Now I've rambled on long enough about the beauty of Santorini I'll cover food. I'll put it out there - the Greek's know how to cook. As I said in my first post we had a small kitchen and with Santorini having lots of supermarkets and bakeries this meant we could get fresh fruit and pastries as well as Greek yoghurt (obviously) to have for breakfast.Due to feeling pretty lazy the day we arrived we decided to head to the hotel restaurant for some lunch, choosing a selection of starters including Greek salad, fried goats cheese, fried aubergines and pitta with tatziki. We weren't really expecting much but it was delicious and fantastic value compared to places more central in Oia! The food was all extremely fresh and I would say this was probably the best Greek salad we had while we were out there. We ended up going back a few times for dinner and were never disappointed. The place was run by the same family as the hotel and the staff were always so friendly and attentive.
Due to the streets of Oia filling out as the sunset nears we decided to make a few advance reservations for restaurants with sunset views in order to take in the absolutely stunning views of the sun disappearing into the sea. The first time we went to Ochre and were seriously impressed, the portions were generous (seriously take a look at the prawn starter below and the calamari) and the mousaka I had here was delicious.Due to booking in advance we also got an amazing spot right near the front meaning unobstructed sunset viewing. This was the first time I also realised people clapped when the sun set, you know how some people clap when a plane lands? Yeh same kind of thing, which I found hilarious. But seriously if you want a good spot plan ahead and book in advance. At another restaurant I overheard the waiter tell a couple that the best spot in the place had been booked over a month ahead.
The second time we went for sunset dining we tried out Kastro which had a beautiful view that included Oia itself in shot and gave us the sunset from a different angle. On arriving we were slightly worried this was going to be one of those "you're just paying for the view and the food is expensive and crap places" but we were definitely wrong.
The menu had numerous set options for two people, perfect if you're in a couple (which believe me, a lot of people in Santorini are) or a group with even numbers. Since we weren't either of these things I got the beef pasta with feta and my sister the grilled lamb and both did not disappoint tasting fresh and being very generous portion sizes.
After seeing Candouni recommended by a few people we also booked ourselves a table in their pateo area which although involved no sunset was a really pretty setting under a flowered balcony for an evening meal. Once again, a family run establishment with lots of on the day options (including even a cocktail of the day for a reduced price) this place was really tastey.
I got a great halloumi starter and a pasta dish filled to the brim with fresh seafood. My mum even tried rooster which she let me have a taste of and I can confirm was delicious. The only thing letting this place down was the service, while the main waiter was great and spoke really enthusiastically about the food and restaurant after he'd taken our order we were left with a very inattentive waiter which everything took a long time to arrive and he wasn't that friendly.
If you're in Oia even if it's just a day trip you have to go to Pito Gyros, located off the main road towards the bus station this place does one of the best Gyros' I've ever tried (I can't say best because Bristol's Taka Taka has my heart as well). You have to get gyros while you're in Greece and here it's not just treated like fast food but has quality ingredients, really could not recommend enough, pork or chicken, it's all good!
I'd also recommend heading to Meteor on an evening after the sun's set to enjoy a cocktail by their window with a stunning view of Oia all lit up. A bit on the pricey side these things are non the less delicious and are a great treat to end a day.
In Athens we had half board at our hotel which meant we didn't eat out too much. However when we did eat out I'd say the thing we learnt was go off the beaten track, don't just eat at the places on the main streets with those pushy waiters outside them, try and find family run places and ask locals were they'd recommend!
If you're in Plaka eat at Oinomagerio Paradosiako, this place doesn't look like it'll be much from the outside but the menu only has what's fresh and the waitress was keen to make recommendations. This was another strong contender for best Greek salad of the holiday! The food felt less touristy then other places and more like "proper" Greek food, and the price was good too! 
If you're heading to the Acropolis Museum (which you definitely should!) the cafe on the upper level is a great place to get a bite to eat and a drink and boasts a very impressive view of the Acropolis. We were there too early to get the lunch so ordered some sandwiches off the breakfast menu but they had more traditional breakfast options with Greek twists like pancakes etc.Killing some time before a walking tour we headed to the Beneth bakery on Omonia square which was in a huge old building and literally had any cake you could think of, macaroons, pastries, tarts, traditional Greek things...the list goes on. They also had a smoothie section and an area that did savoury food with dough being freshly made right in front of you. We tried a selection of the cakes, some pizzas and the fresh juice and smoothies and everything was really lovely and the setting is gorgeous for a quick lunch.
The best cocktail I had on the trip was from a bar called Mouso near Lysscamus hill on Charitos in the Kolonaki district. There were a few cool bars and restaurants around here but the gin tom collins I had at Mouso was divine - if you're a gin fan get yourself one! The Kolonaki district in general looked like a great place to get some lunch or a snack during the day, just remember to head away from the main square to find some hidden gems.
If you're looking for somewhere to grab an evening meal break the whole "stay off the squares" rule and try and out of the places at Gazi, these are far from the traditional Greek tavernas and so provide a nice break and chance to try something a bit different.
Well that was a hefty post all about food but seriously the food I ate on this holiday was all so amazing and now I'm desperate to get making some Greek salads at home and be reunited with feta cheese, my new love. If you have any recommendations of your own I'd love to hear them for if I ever get to go back to Athens or Santorini.
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