8 Best Restaurants in The Saronic Gulf Islands, Greece

Set right on Mikro Kamini, a leisurely 15-minute walk from the port (or 5 minutes by mule or couple of minutes by water taxi), this fully renovated 18th-century fortress is a popular bar-restaurant offering some of the most fortifying dining on the island. Castello is the only place where you can find sushi, or if you are craving a snack, try the catch of the day served with wild greens and saffron. Its multilevel café serves breakfast, coffee, drinks, and snacks and is the ideal spot for enjoying Hydra sunsets over the best apple martini on the island. Renting a sun bed for the day on the beach right in front of Castello will set you back €5.

The charming young trio of owners—Yiannis, Kostas, and Alexandros—have imbued this beach taverna just 100 feet from Vlichos Beach with energy and attentive service. The traditional taverna fare includes favorite Greek dishes like ntakos, prawn linguine, and lively salads, which all go perfectly with a glass of house wine or a cold beer. The all-white surroundings (with cool-blue undertones) contrast gloriously with the injection of color from the surrounding pink bougainvillea. At the back of the taverna, you will find the headquarters of the Hydra Diving Center.

Spetses's best restaurant has been morphing and evolving since it first opened 25 years ago, and the owner, Giorgos—a local who grew up on the island working in his father's taverna—still loves what he does and it shows! Everyone from fishermen to Hollywood headliners know him by his first name, and a meal here is not to be missed, not only for the innovative upscale Mediterranean dishes and thoughtful wine list, but also for the dreamy seafront setting and candlelit tables on a little pier jutting into the bay.

This spot where Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas once danced is a vision in minimalist island stone and white. The restaurant/bar is set in the high-ceilinged Hydra Nautical Club and the deck outside, which affords an exquisite sea view. Gourmet sefood dishes, and lively salads are the light standards that will help ensure you keep the energy levels up if you choose to stay on and dance the night away as the night time revelry kicks in and cocktails start flowing

Don't leave Hydra without some traditional almond macaroons in your suitcase. The Tsagkaris family, led by octogenarian matriarch Anna Tsagkari, have been lovingly making them in their workshop for more than 70 years.

Ask a local to name the best restaurant in Aegina, and the response is invariably Vatzoulias. In summer the garden is a pleasant oasis, scented with jasmine and honeysuckle; in winter, nestle inside the cozy dining room to dine on expertly prepared taverna classics. Eggplant in garlic sauce or zucchini croquettes are can't-go-wrong starters. Continue with a dish such as veal in red sauce; thick, juicy grilled pork chops; or moussaka, oven-baked eggplant and potatoes with ground meat enlivened with cinnamon and a wonderfully fluffy béchamel. In winter try the hare stew. A 10-minute walk from Aegina Town center gets you to this rustic taverna where only dinner is served, and only on four evenings a week, usually Wednesday and weekends.