Overlooking Mykonos Town and the town harbour
Back again: It’s that time of year — Greek holiday time! And I’m back in Greece for another island-hopping holiday.
Right now I’m at my first stop — Mykonos — where it’s mainly sunny and hot and the island is revving up for the summer season.
Wi-Fi connections permitting, I will be posting photos in the days ahead!
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I was craving roast chicken, but Jimmi’s was sold out of birds …
… so I settled for a chicken gyros instead. It hit the spot!
Wallet friendly: It’s easy to blow a travel budget to smithereens on Mykonos, where dinner for two at some of the island’s chic restaurants can cost as much as a night’s accommodation at a five-star hotel. (See my July 20 2011 Mykonos dining post for further details on some of the current hot dining spots frequented by the world’s rich and famous.)
But it’s just as simple to keep more brass in your pocket by feasting on some cheap eats now and then instead of splurging on costly meals at trendy dining establishments, or even €30 dinners at some of the island’s more reasonably priced restaurants.
Case in point: Jimmi’s souvlaki place in Mykonos Town. This popular fast food shop in the heart of Mykonos Town is an island institution, having been in business for over 30 years. (They’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from May through October.)
Jimmi’s has been busy almost every time we’ve walked past (which I’m sure has been more times than I could count), but until this past May we had never tried their food. The reason? I got my fill of gyros and souvlaki during my university days, and have rarely ordered it since. I think I’ve eaten only one or two gyros in the past 10 years, and I’ve ordered souvlaki maybe just half a dozen times in total during our various trips to Greece.
But when we couldn’t get an outdoor table at our favourite Mykonos restaurant, Maerion (unless we were willing to wait about an hour, which we weren’t), we thought we’d give Jimmi’s a try — and save some cash at the same time.
What I really wanted was one of their roast chicken dinners (can’t recall the price; it may have been about €7), but the counter staff shook their heads, pointed to an empty rotisserie machine and told me: “no more — all gone.” I was set to walk back to Maerion but decided to settle for a chicken gyros instead. We ate outside the restaurant at one of their little tables on a narrow step next to the street, watching a steady stream of customers picking up food to take out or eat in (there’s a few tables along the wall and on a small terrace near one of the two entrances, plus a room with more seating on the other side of the narrow road).
My gyros was a little salty, but otherwise tasted great — and satisfied my appetite. The price was even better. Two gyros (mine, plus my partner’s vegetarian gyros), a Coke and a bottle of water cost less than €6 — about the same price as one appetizer at Maerion, and less than the cost of a Greek salad there.
I have a strong feeling we’ll be going back to Jimmi’s next time we’re on Mykonos.
Finishing off a satisfying chicken gyros at a table in the street outside Jimmi’s
Jimmi’s has been serving burgers, chicken, gyros, souvlaki and salads 24 hours a day, seven days a week, six months a year for over 30 years
Jimmi’s son, Savvas, in the shop entrance
Setting a group table on the harbour-view terrace at Camares restaurant next to Taxi Square (Manto Square) in Mykonos Town
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Your table is ready: Where shall we eat today? Where should we go for a drink? Those are daily vacation dilemmas no matter where you travel. But those questions are even more vexing on Mykonos, which boasts a mind-boggling and appetite-whetting vast selection of restaurants and bars just in its main port town alone. There are dozens more dining and drinking establishments elsewhere on the island, including the inland village of Ano Mera and most of the island’s 20+ beaches. Even if you spent an entire month on Mykonos and dined and drank at a different place every day, you still wouldn’t make it to every place on the island. Which of course means that you’ll have plenty of restaurants and bars to sample on your next visit. So how the heck are you supposed to decide where to eat and drink if you’ve got only a few days or maybe just a week to stay on Mykonos?
Since it became popular with the jet set during the play days of Jackie O, Mykonos has catered to the world’s rich and famous with an impressive array of exclusive high-end restaurants. But even if you’ve got money to burn, you’ll still be spoiled with choices.
