OLIVA Cretan Authentic Cuisine — Restaurant in Municipality of Chersonissos

My wife and I popped in one evening having been taken with the Cretan dishes on the menu. Our server, Athena I think, was absolutely fantastic. She looked after us very well without being overly attentive. She was friendly and knowledgeable, with a big smile that lit the place up. I had Pork Kandvalos. It was served on a skewer, with some soup in a bowl and salad. It was fantastic, the meat so tender and we'll spiced, the tomato based soup wholesome, the potatoes delicious and the dressing on the salad out of this world. I've never enjoyed eating lettuce as much in my life. My wife had the Cretan kakavos. Her pork fillets with honey and thyme were superb. The best food she has ever eaten! We were both too full for dessert but our hostess Brought out some raki, which had honey and cinnamon in it. We then talked for a while and she brought out more. The atmosphere is nice and relaxed, very Greek. The food here is a euro or two more expensive than other restaurants but the food is fresh and prepared to order, so expect a little but more of a wait than similar restaurants. Can't recommend highly enough, this is a fantastic restaurant and well...

Outstanding! From entering, other than its beauty, this had such a warm personal feel, even though it was full, we managed to get a seat due to the gracious owner. But definitely worth booking beforehand. Jeorge was incredible as well as all the servers. Thank you for making it such a wonderful experience.

The Grilled Octopus was for starters. And it was delicious. Smoky, tender and very morish.

The Grilled Sea food for 2 was incredible. The sea bass, octopus mussels and shrimp cooked to perfection. A taste explosion and making you feel like you're at sea.

The Orange pie will transport you to a cretian orchard. It tastes so fresh that it will invoke a memory for time to come.

Chocolate Souffle is a tough dessert to get right. This hit perfectly with lashings of ice-cream and whipped cream. Very indulgent. Best to share. But...

What a great experience I had here with my three friends to finish off our holiday. Beautiful people serving to accommodate us in every way possible from better seating, complimentary drinks and excellent suggestions tailored to us as young men (on a tight budget!). Great selection of wines and the food is accurately priced from affordable to more expensive for larger portions. The mixed grill was excellent with so much that it could probably be split between two people. The pasta was filling and the Gouda cheese on offer topped the whole thing of terrifically. If you are staying in malia, this cute restaurant with traditional food situated among the peaceful atmosphere of the old town is a must visit. I cannot recommend this...