EAT
1. The Five Restaurant
Location: Chania
“Highly recommend this restaurant! It’s located right near the Nea Chora beach and we sat outside and the view was spectacular! It’s more sleek and modern versus a traditional taverna and the food was incredible and the style is to order a bunch of times and share. We ordered a lot including bread with dips (it was an olive tapenade), grilled shrimp, grilled sardines, fava dip, fried potatoes, and a Cretan salad. My daughter safely tried all and drank a cherry soda. They were very nice and seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and willing to find answers to any questions we had. At the end of the meal they brought a tiny bottle of alcohol and shot glasses and a bowl of bars— at first my heart sank because I assumed they were filled with nuts, but when asked they were pretzels, biscuits, white chocolate, and rice pops (like Rice Krispies). We felt comfortable letting our daughter have it and it was amazing! Overall, I highly recommend for the food, view, and I would say the service was very good—although would note they were very busy, but wiling to get answers for anything we needed!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
2. Yacht Club at Elounda
Location: Schisma Elountas
“This restaurant is located at the Elounda Mare Resort. We ate here twice—the first time was for dinner when we first arrived and the second time for lunch. The restaurant overlooks the water and is open and at our dinner there was an amazing view and breeze. We didn’t love the dinner menu—it seemed super meat heavy and we asked for the kids menu. My daughter had a pasta that she liked, but it was very rich— it was a local pasta with black truffles and steak tartar. We all had a Greek salad that was amazing. We went back for lunch and loved the menu! We ordered a lot of appetizers including the Greek salad, eggplant spread, tomato croquettes, and fried zucchini. My daughter ordered a penne pasta with pesto (which had pine nuts, which she is not allergic to). She also safely had bread. They had a bread called carob rusk that they said was gluten-free and I tried to Google to figure out if it was true. We saw it at other places and they said it was gluten-free. I’m not 100% sure, and not celiac, but if it’s true it was amazing. We loved our lunch here. The food was fantastic and so was the view and service!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
3. Amalia’s Kitchen
Location: Iraklio
“First meal in Greece was at Amalia’s Kitchen because of the 1200+ Yelp reviews and so many celiac-safe options! We ordered dolmades (grape leaves), the dip trio with gluten-free pita, and gluten-free souvlaki with chicken. SO good. The fries are made in a dedicated fryer. The best part: our server knew exactly how to keep me safe. If you mention celiac, they’ll know how to help! A must dine spot in Heraklion.”
@gfreebasicb, who manages celiac
4. Thalassino Ageri
Location: Chania
“This restaurant is located literally on the edge of the water and we watched the most beautiful sunset. It was recommended by several local people and I think it is known for fish. We had a great meal and they were very allergy-friendly. When we mentioned our daughters nut allergy, we thought they said nothing had nuts but they let us know the complimentary dessert has nuts— it did have coconuts. We did use our Equal Eats card just to be on the safe side. Our favorite dish was rusk with tomato and soft cheese which was so good. Rusk is traditional bread. We also had fried calamari, french fries, and fava bean dip. Our kids aren’t huge fish eaters and the fish is served for the whole family, so we didn’t order fish. My youngest daughter did order an appetizer of fried cod and loved it but my allergic daughter didn’t try it. At the end of the meal they did serve us the cake that did have coconut (but no other nuts) and it was safe and good! Highly recommend for anyone who loves to watch the sunset!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
5. Blue Monkey
Location: Agia Pelagia
“This is an Asian-inspired restaurant at the Amirandes hotel we stayed at for 5 nights. We presented cards to the waiter with our allergies in Greek, and she immediately took it into the kitchen to discuss what we could and could not order. My son ordered a teriyaki style beef dish and they changed the sauce for him so he could enjoy it safely. We felt very comfortable there and the food was delicious.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
6. Ferryman Taverna
Location: Schisma Elountas
“This was SUCH a good restaurant right along the water. The owner was so nice and warm. He said he promised her food would not have nuts “a million times” and we saw very limited nuts on the food menu. We shared a bunch of appetizers including their homemade bread and pita, smoked eggplant dip, fried zucchini, and grilled halloumi— all of which were out of this world! Our daughter had pasta with lamb for her main dish and she ate some french fries that we had on the table. The zucchini came with walnuts on the side but it was clearly labeled on the menu. Very picturesque and outstanding food—highly recommend!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
7. Chrisostomos
Location: Chania
“This was recommended to us several times as THE place to go for classic Cretan food and it did not disappoint! Hardly any nuts on the menu and we did use our Equal Eats card here just in case. Everything was absolutely delicious. It was filled with locals, families, and tourists and had a few truly Cretan specialities on the menu.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
8. Migomis Piano Restaurant
Location: Agios Nikolaos
“Stunning restaurant in Crete that has an unbelievable view and sits above a square of restaurants and stores that surround a lake. Hard to describe, but it’s so picturesque! It’s definitely on the fancy side as far as the menu goes—it felt very special. My daughter had bread to start and then a burrata appetizer that came with almond skin, but we asked for it without—I don’t know why, since my daughter isn’t allergic to almonds. We also got tagliatelle with a beef ragu and had crème brûlée for dessert. Highly recommend!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
9. Petrino
Location: Chersonisos
