Kiwi

Kiwi is an Asian restaurant in Kamari, the seaside resort village on Santorini's east coast, sitting one block back from the black-sand beach. It covers Chinese, Thai, and Japanese cooking under one roof — an unusual breadth for a Greek island — and has built a following of roughly 900 Google reviewers who give it a 4.4 rating. If you've spent several days working through grilled octopus and fava, Kiwi is a reliable detour into something different.

The address puts it on the Kamari main strip, adjacent to the Irish pub that locals use as a landmark. Tables are arranged on an outdoor terrace shaded by a pergola draped in bougainvillea, which keeps the space cool even on hot August afternoons. The kitchen operates as both a sit-down restaurant and a takeaway, so you can order in or take food back to your accommodation.

Kamari itself is one of Santorini's more relaxed beach villages — less crowded than Perissa to the south and far removed from the Fira and Oia cliffside crowds. Kiwi fits that mood: it's a neighborhood restaurant with a long menu rather than a tourist-facing novelty.

What to Expect

The menu draws from three distinct Asian culinary traditions. On the Chinese side, expect steaming broths, stir-fries, dumplings, and noodle dishes cooked with fresh market produce. Thai dishes lean toward fragrant curries and zingy salads — one recurring customer note describes the green Thai curry as among the best encountered outside Thailand itself. The Japanese section covers sushi and related preparations.

Dishes are served in a communal, family-style format, meaning the table shares rather than each person receiving a single plate. That approach suits groups and couples who want to sample across multiple cuisines in one sitting.

The outdoor terrace is the setting most diners gravitate toward — it's partially shaded by mature climbing plants, giving it a garden-like feel that's unusual for a beach-resort strip. In cooler months or on windy Santorini evenings, the setting still works because the pergola provides a degree of shelter.

The restaurant runs its own website at kiwi-restaurant.gr, where the menu is posted, and is also active on Facebook. The kitchen handles both dine-in and takeaway orders, which makes it a practical option if you're renting a studio or apartment nearby.

Service hours run Monday through Sunday, 12:00 to midnight, which means it covers both lunch and late dinner — useful in a village where other options may close earlier.

How to Get There

Kamari is on Santorini's southeastern coast, roughly 10 kilometres from Fira by road. By car or rental scooter from Fira, follow the main road toward Kamari, which takes around 15 minutes. Parking is generally available along the village streets, though it fills up during July and August peak hours.

The KTEL bus service connects Fira to Kamari on a regular schedule throughout the summer season — check current timetables at the Fira central bus station, as schedules change between high and shoulder season. The bus drops you on the Kamari main road, and the restaurant is a short walk from the beach road.

If you're staying in Kamari itself, Kiwi is walkable from most of the village's hotels and studios. Coming from the beach, walk one street inland; the restaurant sits adjacent to the Irish pub, which makes it easy to spot.

Taxis from Fira to Kamari are available through the Santorini taxi app or by calling the taxi rank in Fira. The fare is metered.

Best Time to Visit

Kiwi operates year-round or through the extended season — the 12:00 to midnight daily schedule covers both the high summer months and the shoulder periods of May, June, September, and October. Santorini's high season runs from late June through August, when Kamari beach fills up and the village gets busy from mid-morning onward.

For a quieter dinner, arriving at 18:00–19:00 puts you ahead of the main evening rush, which tends to build after 20:00 when beach-goers return from the water. Late-night diners can use the kitchen until midnight, which is later than many restaurants in Kamari.

September and October are the most comfortable months for outdoor terrace dining — temperatures drop from the 30°C-plus of August to something more manageable, the crowds thin considerably, and the bougainvillea on the pergola is still in good shape. Santorini's meltemi wind can pick up in July and August, but the terrace's covered structure provides some protection.

Tips for Visiting

• Confirm current hours before arriving. The standard published hours are noon to midnight daily, but hours can shift outside peak season. A quick call to +30 2286 034145 or a check of the Facebook page is worth doing if you're visiting in April, May, or November.
• Book ahead in high summer. Kamari gets crowded from late June through August. The outdoor terrace has limited covers, and walk-in waits can be lengthy on peak evenings.
• Use the takeaway option if you have a kitchen. Kiwi operates as a takeaway as well as a dine-in restaurant, which is practical if you're self-catering in a Kamari studio apartment.
• Order across cuisines. The family-style serving format is designed for sharing, and the menu spans Chinese, Thai, and Japanese. Mixing one dish from each section gives you the widest taste of what the kitchen does well.
• Arrive from the beach road side. The restaurant is one street back from the beach. If you walk along the seafront promenade and then turn inland at the Irish pub, you'll find it immediately.
• Bring cash as backup. Payment policies are not confirmed in the current research; carrying cash alongside a card is standard practice across Santorini's smaller restaurants.
• Check the Facebook page for seasonal updates. The restaurant maintains an active Facebook presence at facebook.com/kiwi.restaurant.santorini, where opening dates and any menu changes are more likely to be posted than elsewhere.
• Pair with a Kamari beach afternoon. Kamari's black-sand beach is a short walk away. A late afternoon swim followed by dinner at Kiwi is a straightforward way to spend the evening without needing a car or taxi.

What to Order

The green Thai curry is the dish that appears most frequently in customer reviews, consistently described as well-made and authentically spiced. If Thai food is your focus, that's the reliable starting point.

On the Chinese side, the dumplings and noodle dishes are the kitchen's stated strengths — the menu describes stir-fries made with fresh market produce rather than pre-prepared sauces, which shows up in the texture of the finished dishes.

For larger tables, the communal format works best when the group orders broadly: a Thai curry, a Chinese noodle or dumpling dish, and one sushi selection covers the menu's range without over-ordering. The broths work well as a lighter opener if you're eating a full multi-course meal.

The restaurant's website at kiwi-restaurant.gr publishes the full menu, which is worth reviewing before you go, particularly if anyone in your group has dietary restrictions. The email address [email protected] can also be used for specific advance enquiries.