MELTEMI RESTAURANT — Restaurant in Municipality of Sitia

We stumbled across this restaurant on a chilly April evening, as most others in the area were closed. We have been in the southeast corner of Crete for a week, exploring local cuisine at various small village Taverna across the region. While we haven’t had a bad meal yet, the quality and preparation of food at Meltemi stand out. Fish of the day was served with the ubiquitous lemon butter dill sauce, but Meltemi’s version is delicately flavorful and light. We ordered Cretan greens and ended up drenching them in the remaining sauce from the fish, before wiping that plate clean with our bread. The sautéed lamb daily special with local herbs was savory and delicious. The meat was melt in your mouth tender without any hint of gaminess. The world’s luckiest fried potatoes were nestled beneath the lamb and coated with the herby drippings. Two small complimentary deserts accompanied the bill. The chocolate cheesecake was creamy and satisfied this native New Yorker, but the real star of the dessert show was the Orange Cake a la mode. Reminiscent of a cobbler with a golden butter crust, the texture was of chewy shredded fruit. I was convinced it was coarsely shredded fresh coconut and pineapple until we asked and learned that it was orange. This was surprising since the flavor was sweet and buttery without any sour notes. It’s obvious the chef at Meltemi has had some professional training and discerning palates will be rewarded by...

A hidden gem 💎 I recently had the pleasure of dining in this brand new restaurant, and it truly exceeded all expectations. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with warm smiles!

The menu is creative and the food was fresh and full of flavor!

As you seated on the terrace ,the sunset and the panoramic scenery add a special touch to every moment .Service was excellent and friendly ,make us feel very welcome!!

Meltemi Restaurant is a must-visit. I highly recommend it !! I can’t...

Just had the best meal ever at Meltemi restaurant taverna in Makrygalos, Crete. The menu is not vast but the food was cooked to perfection. The portions are plentiful and the quality is exceptional. The owner and his wife have created an authentic, traditional venue which surpasses expectations. I cannot recommend this place enough and it is fast becoming the talk of the town. Good luck Manolis and family, may you all reap the benefits you so justly deserve. Efharistoume para...