“We had lunch at this lovely restaurant located at the Amirandes hotel we were staying at. The waitress was VERY helpful and took the allergies very seriously. They even skipped the fryer for french fries and made delicious oven potatoes for us specially. We were stuffed after lunch, however, the waitress took it upon herself to find 2 desserts that were absolutely safe for my kids. She insisted we have them which was a real treat because we mainly skip dessert out of an abundance of caution.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
10. Taverna Kalyva
Location: Malia
“A wonderful beach side taverna with delicious fresh food! Next to Potamos Beach, we ate here and loved all the food. We showed our waiter (the owner) our Equal Eats allergy card and he immediately asked if he could take to the kitchen. He told his kitchen staff AND actually taped the card to the wall above where the cooks were working. They took our allergies very seriously.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
11. Kariatis Restaurant
Location: Chania
“This Chania restaurant is Italian and we chose it because it was recommended and because we wanted a “break” from the Greek food we had been eating for days. We had pizzas and pasta dishes and everything was delicious. We used our Equal Eats card here and there were very little nuts on the menu. We felt safe and it was very enjoyable. Very popular—you need a reservation.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
12. TAVERNA GIORGOS (JIOVANNI’S)
Location: Plaka
“We ate here in 2013 and again in 2022 and both times felt very safe. The waiter spoke clear English and had no problem helping us order safely. This traditional taverna sits on the edge of gorgeous clear blue waters. The food is delicious and we recommend jumping in for a swim after lunch!”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
13. Mesostrato
Location: Chania
“One street off the harbor in Chania is this gem of a restaurant. Highly recommend! Everything was delicious and the waiter was clear and confident about any allergies. The setting is special too—inside the ruins of an old house, but with open roof so natural light. There were traditional musicians playing and some kids and parents dancing to the music. We loved it!”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
14. Tsourlis
Location: Malia
“A wonderful family run taverna in Malia, Crete. Delicious food and the waitstaff and the kitchen were very careful about our allergies. Would definitely recommend!”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
15. Πατρελαντώνης
Location: Marathi
“‘Patrelantonis’ taverna is a beach side taverna at Marathi beach in Chania. It’s off the beaten path but very popular, so try and make reservations. The food was delicious and they took our allergies seriously. Highly recommend this food GEM if you are in the Chania area.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
STAY
1. Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort
Location: Gournes
“We stayed at this luxury hotel for 5 nights and it was fabulous! The food and beverage managers went above and beyond to be sure my 2 nut allergic kids had delicious, safe food. They actually met us at our breakfast table each morning so my kids could place an order from the kitchen rather than take from the breakfast buffet and risk cross-contamination. They also did this for us the nights we chose to eat at their main buffet restaurant. They personally took care of us and the food was fresh and delicious!”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
2. Serenissima Boutique Hotel
Location: Chania
“We stayed at this boutique hotel in Chania that was precious and in a great location. Like most hotels in Greece, breakfast is included. When we sat down they served us a small platter of 2 cookies that had almonds on top— my daughter is not allergic to almonds but we passed on the cookies to be safe. When we mentioned her allergy, they brought out a piece of cake that they said was nut-free, we thought the gesture was so nice. The first morning, our daughter ordered the scrambled eggs with grated tomato and feta cheese based on the recommendation of our server and it also came with toast and a salad. The second day, she had fried eggs and cured meat (bacon). The third day, she had Traditional Cretan kalitsounia and they brought a pastry that they put pistachios on top normally—but made it nut-free for our whole table. All good and we ate in their pink and light filled courtyard. Beautiful and safe!”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
3. Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa
Location: Chania
“We stayed 4 nights at this luxury boutique hotel. Breakfast is included, however, it’s very limited for those with nut allergies. The staff was very helpful and spoke English and there were a few safe choices. But the buffet area was very small and we had to be careful about what my nut allergic kids ate. Overall, however, the staff was extremely helpful when booking dinner reservations and always told the restaurant about our allergies ahead of time.”
@jlev, who manages celiac and peanut and tree nut allergies
4. Elounda Mare Hotel, Relais & Chateaux
Location: Schisma Elountas
“This hotel is located right on the water in Crete. It has a very old European feel and the crowd is definitely older too. Food allergy safety-wise, it has been very nice so far. The staff speaks English and when we have brought up my daughter’s allergies, they have seemed experienced and confident. There are several restaurants on the property, which we didn’t realize, including traditional Greek as well as sushi, Italian, and more. Breakfast was included and it is set up as a buffet. We were pleasantly surprised to see cards set up, mainly by the baked goods, with allergy icons. To me it appeared, in some cases, they included allergens that would not necessarily be in the food but were more of a warning. For breakfast, my daughter had smoked salmon, a cheese pastry, bread, cereal, pineapple juice, and an ice coffee—she tried a bunch of items. Normally we would stay away from baked goods but felt comfortable with the labeling. We spent one day on their beach and we ordered water and they brought us a side of chips that were safe. We also ordered lunch by the water and she has a tuna sandwich on brioche and a pina colada without alcohol.”
@susie, who manages peanut and tree nut allergies
5. Ibiscus Hotel Malia
Location: Malia
“Owned by cousins of mine! Typical visitors are Israelis with some kosher dietary restrictions and can provide similar meals.”
@gabbylevinson, who manages peanut, tree nut, and peach allergies
