Of the 2.5 million people who visit Santorini each year, the vast majority eat lunch in Oia or Fira — and pay a caldera premium for the privilege. The real meal, the one that tastes of the island’s volcanic soil, is in the villages that sit on the other side of the ridge.
Yes — but only if you pick the right village and order what’s actually in season. The food is cheaper, the portions are bigger, and the crowd is largely local. The trade-off is that you won’t have a caldera view, and some tavernas close between lunch and dinner service.
The Village That Locals Keep to Themselves
Exo Gonia is a cluster of stone houses and a church square that most tourists pass on the way to the airport. Santorini’s main destination guide covers the island broadly, but the village’s standout is Metaxi Mas, a taverna with handwritten menus and owners who tell you what’s good that day. A full meal with wine runs €18–25 per person — roughly half what you’d pay for equivalent food on the caldera edge.
Order the slow-cooked lamb and the tomato fritters, which are made from Santorini’s cherry tomatoes. These grow small and intensely sweet because the vines pull moisture from volcanic earth. The fritters are mixed with onion, mint, and flour, then fried until crispy. My husband Julien and I brought Sofia, our six-year-old, here last summer, and she ate more fava than I did.
Reservations are essential in July and August. The dining room is small, and the tables that face the square fill by 1pm.
Pyrgos and Megalochori: The Year-Round Villages
Pyrgos was the island’s capital before Fira took over, and its narrow streets hold a quieter rhythm. Selene, a forty-year-old restaurant just outside the village, offers tasting menus built around Santorini’s local ingredients — white eggplant, chlorotyri cheese, and fava made from yellow split peas. A good portion of fava at a proper taverna costs around €6–8, not the €14 you’ll see in Oia.
Megalochori, a ten-minute drive west, is a working wine village with a central square shaded by a massive pepper tree. The tavernas here serve lunch to locals year-round and offer better value than the tourist centres. Try the chlorotyri — a fresh, slightly sour goat cheese — served with honey and walnuts. It costs about €5–7 at the local market in Fira near the Orthodox cathedral, or you can order it directly at a Megalochori taverna for a similar price.
Santorini’s whitewashed buildings and blue domes are the backdrop here, but the real draw is the food that doesn’t need a caldera view to justify its price tag.
Seafood by the Marina
Vlychada is a working fishing village on the south coast, home to To Psaraki. The fish that arrived this morning is on your plate tonight — the restaurant sits at the marina, and the middleman is a fishing boat, not a hotel. Lunch here costs around €20–30 per person for a full meze spread with grilled calamari, seafood pasta, and the day’s catch. The waterfront tables are the ones to book, especially in summer.
For a simpler option, To Steki Tou Psara in the same village serves the day’s catch by the bucket. The tables are loud, the service is fast, and the prices are lower than anything you’ll find near the caldera. It’s the kind of place where the menu changes based on what the boats brought in that morning.
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If you want to learn to cook what you’re eating, cooking classes in Santorini run €65–90 per person and teach you how to make tomatokeftedes and fava from scratch. Many of them are based in the villages and include a market visit.
Village Tavernas at a Glance
The table below covers the village tavernas worth planning a lunch around, with the price ranges and family logistics you’ll actually need. The prices are per person for a full meal with wine or soft drinks.
| Village | Taverna | Specialty | Price per person | Family notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exo Gonia | Metaxi Mas | Slow-cooked lamb, tomato fritters | €18–25 | Small dining room; book ahead in July–August |
| Pyrgos | Selene | Tasting menu with local ingredients | €40–60 | More formal; suitable for older kids |
| Vlychada | To Psaraki | Grilled calamari, daily catch | €20–30 | Waterfront tables; book for summer |
| Vlychada | To Steki Tou Psara | Bucket-fresh seafood | €15–25 | Loud, casual, kid-friendly |
| Fira (market) | Lucky’s Souvlaki | Souvlaki wrap with pork | €3.50 | Takeaway only; fast and cheap |
The table doesn’t account for seasonal closures — some village tavernas shut for a few weeks in winter, and Megalochori’s restaurants often close between 3pm and 6pm. Always check opening hours before heading out.
Practical Logistics for a Family Meze Lunch
Lunch beats dinner at most village tavernas — same food, fewer crowds, sometimes lower prices. The island’s farmers market in Fira runs Tuesday and Friday mornings, which is a good opportunity to pick up chlorotyri and sun-dried tomatoes for a picnic later in the week.
Private sightseeing tours in Santorini can be arranged to include village stops, which saves you navigating the narrow roads yourself. For families with young children, the drive from Fira to Exo Gonia is about 15 minutes, and Megalochori is another five minutes past that.
At Metaxi Mas in Exo Gonia, the owner speaks English and will tell you which dishes to skip that day — usually because an ingredient didn’t arrive fresh. Trust her.
Avoid restaurants displaying photos of food on laminated menus near the cable car in Fira. The same Greek salad that costs €7 at Metaxi Mas becomes €18 with a caldera backdrop. If you want a caldera view with reasonable prices, Santorini’s pink hotel with private pools is a better bet — the food is good, and you’re not paying for the sunset premium.
Reader Questions
Can I bring a toddler to a village taverna?
Yes. Metaxi Mas and To Psaraki both have high chairs and are used to families. The dining rooms are small, so a midday booking (12pm–1pm) is quieter than a 2pm lunch.
The downside is that some tavernas don’t have a dedicated kids’ menu — your best bet is ordering a portion of fava or a small plate of grilled meat.
Which village has the most meze options for non-fish eaters?
Pyrgos and Exo Gonia are better for non-fish eaters than Vlychada. Day trips in Santorini often include a lunch stop in Pyrgos, where the meze includes fava, tomato fritters, and roasted eggplant.
The trade-off is that Pyrgos is hillier than Exo Gonia, which can be harder with a stroller.
Are village tavernas open in winter?
Some close for 2–4 weeks between November and February. Metaxi Mas typically stays open through the winter, but it’s worth checking their social media before heading out.
The farmers market in Fira runs year-round on Tuesday and Friday mornings, which is a reliable fallback for a winter visit.
How do I get to the villages without a car?
Taxis from Fira to Exo Gonia cost about €15–20 each way. The bus network covers Pyrgos and Megalochori but runs less frequently in the afternoon.
For families, a private transfer or a bus and minivan tour in Santorini that includes a village lunch stop removes the logistics hassle.
What’s the best time of year for a family meze lunch?
May and September are the sweet spots — the weather is warm, the crowds are thinner, and the white eggplant is in season from July through September. July and August are peak season, and you’ll need to book at least a week in advance for Metaxi Mas.
The downside of July and August is the heat — village tavernas rarely have air conditioning, so aim for a 12pm lunch to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Village meze lunches aren’t a compromise — they’re a correction. The food is better, the prices are fair, and the experience is the one the island meant for itself. Santorini’s Sandblu Resort opening in 2026 might change the island’s luxury landscape, but it won’t change what happens in the church square of Exo Gonia at 1pm on a Tuesday.
Sources and further reading
Santorini Food Guide 2026: What to Eat & Where Locals Actually Go. Santorini Tours HQ, 2026.
The Best Restaurants in Santorini. Island Hopping, 2026.
Where to Eat in Santorini 2026. Travel Me, 2026.
