Local guide · by your hosts

Eating in Sivas & the Messara

Sivas has lovely family-run tavernas — and the villages around have even more. This is where we actually eat, walk-first: everything in the first section is on foot from the house.

In Sivas — walking distance

Pezoula

5 min walk · the nearest, and luckily very good

On the road between our place and the village — a short uphill climb to arrive at the tables. The closest taverna to the house and a lovely one. Map →

Sigelakis

7 min walk

On your left as you walk along the street through the center of the village. A Sivas institution. Map →

Vafis

8 min walk · on the plaza

The one to go to on the plaza in the center of the village — notice where the people are sitting. Map →

A short drive away

Raftis — Pitsidia

±10 min drive · the fancy one

A lovely, high-level restaurant in Pitsidia — the village you drive through on the way to Matala and Kommos, and worth a wander in its own right. (Fair warning: the mosquitos like it there too — come prepared.) Map →

Traumfabrik — Pitsidia

Breakfast & lunch, 9–5

German-run breakfast and lunch spot — a good mid-morning landing after an early beach swim. Map →

Hippies — Matala

On the water

A cool spot on the south side of Matala looking over the water toward the famous rock face. Good food and cocktails. Map →

The taverna at Afrathias beach

Where the locals are

We see mostly locals here — ask them what's good that day and order that. Map →

Groceries & markets

Halkiadakis — Moires

On your way from Heraklion · 15 min from the house

The most convenient big-shop stop, on the right just before entering Moires. Do your arrival shop here. Map →

Ariadni — Pitsidia

5 min drive · open Sundays

A larger village store for everything you forgot — usefully open on Sundays. Map →

Sivas village shop & the Moires Saturday market

Essentials & the weekly event

Sivas has a small shop and a pharmacy for essentials. On Saturdays, the market in Moires has fresh produce and lovely local products (alongside, in fairness, some cheap imported plastic).

Every stay comes with our running list of what's open and what's good right now — it changes with the seasons. Check availability →