Maza Cafeneion — Restaurant in Municipality of Apokoronas

We discovered Kostas Tavern on the second day of our trip to Crete… and we ended up coming back every single day for the rest of the week. That alone should tell you everything — but let us explain why this place completely stole our hearts.

First and foremost, the food is hands down the best we've had in Crete. Every dish is full of authentic flavour, made with love and fresh local ingredients. Whether it's the grilled meats, the seafood, the meze, or the homemade desserts — everything is simply unforgettable. You don’t just eat here — you experience Greek cuisine at its finest.

But what truly sets Kostas Tavern apart is the atmosphere. It's warm, welcoming, and full of joy — the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve come home, even if you’re a thousand miles away.

And then there's Kostas himself — what a host! He greeted us with a smile every day, made sure we were always well taken care of, and even sang to us while we dined. His passion, kindness, and energy made every evening feel special. He didn’t just serve us dinner — he gave us memories we’ll never forget.

If you're in Crete, don’t miss this place. It's more than a restaurant — it’s the heart of the island's spirit. We couldn’t recommend it more highly. Thank you, Kostas, for making our trip so magical. We’ll be dreaming of your food — and your songs — until we come...

We arrived at our Airbnb house (Lykotripa Guest House) which is situated across the square from Costas’ taverna, seconds before the friendly host welcomed us to the village of Maza. Costas’ taverna is coloured by Cretan authenticity and an atmosphere that cannot be replicated. Costas’ tavern operates on a “no menu” basis where the host gets a feel of what your preferences are and let’s you know what’s fresh and available. Every night we were treated to local specialities ranging from Voula’s unbeatable moussaka, flavourful braised or grilled lamb, fresh white fish (whole - salted and grilled to perfection with salty, crispy skin and tender flaky meat) and a variety of appetizers and mezes. Every meal was polished off with a complimentary Greek dessert, seasonal fruit and homemade raki. To say that Costas’ approach to customer service exhibits every inch of Greek hospitality is an understatement - Costas goes above and beyond to treat every guest as a family friend and create a dinner party experience and on occasion provide guests with entertainment in the form of singing traditional folk songs. Instead of searching for hit or miss restaurants in the tourist strips of Chania or Rethymno - brave the uphill drive to Maza and let Costas take care of your delicate tastebuds and wanderlust for an authentic...

Absolutely worth the crazy drive to get there. This is quite possibly the most amazing food I have ever had the pleasure to experience!! The lamb literally fell apart and was absolutely delicious. The fresh vegetables, homemade cheese, raki made with honey from the family hives, and a visit to the families 700 year old monastery after dinner almost made this experience feel like we were in a lucid dream. As if the epicurean fantasy was not enough, watching all the villagers come to gather around a large tree to drink raki and share stories made this the most authentic experience we've had since being in Crete. And price point...well we've been ripped off twice in Chania on meals and what we paid for those scam meals would have bought food for the entire village for a week compared to what we paid for this meal. So here you go: the freshest best calamari, huge Greek salad for two, zucchini blossom patties, lamb, taziki, bread, wine, and beer all came to $37E!!!!!! Make sure you bring small bills. This is legitimately a small family run Taverina and Kostas doesn't like large bills. Go!! Do not miss...