One of the most enjoyable places to experience traditional Cretan cuisine and hospitality is this vibrant taverna set among fruit trees and adjoining farmland. Gregarious host Georgios (who appears in Yotam Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feast documentary) will take you through the day's specials, cooked by his mother using superb organic produce sourced from their farm and the mountains.
It's worth setting aside a few hours here for a long, leisurely meal. Many dishes are prepared in the wood oven and feature delightful creative, modern twists. The signature dish is the colourful, flower-decorated salad, loaded with glistening tomatoes, pomegranates, avocado, cashews, pumpkin seeds and raisins. The complimentary dessert of homemade ice cream and chocolate cake is the best you'll get on the island. Seating is in the lovely courtyard or the cosy interior, where inquisitive horses will poke their heads in to see what's going on. It's located at the outskirts of Episkopi village, 4.5km north of Argyroupoli.
