In the case of Nikos – Maria tavern the location is not just the seaside, it’s actually the beach, and furthermore the most beautiful beach of Naxos island. Situated next to the studio apartments of the same name and the same owners, this is a simple tavern where you can enjoy fresh and honest Greek cuisine based on local Naxian products. The main part of it is located just behind the sand dunes of the amazing Plaka beach, but the best tables are the ones right on the beach, where you can dine admiring the sun diving into the Aegean Sea. With your feet literally sinking in the warm, thin sand, the light breeze cooling the air, the sound of soft waves crashing on the shore and the view of the sunset colouring the sky, I can’t think of a more perfect or romantic scenery for the delicious sea food or meat dishes they serve.
You will particularly enjoy the Greek salad with delicious xinomytzithra, the Naxian white, soft cheese as well as the other renowned local cheese, gruyere, deep fried with bread crumbs. It’s a real pleasure to see their cuisine evolving and experimenting over the years, giving tasteful dishes like the perfectly char-coaled octopus or the seafood pasta, plus daily specials like the delicious peynirli, a boat shaped pizza crust filled with mincemeat and topped with a fried egg. Not to be missed are the generous portion of local sausage, which like all meat dishes is served with the famous and delicious Naxian potatoes and the traditional, known all over the world moussaka, in a version that tastes like homemade.
If a whole day of swimming and watersports has made you feel hungry, then a meal at Nikos- Maria is ideal to close a day on the beach. Otherwise, reserve a table on the shore, for a dinner as simple and delightful as Greek summer is.