Serving French and international cuisine since 1971, Katrin has been a favourite with the “mature” in-crowd who don’t care how much anything costs. Three travellers from New York City who dined there in July 2009 told me the average price for a meat or fish entree was €100, while even small starter plates were priced from €20 to €30 and up. Was it worth it? One thought the prices seemed a bit steep; however, “they are what they are and they cater to their own clientele,” he acknowledged. Nevertheless, “the service was incredible and the food was really wonderful. Great quality and wonderful flavors.” Their bill for food and wine came to €340 plus tip, and they left Katrin’s feeling “very happy and extremely content.” (For that price, I should hope so!) The atmosphere was just as enjoyable as the meal, they added. “It is a very social scene with lots of mingling between tables.. relaxed and elegant.”
For the stylish younger crowd flush with cash, the Belvedere Hotel is the place to see and be seen, particularly over cocktails at either the über-hip Belvedere Bar or the Sunset Saki Bar & Lounge, or during dinner at world-renowned Matsuhisa Mykonos (often called “Nobu” after its namesake founder, celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa.) Also popular is Nammos Restaurant by the Sea at swanky Psarou beach, where music and movie stars, royalty and the merely fabulously wealthy sometimes sail into the scenic bay on private multimillion-dollar yachts.
There are dozens more fine dining establishments that are easier on the pocketbook (though still a tad on the expensive side) than the posh places mentioned above that are magnets for celebrities and socialites. They include Avra and its “sister” restaurant NiSa, along with Lotus and Interni for international cuisine, Sea Satin Market for seafood, Uno Con Carne for steak, Pasta Fresca Pizza Barkia for Italian (including hand-made fresh pasta), and Gola and Aqua Taverna for Italian/Mediterranean — all in Mykonos Town. Spilia in the Hotel Anastasia Village at Agia Anna bay (near Kalafatis)is known for superb seafood and pasta served in a romantic cave-like restaurant setting above the sea.
For moderately-priced Greek cuisine in Town, Bakalo and To Ma’ ereio (also called Maerion, it’s one of my favourite restaurants in the Greek Islands) get consistent good reviews; I hear very favourable feedback about Matthew Taverna and El Greco near the new port at Tourlos, too. Friends who live in Greece keep telling me how much they enjoy watching the sunset while savouring tasty Thai and Chinese dishes at Blue Ginger on the main highway above Town.
Meanwhile, Antonini, Opa, Ta Kioupia, Paraportiani, Kostas, Marco Polo and the ever-popular Niko’s Taverna keep drawing customers back to Town with their reliable and reasonably-priced traditional Greek cuisine, as does Kounelas Fish Taverna for fresh seafood (of course) and Catari for pizza and pasta. Serving delicious (and reasonably-priced) Greek dishes outside of Town are Oregano along the main highway to Tourlos, Joanna’s Niko’s Place at Megali Ammos beach, Avli tou Thodori, Bonatsa and Atlantida (in the Acrogriali Hotel) at Platis Gialos beach, Nicolas taverna at Agia Anna (which I mentioned in my June 20 2011 post about Agia Anna beach), Tasos at Paraga beach, Ithaki at Ornos beach, Hippie Fish at Agios Ioannis (which I described in my July 7 2011 post about the “Shirley Valentine beach”), Elia taverna at Elia beach, Taverna Luna at Lia beach, Fokos Taverna at Fokos beach, and Kiki’s Taverna at Agios Sostis beach.
On a tight budget? There’s plenty of places to get cheap eats such as gyros, souvlaki, spinach pies and sandwiches. Jimmi’s Souvlaki (open 24/7 from May to October) and Sakis serve yummy and inexpensive Greek “fast food,” while Piccolo is the place to go for quality take-out sandwiches, home-made Mykonian onion and honey pies, and other light fare. There’s dozens more take-out and eat-in cafés throughout the Town.
Feeling hungry yet?
I’ll talk about some of our specific Mykonos dining experiences in future posts. Until then, here are some photos of tables ready and waiting for you on Mykonos.
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Flowers brighten a streetside table outside the entrance of Maerion (To Ma’ ereio) taverna on Kalogera Street in Mykonos Town. It’s our favourite spot for people watching while we’re enjoying Maerion’s wonderful local Greek cuisine.
