Pelican

Pelican sits at the Old Port in Mykonos Town (Chora), one of the most trafficked stretches of waterfront on the island. With a 4.8-star rating drawn from more than 3,100 Google reviews, it has built a reputation among both regular visitors and first-timers as a reliable address for traditional Greek cooking without the premium that attaches to many Mykonos restaurants in similar locations.

The hours are unusually generous for a Greek island restaurant: every day of the week from 7:00 AM through to 1:00 AM the following morning. That span covers breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon coffee, dinner, and a late-night meal after the clubs have warmed up — a range that very few places in Chora can match across all those sittings.

Its position at the Old Port places it within a short walk of the ferry quays, the windmills on the Kato Myli ridge, and the edge of Little Venice. You are eating in one of the most recognizable parts of the Cyclades, which means the foot traffic is constant, but the restaurant's longevity suggests it holds its own on the strength of the food rather than location alone.

What to Expect

Pelican operates across a long daily stretch that functions differently depending on when you arrive. In the morning it draws visitors looking for a proper sit-down breakfast before a beach day — the kind of meal that means eggs, yogurt, honey, and fresh bread rather than a packaged hotel buffet. By midday the focus shifts to the Greek dishes that anchor the menu: grilled meats, salads built around Cycladic ingredients, fresh fish depending on the day's catch, and the familiar parade of mezedes and dips that open a proper Greek table.

The Old Port location gives the restaurant a working waterfront character distinct from the more theatrical streets deeper inside Chora. Boats come and go from the quay, the light off the water changes through the afternoon, and the crowd shifts from families at lunch to couples and groups in the evening. By the time the kitchen is pushing toward its 1:00 AM close, the island's nightlife rhythm has taken hold and the area around the port is fully alive.

The place_types listing from Google — restaurant, breakfast restaurant, brunch restaurant, diner — reflects the breadth of service rather than a diluted identity. Greek diners have always operated across multiple meal occasions, and Pelican appears to follow that model: one menu, one kitchen, covering the day from the first coffee to a plate of grilled octopus at midnight.

Service at a restaurant with this volume and this schedule will always be tested during peak summer weeks, but a rating of 4.8 from a sample size exceeding 3,100 responses is unusually consistent for a Mykonos Town address.

How to Get There

Pelican is at the Old Port in Chora, addressed as OLD PORT, CHORA, Mikonos 846 00. If you are arriving by ferry, you are essentially already there — the Old Port is where most inter-island vessels dock, and the restaurant is within the port zone itself.

From the main square (Manto Mavrogenous Square / Taxi Square), walk toward the waterfront and bear left along the port promenade; the walk takes under five minutes. From Little Venice, head northeast along the waterfront. From the windmills on the Kato Myli hill, descend toward the port — the walk is roughly 300 meters.

Parking in Mykonos Town is limited. The main public car parks are on the outskirts of Chora, and most visitors either walk from accommodation in town or take a taxi or bus to the Fabrika terminal and walk down. Taxis pick up from Taxi Square; agree on the destination before you get in, as meters are not always used on the island.

Accessibility into the Old Port area is generally flat along the waterfront, though the cobbled streets of Chora proper can be uneven.

Best Time to Visit

Mykonos is busiest from late June through August, when tables at well-regarded restaurants in Chora fill quickly from around 8:00 PM. If you want to eat at Pelican during peak season without waiting, arriving before 7:30 PM or after 10:30 PM gives you the best chance of a straightforward seat.

Breakfast and brunch sittings — roughly 7:00 AM to noon — are generally calmer even in high summer. The morning light at the Old Port is clean and direct before the heat builds, and a morning meal here before a ferry departure or a beach day makes practical sense given the location.

The shoulder months of May, early June, and September bring smaller crowds and more temperate temperatures. September in particular combines warm sea conditions with noticeably thinner tourist numbers compared to August. October and April are quieter still; confirm opening hours directly with the restaurant outside of peak season, as some Mykonos businesses reduce their schedules.

Tips for Visiting

• Call ahead in high season. The phone number is +30 694 952 8090. A quick call to check wait times or reserve a table for dinner during July and August is worth the effort.
• Use the breakfast window strategically. If you have an early ferry from the Old Port, Pelican opens at 7:00 AM and is one of the closest sit-down options to the departure quays.
• Check the day's fish. At any traditional Greek restaurant on an island, the fresh catch changes daily. Ask the server what came in that morning rather than defaulting to the printed menu.
• The late kitchen is genuine. The 1:00 AM closing is not just a bar closing time — the kitchen runs through the evening. A late dinner after 10:00 PM is a normal Greek meal occasion, not an afterthought.
• Walk the port before or after eating. The Old Port waterfront between the ferry quay and Little Venice is one of the more authentic stretches of Mykonos Town, away from the most boutique-heavy lanes of Chora. A short walk before your meal lets you settle in to the pace of the place.
• Dress practically for the location. The Old Port can be breezy even in summer, particularly in the evenings when the meltemi picks up from the north. A light layer is worth having for outdoor seating after dark.
• Verify shoulder-season hours. The daily 7 AM–1 AM schedule applies during the active tourist season. If you are visiting before May or after October, check current hours via the website at pelicanmykonos.com or by phone before making the trip.

What to Order

The menu at Pelican follows the logic of a traditional Greek kitchen, which means the best approach is to let the season and the morning's supply guide your choices rather than arriving with a fixed order in mind.

For breakfast, Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts, eggs, and fresh bread are the dependable cornerstones of a Cycladic morning meal. These are simple dishes where the quality of the ingredients — local thyme honey, full-fat yogurt, good olive oil — does the work.

For lunch and dinner, look first at the mezedes and cold starters: tzatziki, taramosalata, grilled halloumi or local cheese, and whatever vegetable preparation is seasonal. These dishes establish the character of a Greek kitchen more clearly than the mains.

For mains, grilled fish and seafood at an Old Port restaurant with this track record warrant attention. Octopus grilled over charcoal, fresh fish by the kilo, and shellfish when available are worth asking about. Meat eaters will find grilled lamb chops (paidakia) and souvlaki on any menu anchored in this tradition.

Finish with loukoumades (honey-soaked dough fritters) or a fruit dessert if the kitchen offers one, and order Greek coffee rather than espresso if you want to end the meal in the right register.