Your guide to the best restaurants in Nafplion, Greece

Menta restaurant is a contemporary place located in the New Town of Nafplion. It opened its doors to the public on the 22nd of August 2016. Originally, it used to be an old tavern for mostly aged locals to enjoy a relaxing time. Menta has reopened after renovation with a blend of new millennial designer flair added to its traditional kafeneio (coffee house). The dining area of the eatery is like an interior patio with mismatched chairs and tables, exposed light bulbs, and an industrial interior. They also have an outer seating area for summer that is covered under the spreading crown of a beautiful tree planted by the owners.

The team works in a scratch kitchen that prepares amazing Greek and Mediterranean delicacies from seasonal ingredients exclusive to the region. Some of the creative dishes that you will find on the menu are green salad with Gorgonzola, green apple, and Mani syglino (cured pork meat), layers of roasted vegetables with talagani (Greek cheese) and apricot jam, buffalo kebab in pita bread with yogurt and hot sauce, beef liver and tsouhti (Greek pasta) with creamy bacon. Complete your wonderful meal with their signature dessert, hazelnut praline cheesecake. Menda restaurant creates a calm and friendly atmosphere with its exceptional service and is a must-visit destination on your vacation.

Pidalio Tavern is a traditional Greek restaurant located near the Old Town district in Nafplion. This lovely establishment specializes in fresh seafood and plates that are best shared. The decor creates a restful atmosphere, like a shack by the beach, where one can relax and enjoy a truly gastronomic experience. Pidalio’s interiors are all made of wood, and the walls are decorated with hanging oars, a rudder, a wooden boat, and light bulbs that remind you of an old ship that has been sailing the Mediterranean Sea for decades.

True to its name (Pidalio means “rudder”), many of the restaurant’s best offerings are sea-based. You can experience delicacies such as grilled octopus with aubergine puree, grilled sardines, prawn orzotto (barley risotto), fried fresh cod fish with garlic dip, and squid stuffed with quinoa and raisins in a lemon vinaigrette. The eatery also features meat products on its menu, such as veal steak filets with mushrooms in mustard sauce, slow-cooked lamb with baked potatoes, and grilled meat platters. Pidalio’s wine list is extensive and offers many local Greek labels to go with your meal. 

Scuola is an Italian-Greek fusion restaurant located away from the busy center of the city. It serves up some of the best wood-fired pizzas in Nafplion and other Southern Italian staples like pasta and risotto with a Greek twist. Scuola’s interiors are charming and rustic with a homey vibe. Old-fashioned wooden floors, fossil-gray, unevenly shaped stones in the walls, and abundant bookcases add to the inviting atmosphere. At the restaurant, you embrace a relaxing feeling that one usually gets at the small trattorias in Italy.

The hospitable environment created with friendly service is perfect for enjoying generous portions of antipasti, fresh salads loaded with locally sourced vegetables, and tortellini with four cheeses. Some of the highlights of the menu are Margherita pizza with impeccable freshly made tomato sauce, smokey ham and bacon pizza, chicken and mushroom linguini pasta, gnocchi in creamy pesto sauce, spaghetti with clams and prawns, and grilled t-bone steak with arugula salad. Relish some of the best Italian food in a Greek atmosphere at Scuola Pizzeria.

I Folia is a Greek tavern situated on Bouboulina Street – one of the most beautiful spots of the Nafplion waterfront. This small 10-seater restaurant was opened in August 2019 by two passionate and devoted people, Sakis and Maria. The ambiance of this eatery is cozy and intimate, with an olive-green color of the facade facing the street. There are lanterns hanging on the walls that give an old-world charm to this establishment. Once you enter the tall ivory door, you get a comforting feeling from the contemporary style that harmoniously matches the massive stone walls with black wire frames and modern lamps.

The menu of I Folia focuses on fresh seafood and other locally produced ingredients. You can order from their regular menu or try their daily specials, which are displayed on a white chalkboard hanging near the entrance. Some of the dishes worth ordering are Greek salad with sea fennel and cheese, “Folia” salad with spinach, bacon, and smoked cheese, potato stuffed with minced meat and soft-boiled eggs, lamb in lemon sauce, meatballs stuffed cabbage rolls in yogurt sauce, squid stuffed with cheese in honey sauce, and Gkogkes (Greek pasta). Enjoy a sublime sunset dinner in the outside seating at I Folia with the calming sound of the waves in the background.

At the harbor of Nafplion, a unique Italian fusion restaurant, Il Porto, stands out for its positive aura and distinctive vibe. It offers a great view of the harbor and a wide variety of tasty dishes in hearty portions. Il Porto takes your palate on a world tour with pizzas and plates of pasta from Italy, crispy fish and chips from England, and flavorful burgers and Mexican quesadillas from the other side of the Atlantic. You can enjoy all these savory dishes accompanied by fresh salads while observing fascinating cooking processes taking place in the open kitchen.

The decor of the restaurant is simple and elegant with brick-lined walls, wooden furniture with a metal framework, modern decoration, and a clear blue-and-white color duo. You can relish creative foods with a twist such as calzones with chili peppers, shrimp salad with gherkins, smoked salmon with dill in cream sauce, oven-baked chicken pesto, Mexican pizza, chicken gyros, and special ham and cheese crepes. For dessert, don’t hesitate to order a sweet pizza with hazelnut chocolate or white chocolate with almonds and sweet crepes with fruit filling. Il Porto strives to treat all customers to impeccable food with friendly service.

Nafplion is a perfect destination for diving into all possible local small mercies while simply walking and cycling. Apart from the interesting sights, many lovely beaches are found in the city to enjoy such fun activities as snorkeling, scuba diving, and jet skiing during the summer holidays. Nafplion’s stunning architecture, cultural outposts, layered history, modern taverns, and laid-back vibe make it the ultimate getaway destination to have a complete vacation.

Have you been to Greece already and tried local cuisine there? Share your experience with other foodies in the comment section below.