Discover the Best Local Eateries, Must-Try Dishes, and Culinary Delights on the Greek Island of Mykonos
by Stefanie Michaels
This June, I traveled to Greece, and one stop was the island of Mykonos. Dubbed the “party isle,” I was looking to explore it for what my European friends call the “foodie isle.”
Due to the jet set, who happily make Mykonos home for months during the peak summer season, chefs and restaurateurs have set up shop and making names for themselves within this bevy of the islands’ eurozone.
So, when investigating which places to dine at, I turned to American Express Platinum Card Concierge to help me plan my night of eating out, including finding a restaurant, setting up my Mykonos bookings, and arranging the times that worked best; Europeans often dine late in the afternoon, have a siesta, and then head out for a late-night dinner that usually starts no earlier than 9 pm.
I rang my credit card concierge and explained what I was looking for. Two restaurants on Mykonos’ beaches kept pulling up. The first one was a club/lunch spot called Nammos and an earlier rather than later dinner option was, called Sea Satin.
Both restaurants on my hit list were well on their way becoming part of my Greek memory book.
My husband and I arrived in Mykonos mid-morning. It was tough to find a cab on this island. (We were told there are only 28 cabs, which are always hard to come by, especially later in the day, we learned when leaving Nammos!)
A 10-minute drive from Mykonos harbor consists of a few hairpin turns up the mountain. Several winding turns down to the other side of the isle and to the beautiful aquamarine bay of Psarou Beach, where Nammos sits front and center.
We checked in around 11:00 am, grabbed a couple of beach loungers and an umbrella, and relaxed until our lunch scheduled at 1:00 pm. What was great about the whole setup is that you come to spend the day at this beautiful beach and dine throughout the day on snacks that are from the restaurant itself, which are delicious. Take advantage of the feta cheese salad delivered right to your lounger.
Remember I mentioned the jet set bringing in great places to eat? Well, along with that comes hefty pricing on food and drinks. Make sure you check out Nammos’ drink menu. Peruse the bottles of champagne—120,000 Euro for a bottle of Armand De Brignac Brut Gold.
Lunch was served in their posh whitewashed beach-inspired restaurant. It’s simply beautiful and chic, and so are their dining choices—one of the best meals I had traveling on the islands.
Don’t miss the hamburger on a black bun (squid ink makes the color). The calamari is to die for, and grilled octopus can equate to chewy rubber in most places, but not here. Also, choose one of the freshly caught fish from just offshore. Make sure to put your order in well before your lunch ressie, because they go quickly.
Around 3 pm most days, and once every seafood morsel is inhaled, this piece of paradise goes off. The calming Ibiza-esque lounge music transforms into pumping house music, which gets guests to their feet. Either it’s the lack of room between tables, or a little bit of exhibitionism, within no time, the tables and chairs become part of the makeshift dance floor.
It took us an hour to get a cab back to Mykonos town, which would take us to our second foodie spot, Sea Satin.
Given high props by my credit card’s concierge, I think I had expected more of a fine-linen-type restaurant with sunset views. The sunset views were spot on, but I was relieved to see this was more of a cafe and casual place. A little on the touristy side– but well worth it for the views, the restaurant sits right under one of the most photographed spot on the island, the windmills.
Make sure to catch their eggplant salad with homemade Greek bread and grilled barracuda fish with Greek salad and herbed potatoes. (A side of their French fries does the trick for an extra treat).
When traveling internationally, I always use my AMEX Platinum concierge service to plan a great night out (among other needs). It makes travel planning and where to eat that much more straightforward. Plus, they send updates and confirmation emails upon restaurant confirmations, and I didn’t have to worry about a thing.
I found it especially necessary for them to find sunset timing for Sea Satin so I wouldn’t miss that perfect Greek sundown.
Sharing a glass of Ouzo and toast to my perfect Mykonos foodie day was a treat.
