Capriccio — Restaurant in Municipality of Naxos and the Lesser Cyclades

We rented the air bnb above this restaurant which is owned by the family who owns the restaurant. The rental has a balcony that looks out over the harbor and down onto the restaurant. We stayed 5 nights and didn’t see much traffic at the restaurant during our stay. This was the end of April, so maybe the season hadn’t really started yet or maybe this is just a hidden gem. We decided to have a late lunch/early dinner and ordered the Greek salad with bread and a bottle of Greek white wine. For entrees we had the grilled octopus with fava bean puree and cherry tomatoes, seafood risotto, and baklava for dessert. My wife and I shared all plates. We are from Charleston SC and know about properly cooked seafood. This meal was perfect. The Greek salad was fresh as expected and the feta cheese wedges were amazing, also as expected. This island is known for food and this meal did not disappoint. The shrimp, squid and clams were plump and juicy and not overcooked, which was a pleasant surprise. The risotto was perfect al dente with the faintest appearance of a crunch, again, perfection. The octopus was fresh and tender, not overly chewy, and fava bean puree, a staple of Naxos, was good. The cherry tomatoes were the sweetest we’ve ever tasted. The baklava dessert was absolutely next level! Just look at the pic. The desert was served with Chios Mastiha on ice, a digestif distilled on a small island named Chios just of off the coast of Turkey. The drink was so perfectly sweet and the spot-on compliment to the amazing baklava dish. The meal, including the bottle of wine, was 85 euros. In Charleston, this meal would have been twice that amount with a 20% tip expected on top. This price doesn’t expect a tip although we typically tip 10% over here with good service. Give this place a try. You won’t be...

When people refer to Naxos as having the best food, they are talking about Capriccio. I spent several weeks in Naxos and kept returning to this quaint portside family-run restaurant, as it noticeably stood out from the rest. Each dish on the menu is perfectly curated with thoughtful subtleties, vibrant flavors, and polished presentations. Every time I thought I had found the best dish on the menu, the next one somehow topped it. I especially recommend the blue crab, ceviche, tuna tartar, and the sea bass. All of them were exceptional. The seafood is very fresh and delicious. The portions for everything are just right and the prices are more than fair. Everyone in my group agreed the best meals we had in all of Greece were here. The atmosphere is both beautiful and authentically Greek with an aesthetic that is effortlessly charming, and details that make the space feel relaxed yet refined. The staff are kind, welcoming, and incredibly attentive, and the owners go out of their way to make you feel like family. They are gracious, present, and proud of what they’ve created. This is the kind of place where every part of the experience feels genuinely cared for- from the food, to the setting, to the people. It’s the kind of place you want to return to every night… and we pretty much did!...

I think the 1 star rating is way too generous. They had us waiting for a table for 40 minutes then once we finally sat at the table it took 20 minutes for the waiter to come and take our order. The food didn’t arrive for another 45 minutes and when it did it all came almost at the same time and it was at best average ( the grilled octopus was only half the size of the same dish at the tavern a few meters up the road and it was chewy and completely tasteless). When we explained to the owner of the restaurant and his nephew that the long wait had ruined our evening, and that other tables didn’t seem to have to wait that long, and that the food was mediocre he told us that “ it is the high season for them and the wait is long - sorry”. As for the food, the owner just defended the tasteless dish and low quality.

It was one of the worst dining experiences I had here in Naxos. It is very sad that these people can’t appreciate their customers’ time and money. An apology after the damage was done didn’t make up the ruined evening.

I guess all that matters to these people is to capitalise on the tourists and offer zero respect, and tasteless, low quality...