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Seaside tables at the scenic Little Venice area of Mykonos Town
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Café tables outside Philippi restaurant and bar on Kalogera Street
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Tables and cushioned seats in a lane outside a Little Venice cocktail bar
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A café on a corner in the shopping district of Mykonos Town
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Red checkered tablecloths at Marco Polo taverna coordinate with nearby bougainvillea, balcony railings, window shutters … and even laundry
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Colourful dining terrace at a cafe in Mykonos Town
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The tree-shaded terrace at Kiki’s taverna at Agios Sostis beach
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Umbrellas shade a café terrace in Mykonos Town
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A taverna at Goumenio Square in Mykonos Town
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Seaview tables at a cocktail bar at Little Venice
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Bolero Bar and Internet café in Mykonos Town
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Bougainvillea blooms and vines provide a colourful canopy above the dining terrace at Pelican restaurant at Goumenio Square
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Alefkandra taverna at Little Venice
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Tables in the square a few steps above perenially-popular Niko’s Taverna …
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… and more tables on the lower terrace just outside the restaurant
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Green café table and chairs outside the Piccolo sandwich shop
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Mandarini café + dessert shop in Mykonos Town
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Table settings in place at a restaurant at Goumenio Square
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Il Centrale café and gelateria in Mykonos Town
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A green table and blue chairs outside a Mykonos Town café
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A vine sheltered restaurant terrace in Mykonos Town
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A cocktail bar next to the seaside in Little Venice
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Extra tables and chairs await the peak summer crowds at Sea Satin Market taverna. Action movie fans might recognize the restaurant as the film location for the final scene in The Bourne Identity.
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Flower arrangements on tables in the narrow street outside the upscale Katrin restaurant in Mykonos Town
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Café tables on a narrow Mykonos street
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One of dozens of “fast food” cafes scattered throughout Mykonos Town
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Tables in the street outside La Casa restaurant in Mykonos Town
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These taverna tables at Little Venice offer outstanding views of the sea, the sunset, the famous Mykonos windmills, and nearby Tinos island
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Seats outside many of the cafes and snack bars in Mykonos Town are a great spot for watching people from around the world pass by
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Rows of tables and chairs at a seaside taverna at Little Venice
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May 16 2011: The new Mykonos Town marina has come a long way since …
… May 28 2009, when the parking lot & small boat facility was still taking shape …
… and the seaside infrastructure project was a big, unsightly mess even when viewed from a distance, like this hillside near the Fine Arts District of Mykonos …
… but as of May 17 2011, the project looks closer to completion
End in sight?: First-time visitors ask what it is. Returning regulars wonder if it will ever get finished. People considering hotels in the area want to know if it will spoil their views and ruin their poolside relaxation. And local residents have become bored and weary from discussing it. The “it” is a new waterfront marina that has been under construction next to the Mykonos Town Old Port for what seems like forever … and the project completion date seems like it will take forever to arrive, too. But work crews are gradually getting there.
The new marina is actually an extensive mixed-use marine infrastructure project being built on more than 4 hectares of land reclaimed from the Mykonos seafront. Costing millions of Euros, the project was intended to help ease congestion at the overcrowded Old Port area, where ferry traffic was steadily increasing. The Old Port facility could not adequately cope with the crowds that kept queuing up for ferry boarding, let alone with all the taxis, hotel shuttle vans and buses and other vehicles that were constantly dropping off and picking up passengers in a very small and extremely congested area. Besides providing more breathing room for ferry travellers, as well as a new terminal for the smaller highspeed ferries that call in at the Old Port, the new marina would include a large parking facility just a short stroll from Mykonos Town (which has a pedestrian zone of streets that are off-limits to most vehicles), a bus and taxi station, port authority administration offices, a sailing club, fish market, and more. The long, narrow channel to be created between the marina and the Mykonos coastline was intended to provide shelter and mooring space for small fishing boats, sailboats, and other pleasure craft.
