Kavos

Kavos Taverna has been operating on the waterfront near Mykonos Old Port since 1969, making it one of the longer-standing family-run restaurants on an island where dining venues turn over quickly. It sits on Polykandriotis Street in the Kaminaki area, steps from the water, and holds a 4.8-star rating across more than 4,000 Google reviews — a figure that marks it as consistently well-regarded rather than lucky.

The kitchen centers on fresh seafood and traditional Greek cooking. The menu runs from grilled fish of the day and a Greek seafood platter to pasta with ouzo shrimps, fritto misto, and souvlaki, with an emphasis on sourcing from local waters. The setting is seaside and unfussy — this is not the Mykonos of velvet ropes and DJ sets, but a taverna where the food and the view of the Aegean do the work.

What to Expect

Kavos Taverna occupies a position that lets diners sit close to the water near the Old Port, with open-air seating that takes full advantage of the Aegean outlook. The atmosphere is relaxed: tablecloths and attentive service without the formality of a fine-dining room, and no soundtrack other than the sea.

The menu is structured around seafood, with a grilled fish section that changes with the daily catch. A Greek Seafood Platter provides a broader sampling, while individual dishes include spaghetti with ouzo shrimps in a garlic, cream, and parmesan sauce, and fritto misto for those who prefer fried preparation. The gyro is listed among the kitchen's points of pride — an unusual inclusion on a seafood-forward menu, but reportedly a strong one. Appetizers follow the standard Greek taverna canon: expect dips, small plates, and the kind of starters that work well alongside a cold carafe of house white or a glass of ouzo.

Portions lean generous, the ingredients are presented as market-fresh, and the kitchen has nearly five decades of practice behind it. Service receives consistent mention in reviews as attentive and friendly. The overall register is family-run Greek taverna: genuine, practiced, and grounded in the cooking traditions of the island rather than in trend-driven cuisine.

The restaurant seats enough diners to accommodate both walk-ins during shoulder season and larger groups in high summer, though booking ahead in July and August is strongly advisable.

How to Get There

Kavos Taverna is on Polykandriotis Street in the Kaminaki district, close to Mykonos Old Port (Palio Limani). If you're arriving from Mykonos Town (Chora), the Old Port is a short walk north along the waterfront, roughly five to ten minutes on foot from the main harbor area.

By car or scooter, the Old Port road is accessible from the main Mykonos Town ring road. Parking near the Old Port is limited, especially in high season; arriving on foot from Chora or by taxi is often more practical than driving. Taxis from the main taxi stand in Mykonos Town take only a few minutes.

The address for navigation is Polykandriotis Street, Kaminaki, Old Port, Mikonos 846 00. The coordinates are 37.4494476, 25.3297823.

Best Time to Visit

Kavos Taverna is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Those hours cover both lunch and dinner service throughout the week.

Mykonos high season runs from late June through August. During this period the taverna fills quickly for dinner, particularly in the early evening when the light on the water is at its best and temperatures become manageable after the heat of the day. Booking a table for 7:00 or 7:30 PM in July or August is wise.

Shoulder season — May, June, and September — offers the combination of warm weather, operating restaurants, and meaningfully thinner crowds. A lunchtime visit in late September gives you the waterfront setting in near-solitude by Mykonos standards. Spring visits in April and early May carry the risk of the restaurant not yet being at full operating capacity, so a call ahead is worth making.

Mykonos wind, the meltemi, peaks in July and August and can make open-air waterfront dining more dramatic than comfortable on exposed days. The Old Port location has some natural shelter, but wind is a factor to keep in mind when planning an evening meal.

Tips for Visiting

• Book ahead for dinner in summer. Kavos Taverna takes reservations via its website at kavostaverna.com. Walk-ins are possible at lunch and during shoulder season, but dinner seats on summer evenings fill early.
• Ask about the fish of the day. The daily catch drives the freshest options on the menu. Your server can tell you what came in that morning and how it's best prepared — grilled whole is the standard for most white fish here.
• Arrive for lunch to avoid the peak. The 12:30–2:30 PM window is typically quieter than dinner, and the midday light on the Aegean is worth sitting through the heat for.
• The ouzo shrimp pasta is a signature. If you want one dish that bridges Greek tradition and the restaurant's seafood focus, the spaghetti with ouzo, garlic, cream, and parmesan is the most-discussed item in reviews.
• Contact directly for group bookings. The restaurant's email is [email protected] and phone is +30 2289 028888. For parties of six or more, contacting in advance gives you better seating options.
• Come hungry but pace yourself. Greek taverna servings are sized for sharing. Ordering two or three dishes between two people, then adding more, is a better strategy than front-loading the table.
• Pair seafood with local white wine. Mykonos doesn't have the wine output of Santorini or Naxos, but Greek island whites — including those from the Cyclades appellation — pair cleanly with grilled fish and fried seafood. Ask what's available by the carafe.
• Follow the Instagram account for seasonal updates. The account @kavostavernamykonos posts updates on the season's specials and operating status, which is useful for confirming the taverna is open if you're visiting in the shoulder months.

What to Order

The menu at Kavos Taverna is organized around a seafood-first philosophy that has been in place since the restaurant's founding. The clearest expression of that is the Greek Seafood Platter, which brings together a range of the kitchen's catches and preparations in one order — practical for a table that wants a broad introduction rather than individual selection.

For single dishes, the fresh fish of the day grilled whole is the most direct route to what the kitchen does best. Fritto misto — lightly fried mixed seafood — offers a different texture and suits those who prefer their fish out of the shell rather than presented whole. The spaghetti with ouzo shrimps, garlic, cream sauce, and parmesan sits at the intersection of Greek taverna and Mediterranean pasta cooking, and appears regularly in visitor recommendations.

On the non-seafood side, the souvlaki and gyro round out the menu for anyone in the group who eats meat rather than fish. Appetizers follow the established Greek starters format; a selection of dips, olives, and small plates works well as a shared opening before the main plates arrive.

Wine by the carafe and cold Greek lager are the standard companions. Ouzo, given its presence in several dishes, is the obvious aperitif order if you're drinking spirits before the meal.