Food guide - Naousa Paros
Where to eat in Naousa, Paros
Having visited Naousa, Paros in the past, I never considered it a foodie hub. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be - with so much fresh produce, fish and amazing wine - but it was never at the top of my mind. But the last time we stayed here, for our Greek holidays in summer of 2018, the manager of our hotel, Mr & Mrs White, gave us a list of places to try. And boy, it was a good list - the man knows his food! Forget the beaches, now I want to go to Naoussa just to eat!
The first place he said we MUST try was Statheros Restaurant. Located just off the seafront in the narrow streets of Naousa, the food is mainly authentic Greek share food (meze) and it's amazing! The friendly owner, watched on lovingly by her Papou (grandpa), told us the must-have food of the day and we just went along and enjoyed every morsel. We had keftedes with tzatziki, roughly cut, crispy potatoes, dakos salad with home-made myzithra (a type of Greek cheese), the cod with skordalia (potato and garlic dip) and it was all so so good. The piece-de-resistance was the saganaki of prawns (compliments of the house), with a hint of chilli and abundance of lemon juice - I could just eat that all day every day. Please take the time to find this hidden gem, it is so worth it!
The next place recommended to us was Kafenio, in Palia Agora (old shops) Naousa. You will easily find this tiny restaurant because of the queue waiting for a table. But it is definitely well worth the wait! Without even realising it, everything we ordered was either vegetarian or vegan and was out of this world! We ordered kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters), stuffed eggplant, dolmades, chickpea casserole and, of course, a horiatiki salad (Greek salad). The food kept on coming and I was in foodie heaven.
Other honourable mentions are of course Barbarossa right on the water, with its fabulous views! Yemeni Taverna, which has great moussaka.
There are a plethora of places to eat in Naousa, some with beach views others with views of the little side streets, all you need to know is that the food is fresh, in most cases local and the people are so inviting.
Where we stayed
Mr & Mrs White, a brisk 15-minute walk into Naoussa town. We stayed in the two-floor residence, a stylish space with your laid-back Cycladic minimal interiors. This chic hotel offers two pool areas, a great buffet breakfast and wonderful staff.
Highlights
The food! In amongst all the shops and hidden in little lanes, some of the tastiest, freshest food I have ever eaten!
Important tip
There is a great local winery called Moraitis just on the outskirts of Naousa that has been making wine since 1910. It's well worth popping in and sampling their wines but if you don't get a chance, many restaurants and tavernas around town offer it on their menus.