momo

Momo is an Indian and Thai restaurant sitting on Fira's central square — the Κεντρική πλατεία — in the heart of Santorini's capital. It fills a specific gap on an island where the dining scene skews heavily toward Mediterranean and Greek menus, offering a full slate of Indian and Thai dishes cooked in an open kitchen and served daily from midday through to 11 pm.

The restaurant holds a halal certificate, which is displayed on site — a detail that matters to a significant number of visitors and one that is rare enough on Santorini to be worth flagging upfront. With over 640 Google reviews and a solid 4-star rating, Momo has accumulated a genuine track record among both tourists and island regulars who want something other than grilled fish or moussaka.

The location on the central square puts it within easy walking distance of the cable car, the main Fira shopping street, and the caldera-edge path that runs through town. It is a practical choice whether you are taking a break between sightseeing stops or looking for a sit-down dinner before heading to a rooftop bar.

What to Expect

Momo operates out of a space on Fira's central square, and the setup includes seating upstairs as well as the street-level entrance. The kitchen is open, so you can see dishes being assembled — a detail the restaurant highlights on its own website as a point of difference. The menu draws from both Indian and Thai traditions, which is an unusual pairing but one that gives the kitchen a wider range of flavors to work with: expect curries, rice dishes, and shared plates alongside Thai-influenced options.

The service model accommodates both sit-down dining and takeaway. Several reviewers have ordered takeaway when the front was busy, suggesting that the restaurant can get full during peak hours in summer. Food reportedly arrives quickly and hot, which matters when you are eating at an outdoor table in Fira's evening foot traffic.

Sharing dishes is encouraged — the restaurant's own description frames the menu around the idea of ordering several smaller portions across the table, which suits groups and families. Vegetarian options are well represented in both Indian and Thai cooking styles, and the halal certification covers the meat ingredients. Samosas appear on the menu based on reviewer mentions. The chef updates the menu periodically, so the exact lineup may shift between seasons.

The crowd is almost entirely tourists, given the central Fira location, but the restaurant has built a consistent following among visitors specifically seeking non-Greek food after a run of disappointing or repetitive meals elsewhere on the island.

How to Get There

Momo sits on Fira's central square (Κεντρική πλατεία), which is one of the most walkable points on Santorini for anyone already based in or near the capital. If you are arriving by cable car from the old port, the square is a short uphill walk from the top station. From the Fira bus terminal — the island's main KTEL hub — the central square is roughly five minutes on foot.

If you are driving from Oia, Imerovigli, or Firostefani, Fira is on the main caldera road (the EP-90). Parking in central Fira is limited; the main car parks are on the eastern edge of town, near the new port road. From those lots, the central square is a 5–10 minute walk through the pedestrian streets.

Taxis from Kamari, Perissa, or Akrotiri to Fira's central square are available through the island's central taxi dispatcher. No boat access applies to this location.

Best Time to Visit

Momo is open every day of the week from noon to 11 pm, which gives it one of the longer service windows in Fira. Lunch service — roughly noon to 3 pm — tends to be less crowded than the dinner rush. During July and August, Fira's central square sees heavy foot traffic from late afternoon through the evening, and the restaurant can fill up by 7–8 pm.

If you are planning a dinner visit in peak season, arriving closer to noon or at 6 pm gives you a better chance of getting a table without a wait, or you can call ahead on +30 2286 027002 to check availability. The shoulder months — May, June, September, and October — bring smaller crowds and more relaxed service throughout the day.

Santorini's summer heat peaks between noon and 4 pm; if you are sitting outdoors, a midday visit in July or August can be uncomfortable. The evening hours from 7 pm onward are more pleasant once the sea breeze picks up.

Tips for Visiting

• Call or email before you go in high season. The restaurant's phone number is +30 2286 027002 and the email is [email protected]. A quick call can confirm wait times or reserve a spot upstairs.
• Ask specifically about the upstairs seating. Reviewers mention a separate seating area above the street-level entrance. If you want a quieter table away from the square foot traffic, this is worth requesting.
• Takeaway is a genuine option. If the front is full, takeaway from Momo works well — Fira has several caldera-view benches and terraces nearby where you can eat while looking out over the volcano.
• The halal certificate is on display. If this matters to you, confirm it is still current when you arrive; certifications are renewed periodically.
• Order to share. The restaurant frames its menu around shared smaller dishes rather than single large plates. Ordering three or four dishes between two people gives you more variety.
• Check the current menu online. The chef updates the menu regularly; visit momo-santorini.gr before arriving to see what is currently on offer rather than relying on outdated review listings.
• Fira's central square has limited motor access in the evenings. If you are coming by taxi or car, ask to be dropped on the main road adjacent to the square and walk the last 100 meters.
• Combine with an evening caldera walk. The footpath along the caldera edge runs through central Fira; a pre- or post-dinner walk along it from Fira toward Firostefani takes 20–30 minutes and is best done in the early evening light.

What to Order

The menu spans Indian and Thai dishes, with an emphasis on dishes suited to sharing. Based on verified reviewer mentions, the kitchen produces curries, rice-based mains, and starter plates including samosas. The open kitchen produces food quickly, and reviewers consistently note dishes arrive hot.

For those unfamiliar with Indian restaurant conventions, a practical approach is to order one curry, one rice or bread dish, and one or two sides per two people, then add extra dishes from there. Thai-influenced options provide lighter alternatives if you want something less sauce-heavy.

The samosas have received mixed reviews — at least one reviewer found them potato-heavy — so if you are particular about your samosas, ask the staff what the current filling is before ordering. On a positive note, reviewers broadly praise the overall food quality and flavor, which is a higher bar than much of the tourist-facing dining in central Fira.