Avli

Avli Tou Thodori is a beachfront restaurant sitting directly on the golden sands of Platis Gialos, one of Mykonos's busiest organised beaches on the southern coast. You can arrive by sea taxi, drop your bag on a sun lounger, and move straight to a table when you're ready to eat — the transition from beach to dining room is literally a few steps across the sand.

The restaurant operates under the full name Avli Tou Thodori, with a website at avlitouthodori.gr, and holds a 4.8-star rating across nearly 2,000 Google reviews — a consistently high score for a venue that handles serious lunch and dinner crowds throughout the Mykonos season. The menu covers a wide range of Greek cuisine, from fresh fish and seafood to grilled meats, pasta, pizzas, salads, and a solid selection of appetizers. This is not a single-dish specialist; it's a full-service restaurant that suits families, couples, and groups who want to extend a beach day into a proper meal.

The interior design runs on white — white walls, white furnishings, a minimalist layout — punctuated by old black-and-white photographs that reference everyday Greek life. The aesthetic is polished without feeling cold, and the proximity to the water keeps things casual enough that arriving in a swimsuit cover-up is entirely normal.

What to Expect

Platis Gialos is one of the longest organised beaches on Mykonos, about 4 kilometres south of Mykonos Town (Chora), and Avli Tou Thodori occupies a prime position directly on the waterfront. The location means the view from most tables is open sea or beach, and the sound is the Aegean rather than a busy road.

The menu is built around Greek cuisine with broad appeal. Fresh seafood and fish are the headliners — expect daily catches prepared in straightforward Greek ways: grilled, fried, or baked with lemon and olive oil. Alongside the fish there are meat dishes, pasta, pizzas, salads, and a range of mezedes-style starters that work well for sharing. The wine list accompanies the food menu on the restaurant's website, where a QR-accessible version is also available.

Sun loungers are available on the beach in front of the restaurant, and the setup allows you to order drinks — coffee, cocktails, fresh juice — while still on the beach, then move to the restaurant proper for a full meal. This dual function as a beach bar and sit-down restaurant is part of what draws a crowd here through the entire day from noon until midnight.

The interior décor is white-dominated with a minimalist sensibility and black-and-white photography on the walls. Outside seating faces the beach. The vibe is relaxed but the presentation is tidy — this is Mykonos, and the clientele expect a certain level of style even at midday.

How to Get There

Platis Gialos is approximately 4 kilometres south of Mykonos Town. By car or scooter, follow the main road south from Chora toward Platis Gialos and Psarou; parking is available near the beach, though it fills quickly in July and August. The KTEL bus network runs regular services from the South Bus Station in Mykonos Town to Platis Gialos during the summer season — check the current timetable at the bus station or online, as frequencies vary by month.

Alternatively, the Mykonos sea taxi service connects Platis Gialos to several other southern beaches including Psarou, Paradise, Super Paradise, and Agrari. If you're beach-hopping, arriving by water is both practical and scenic. Avli Tou Thodori's position on the beachfront means sea taxi users can step almost directly to the venue.

Taxi from Mykonos Town takes around 10–15 minutes depending on traffic. During peak season, road traffic to the southern beaches can build up in the early afternoon.

Best Time to Visit

Avli Tou Thodori is open daily from noon to midnight throughout the season. Platis Gialos beach is at its busiest between late June and late August, when sun loungers fill by mid-morning and the restaurant is fully occupied for lunch from around 1:30 PM onward. If you want a table with a good sea view without waiting, aim to arrive at noon when the restaurant opens, or after 3 PM when the peak lunch rush has eased.

For dinner, the beach atmosphere shifts as the day cools. Evening temperatures on Mykonos are pleasant from late May through October, and an outdoor table after 7 PM — with the beach quieter and the light fading over the Aegean — is a different experience from the midday buzz.

Shoulder season (May, early June, September, October) brings smaller crowds to Platis Gialos while the sea remains warm enough to swim. Restaurant service is still available, and securing a table is significantly easier than in high summer.

Tips for Visiting

• Book ahead for July and August. With nearly 2,000 reviews at a 4.8 rating, this restaurant draws a loyal crowd. Call +30 2289 078100 or email [email protected] to reserve a table, especially for dinner or a weekend lunch.
• Use the sun loungers first, then dine. The beach-to-restaurant setup is the core of the Avli Tou Thodori experience. Arrive early, claim a lounger, order drinks from the beach service, and move to the restaurant when you're ready to eat.
• Check the daily fish. Fresh catches vary. Ask your server what arrived that day before ordering from the seafood section of the menu — this is standard practice at any serious Greek fish restaurant.
• Browse the menu online before you go. The website (avlitouthodori.gr) has the current menu and wine list available, which helps if you're planning for dietary requirements or a group with varied preferences.
• Arrive by sea taxi if you're beach-hopping. Platis Gialos is a stop on the southern Mykonos sea taxi circuit. Combining a visit here with Psarou or Paradise beach in the same day is straightforward.
• Parking fills fast in peak season. If driving, plan to arrive before noon or after the post-lunch lull (around 3:30–4 PM) to find roadside or car park space near the beach.
• The dress code is relaxed but the setting is polished. Beachwear is fine for a midday drink or snack, but most guests change into something slightly smarter for dinner.
• The interior is air-conditioned. On the hottest August days, the white minimalist interior provides a cooler alternative to the outdoor terrace — useful to know if you're sensitive to heat.

What to Order

The menu at Avli Tou Thodori is anchored by fresh fish and seafood, so the strongest ordering strategy centres on what was caught that day. Whole grilled fish served with lemon, capers, and olive oil is a reliable Greek standard, and a coastal restaurant on Mykonos with access to Aegean catches is a reasonable place to order it.

For a shared table, a round of mezedes starters — which typically includes tzatziki, taramosalata, fava, grilled octopus, and fried local cheese — works well before moving to a main. The restaurant's menu also includes pasta, pizza, and grilled meats, which are practical options for groups where not everyone wants fish.

Cocktails and Greek wines anchor the drinks side. The wine list is available on the website and covers Greek labels alongside international options. For a midday visit, a chilled local white wine or a light beer alongside fried zucchini and a seafood salad is a straightforward way to do a proper Greek beach lunch without overordering.

If you're spending the day on the sun loungers before eating, the beach service handles coffees, fresh juices, and cocktails — ordering through the beach rather than the restaurant counter is the norm here.