Landfill work began back in 1994, creating a huge waterfront eyesore — an unsightly long stretch of brown sand, soil and stones — that slowly grew larger until the mid-2000s, when the EU-funded marina project finally commenced construction. The facility stretches from the Old Port in the direction of the New Port at Tourlos — itself another massive landfill and marine infrastructure project — and extends north to a spot near the coast below the Cavo Tagoo luxury hotel. Much to the chagrin of operators of hillside hotels in the Tagoo area of Mykonos, which directly overlooks the project site, the heaviest and noisiest construction work lasted several years, detracting from the hotels’ otherwise marvellous sea and sunset views and interfering with poolside peace and quiet that their guests were expecting to enjoy during their holidays.
When I returned to Mykonos last month, I was happy to see that the marina looks like it’s nearly complete — and that much of the marina is now open for parking as well as bus and taxi drop-offs and pick-ups at the Old Port. Although the lion’s share of heavy and noisy construction work appears to have been completed, a substantial amount of work remains to be finished, and some concrete pumper trucks and earth moving machines were still operating on the site on the two days I walked around the facility. I did not find the noise to be loud or disturbing in any way, though, and I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t interfere with any guests trying to relax on the decks and in the swimming pools at any of the nearby hotels. The good news, for them, is that the marina looks a helluva lot better now than it did for several years when it was a giant construction site.
What disappointed me, however, was that the “marina” is essentially just an enormous, long parking lot near the seashore. I had read an online report several years ago (can’t remember where, and haven’t been able to find it since) that said the marina would include a nicely landscaped promenade that would give pedestrians a pleasant and safe walking alternative to the dangerous narrow coastal rode that runs from the Old Port to the New Port 2 kilometres away. That narrow, winding road is extremely busy with cars, trucks and buses barrelling full tilt to and from Mykonos Town, and since there are no sidewalks, pedestrians take their chances whenever they walk the roadside. But it doesn’t look like the walkway is going to materialize. A dirt ramp presently links the northern tip of the marina with the shoreline; however, it eventually must be removed to allow sailboat and fishing boat access into the channel. That means pedestrians won’t be able to reach the marina from the north end, so they’ll still be faced with the long walk along the busy coastal road. And unless the marina builders create sitting areas that are sheltered by trees and canopies, and add plants and flowers to different spots along the length of the marina to provide badly-needed colour contrast from the long expanse of stonework , it will just remain as one big long parking lot. It will be a good spot to walk for people who want to look up at the hillside and shoot photos of the hotels where they’re staying, but other than that I can’t see why anyone without a car would even want to go down there. At this point in time, it’s not a particularly pleasant a place to pass time. Fortunately, there are many, many more nice and scenic places to walk on the island instead.
Below are more photos I shot in May showing how the marina looks now.
Mykonos Town waterfront marina construction sign near the Old Port
May 16 2011: Marina viewed from the hillside near the top of the Kouros Hotel
May 16 2011: Plenty of new parking spaces are now available
May 16 2011: There is some landscaping, but the marina needs much more
May 16 2011: A view of the marina, looking toward the Old Port from a road on the Tagoo district hillside above the Apanema Resort
May 16 2011: Looking toward the unfinished northern end of the marina
May 16 2011: Apanema Resort is one of several hotels directly overlooking the marina project; Kouros Hotel and Cavo Tagoo do, too
May 16 2011: An excavator (left) and concrete pumper (rear) at work on the site
May 16 2011: A closer view of construction activity on the boat channel
May 16 2011: The concrete pumping truck doesn’t produce significant noise
May 17 2011: Late afternoon view of the marina, looking toward the Old Port (left)
May 19 2011: The marina links to the shoreline at its northern tip; however, this causeway will ultimately have to be removed to allow boat access into the channel
May 19 2011: Looking south across the marina toward the Mykonos Town Old Port
May 19 2011: Looking north toward cruise ships at the New Port at Tourlos
May 19 2011: The central section of the marina still needs considerable work
May 19 2011: Mykonos coastal road below the Cavo Tagoo luxury hotel
May 19 2011: The coastal road above the Mykonos marina
