Bakoyia's Gialos

Bakoyia's Gialos is a traditional Greek taverna sitting directly on the waterfront along Mykonos's southern coast. Its coordinates place it in the quieter stretch of shoreline near Platis Gialos, away from the crowded beach clubs that dominate that bay — an area where the pace slows down and the emphasis shifts from cocktails and DJs to straightforward plates of food eaten close to the water.

The name itself is telling: "gialos" is the Greek word for shore or beach, and a taverna carrying that suffix is almost always one that has grown up alongside a particular stretch of coastline rather than being imported from the mainland or styled for the tourist circuit. At Bakoyia's Gialos, the draw is the setting and the simplicity of the food, not a design concept or a famous bartender.

Mykonos has a well-documented split between its high-gloss, internationally marketed beach-club economy and the quieter fishing-village character that predates it. Restaurants like Bakoyia's Gialos belong to the second tradition — places where locals and returning visitors know to look past the glossy menus and find a table that actually faces the sea.

What to Expect

The southern coast of Mykonos, where Bakoyia's Gialos sits, is characterized by clear, sheltered water and a less exposed shoreline than the island's northern or eastern sides. The prevailing summer wind — the meltemi — tends to be more manageable here, which means outdoor dining remains comfortable even on afternoons when the northern beaches are choppy and windswept.

As a traditional taverna, the menu at Bakoyia's Gialos follows the established rhythm of Greek coastal cooking: fresh fish priced by the kilogram and selected from whatever came in that morning, grilled octopus, fried calamari, a range of mezedes such as taramosalata, tzatziki, and grilled cheese, and reliable meat options for anyone not drawn to seafood. Salads are built around ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and good feta. Bread arrives with the food. Wine is typically available by the carafe as well as by the bottle.

The physical setting is what makes this type of restaurant worth seeking out on Mykonos. You are eating at or very near the waterline, with the sound of the sea present throughout the meal. Tables are typically shaded during the midday hours, and as the sun drops toward the western hills in late afternoon, the light over the water becomes one of the better incidental details of a long lunch.

Service at traditional tavernas in Greece tends to be unhurried. This is not a flaw — it reflects the assumption that you have come to sit, eat slowly, and stay for a while. Ordering in stages, starting with mezedes and moving to mains as the conversation allows, is both customary and practical.

How to Get There

Bakoyia's Gialos sits on the southern coast of Mykonos at approximately 37.447°N, 25.328°E, placing it in the coastal zone near Platis Gialos. From Mykonos Town (Chora), the most direct route by road heads south through the island's interior toward Platis Gialos, a journey of roughly 4 to 5 kilometers. By car or scooter — both widely available for hire on the island — this takes around 10 to 15 minutes depending on summer traffic.

The KTEL bus network on Mykonos operates a service from Fabrika Square in Mykonos Town to Platis Gialos during the main season, running roughly every 30 minutes at peak times. From the Platis Gialos stop, the taverna is accessible on foot along the coastal path.

Taxis are available from Mykonos Town's main taxi stand on Manto Square; the fare to the southern coast is short and fixed. During July and August, water taxis also connect the main southern beaches — Platis Gialos, Psarou, Paraga, and Paradise — and depending on the exact location of the taverna's shoreline access, arriving by sea is a practical option worth checking locally.

Parking near the southern coast is limited in peak season. Visitors arriving by private vehicle should allow extra time in July and August, and arriving before midday significantly improves the chances of finding a spot near the beach road.

Best Time to Visit

Mykonos's main restaurant season runs from late April through October, with the heaviest concentration of visitors arriving in July and August. A taverna on the southern coast will be busiest at lunch during those two months, with tables filling quickly from around 1:00 pm onward.

For a more relaxed experience, aim for lunch shortly after noon or shift to an early dinner — Mykonos dining typically runs late, with most locals eating after 9:00 pm in summer, which means the early evening window from 7:00 to 8:30 pm can be quieter than it might appear.

Shoulder season visits in May, June, or September offer a noticeably different atmosphere. The meltemi wind is less intense in late May and September, the southern coast retains its warmth well into October, and the number of diners at any given table turn is lower. This is when the food and the setting can be appreciated without the ambient pressure of high-season Mykonos.

Midday sun on the southern coast is strong from June through August. If you are combining lunch at the taverna with time on the beach, factor in shade — an awning or overhead cover at your table makes a material difference at 1:30 pm in July.

Tips for Visiting

• Arrive early for the best table selection. Waterfront tables closest to the sea fill first. Getting to the taverna at noon rather than 1:00 pm gives you a meaningfully better choice of where to sit.
• Ask about the fresh fish before you order. In any traditional Greek taverna, the fish on offer that day may differ from what the menu lists. Ask the server what arrived that morning and how it is best prepared — grilled or baked are both standard options.
• Fish is priced by weight. If you order whole fresh fish, it will typically be weighed before cooking and the price confirmed. For two people sharing, a fish of 500–700 grams is usually sufficient alongside a couple of mezedes.
• Order mezedes first, mains later. Starting with two or three shared starters and letting the meal build over an hour is the natural rhythm of this type of restaurant and makes the most of the setting.
• Bring cash as backup. While card payment is widely accepted across Mykonos, smaller tavernas occasionally have connectivity issues with payment terminals in peak season. Having euros on hand avoids any inconvenience.
• Check the water taxi schedule if you are coming from another beach. In summer, hopping between the southern beaches by water taxi is faster and more pleasant than navigating the coast road by car. Confirm the schedule with your accommodation or the taxi boat operator at your departure beach.
• Combine with a walk along the southern coastal path. The area around Platis Gialos has connecting footpaths that link several small coves. A walk before or after a meal takes advantage of the terrain without requiring a vehicle.
• Reserve ahead during August. The first two weeks of August represent peak demand across the entire island. If you are visiting during this period, confirming your table in advance is advisable — drop in or call the day before if a direct booking channel is not available online.

What to Order

At a traditional taverna on the Mykonos coast, the menu is built around what the Aegean offers and what Greek culinary tradition has done with it for generations. A well-constructed meal at Bakoyia's Gialos might begin with a spread of cold starters — taramosalata, tzatziki, and a plate of grilled or sun-dried octopus — followed by a whole fresh fish for the table, grilled simply with olive oil, lemon, and dried oregano.

Fried calamari is ubiquitous on Mykonos menus, but quality varies. At a waterfront taverna with access to fresh catch, it is worth ordering; the difference between frozen and fresh is apparent in both texture and flavor. Saganaki — pan-fried cheese, typically kefalograviera or similar — is a reliable starter for anyone who wants something hot from the kitchen while the main courses are being prepared.

Greek salad (choriatiki) is a fixture. On Mykonos, local feta tends to be high quality; request it without crumbling if you prefer the slab form. A carafe of local or house white wine, often from the Cyclades, pairs well with seafood. Assyrtiko from Santorini is the prestige regional choice if the wine list extends that far, but a straightforward Cycladic white is perfectly suited to this kind of meal.

For dessert, Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts is the simplest and most reliable option if the kitchen offers it. Some tavernas bring a small complimentary dessert or digestif — this is a sign of hospitality, not an upselling tactic, and is worth accepting.