Kalo...
01/05/2026

Kalo mína, friends. 🌿

The first of May. And in Greece, that means something.
Today we wish each other a „good month“, Kalo mína, and people walk down to the sea, gather wildflowers, make a wreath, and hang it on the door.
A little blessing for what’s coming.

So consider this my wreath for you. 💐

A new month. A new menu. New exciting plates on the table.

Kolios Pantremenos, the „Married Fish.“
A whole mackerel, filled with fresh herbs.
The fish and the herbs get married right there in the oven.
In Greece, everything is a love story.
Even Mackerel.

Trahanoto with fish fillet.
Cracked wheat, soaked in fermented sheep’s milk, dried in the Cretan sun. A 5,000-year-old recipe. Hippocrates prescribed it. Shepherds survived winters on it.
Stanassis and Agamemnonas turn it into a Cretan-style risotto.
Some things, you can’t improve.
You can only be grateful they survived.

And then, fresh Ceviche.
Yes, Ceviche. From Peru, originally.
But the fish? Caught this morning, right here in the bay.
Cretan sea, Peruvian soul, fresh marinated fish Cretan style on one plate.
The Mediterranean is full of surprises, believe me.

Kalo mína, agapi mou.
May this month bring you everything that you desire and that nourishes:
lots of fish, slow lunches, long evenings,
and a table with people you love.

Your table is ready... just click the link in the bio and tell me when you’ll come.

With love from the entire Spinalonga family,
and of course me, watching from my favourite spot.

Gláros 💙

· · ·

Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου, όπως πάντα,
έχω τόσα πολλά να σας πω που τα γράφω στα σχόλια.
Ρίξτε μια ματιά κάτω.
(For my Greek friends, as always, I have so much to say that I’m putting it in the comments. Take a peek below.)

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Πλάκα, Ελούντα
🐟 Opposite Spinalonga Island


Here’s something about Greek Easter that still amazes me, even after all these years on this railing.On Saturday night, ...
11/04/2026

Here’s something about Greek Easter that still amazes me, even after all these years on this railing.

On Saturday night, every church on this island goes dark. Completely dark. Then the priest steps out from behind the altar carrying a single flame. Not just any flame. This fire traveled all the way from Jerusalem, from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where it appears every year inside Christ’s tomb. They fly it to Athens. From Athens, it reaches every corner of Greece. Every village. Every island.

The priest chants: „Come, receive the light.“ One candle lights the next. The next lights another. Within minutes, the entire church glows. Then the courtyard. Then the street.

At midnight, two words: Christos Anesti. Christ is risen.

And then, for the next 40 days, everyone you meet greets you with those two words instead of hello. You say Christos Anesti, they answer Alithos Anesti. Truly, He is risen. At the bakery. At the harbour. On the street. Everywhere.

Tomorrow, all of Greece celebrates with their loved ones. So does this family. The restaurant is closed this Sunday.

But on Monday, the doors open again. And we can’t wait to welcome you back and spoil you with everything this beautiful island and its sea have to offer.

Tonight, we’ll be at church to receive the light. And we’ll be grateful for all of you.

Christos Anesti Χριστός Ανέστη 💙

Giannis, Evangelia, Aris, Maria, the whole Spinalonga team & Gláros

Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου, ελληνικά στα σχόλια

#ΧριστόςΑνέστη

Every year around this time, something happens in the kitchen at Spinalonga.Evangelia piles up the onion skins on the co...
09/04/2026

Every year around this time, something happens in the kitchen at Spinalonga.

Evangelia piles up the onion skins on the counter. Vinegar comes out. And suddenly, every egg in the restaurant turns red.

I’ve been watching this from my railing for years. I was confused. I’m a seagull. I see an egg, I think: breakfast.

But no. These are not breakfast eggs. They boil them in onion skins until they turn deep crimson. Then they polish them with olive oil until they glow.

Why crimson? The story goes that Mary Magdalene traveled to Rome and stood before Emperor Tiberius. She held up a white egg and said: „Christ is risen.“ Tiberius laughed. He said a man rising from the dead was as likely as that white egg turning red. The egg turned crimson in her hand.

Greeks have been dyeing eggs ever since. On Thursday. Always on Thursday before Greek Easter.

On Sunday comes the real event: tsougrisma. You hold your egg. Someone holds theirs. You crack them together. Survivor wins. Loser eats. Which is also winning, if you think about it.

I tried to join once. Beak was too strong. Got disqualified. My beak is still crimson from the dye, though.

Kalo Páscha from Plaka 💙

Gláros

Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου, ελληνικά στα σχόλια

#ΚαλόΠάσχα

You see that island?Everyone calls her Spinalonga. But that’s not her name. Her name is Kalydon. She’s been watching ove...
03/04/2026

You see that island?

Everyone calls her Spinalonga. But that’s not her name. Her name is Kalydon. She’s been watching over this bay for thousands of years.

The Venetians heard the locals say „stin Elounda“ - to Elounda - and somehow turned it into „Spina Lunga.“ Long thorn. A beautiful mistake that became a legend.

Here’s what most people don’t know: the fortress you see was never taken by force. Not once. The Ottomans conquered all of Crete in 1669 - every village, every city, every island. Except this one. For forty-six years, Spinalonga held out. Her walls were never breached. She fell only in 1715 - not through battle, but through a blockade that starved her defenders into surrender. Even then, the terms were negotiated. Even then, she did not break.

For me, she is a symbol of everything Cretan. The Levendia - that untranslatable word for grace under pressure, high spirits in the face of adversity, and the quiet pride of people who refuse to be anything other than free.

I fly over her every morning. And every morning, she’s still there. Still watching. Still unbroken.

Her name is Kalydon. Remember it.

Gláros

Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου - δυστυχώς πρέπει να βάλω το κείμενο στα σχόλια. Απλά έχω πολλά να πω.

📍 Plaka, Elounda - opposite Spinalonga Island

It’s happening.The door is open. The kitchen is alive. And the fishermen just brought the first catch of the season. Fre...
01/04/2026

It’s happening.

The door is open. The kitchen is alive. And the fishermen just brought the first catch of the season. Fresh, beautiful, straight from the turquoise water to your plate. The table is set for you.

I’ve been sitting on my usual spot since dawn, watching the Vrachasotaki family do what they’ve been doing every spring since 1988: setting the tables, preparing to welcome you like you’re one of their own.

And I can tell you: they are SO happy. Giannis hasn’t stopped smiling since this morning. Evangelia is watching over everything the way she always does. Quietly, warmly, the way her mother did when she opened the very first café in Plaka back in the 1930s. Three generations of women who fed this village, and that love is still in every corner of this place. Aris is wearing his best BOSS t-shirt (he says it’s the lucky one). Maria is everywhere. Greeting, laughing, making sure every single person is being seen. Thanasis and Agamemnon have been in the kitchen since sunrise, and it already smells like heaven in there.

If you’ve been here before, they can’t wait to see you again. If this is your first time... oh, you have no idea what’s waiting for you. A table by the sea. Fish so fresh it practically swam to your plate. And a family that will make you feel like you’ve always belonged here.

Season 2026 starts now.

Come sit with us. We’re ready for you.

Καλώς ήρθατε. Welcome home. 💙

Gláros

Για τους Έλληνες φίλους μου, ελληνικά στα σχόλια

📍 Plaka, Elounda · Πλάκα, Ελούντα 🐟 Right by the sea, facing Spinalonga
📞 +30 28410 41804 | +30 694 4603912

Address

Πλάκα
Eloúnda
72053

Telephone

+306944603912

Website

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