The Cave of Nikolas Santorini — Traditional Fish Tavern in Akrotiri

Absolutely one of the best restaurants we visited during our week in Santorini! Everything about our experience was exceptional—from the warm, attentive service to the incredible food. The staff were genuinely kind, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome from the moment we arrived. We ordered the Seafood Variety (medium size), and it was more than enough for the two of us. Everything was incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. One of the highlights was the shrimp saganaki included on the platter. It was our first time trying it, and we absolutely loved it! The combination of juicy shrimp, rich tomato sauce, and creamy feta cheese was simply amazing—the feta added the perfect touch and made the dish truly unforgettable. We also had the Greek salad, saganaki, and garlic bread, and we enjoyed every bite. While waiting for our meal, we loved watching the staff feed the fish by the waterfront, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. At the end of our lunch, a young member of the restaurant team kindly brought our daughter an ice cream, which was such a thoughtful gesture and put a big smile on her face. For dessert, we ordered the kadaifi with chocolate ice cream, which was absolutely delicious. To top it all off, we were also treated to a complimentary homemade dessert from the house—a lovely surprise and the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. We honestly couldn’t find a single thing to complain about. Outstanding food, excellent service, generous portions, and genuine hospitality. Without a doubt, this was one of our favorite dining experiences in Santorini. A well-deserved 5 stars—we would happily come back again and highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the island!

Best Seafood in Akrotiri, Santorini. Best tasting seafood collection, best service ever well priced, we’ve gone out of our way twice to go dine there. We ordered fish, Calamari, eggplant, Greek Salad, Sardines & Anchovies. Oh & they treated us with a complementary dessert 👌

We had an amazing experience at this restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious, and the view was beautiful. The atmosphere was fantastic and truly unique. What made the experience even more special was the kindness and hospitality of the owners. They made everyone feel welcome, and we really got to experience the authentic Greek and local spirit. People were dancing, enjoying themselves, and spreading positive energy everywhere. I even joined the dancing myself! It felt like one big family celebration. If it hadn't been our last day here, we definitely would have come back more than once. Highly recommended!

This is such a wonderful spot right by the sea, offering delicious classic Greek dishes. Minas, with his warm and friendly welcome, makes it feel like home. Thank you for your lovely hospitality!

Disappointing dinner despite friendly staff and great views We went to Cave of Nikolas specifically for the lobster pasta, as it was much better priced than other options on the island. The pasta itself was great, and the lobster was nice and fresh. Unfortunately, the rest of our experience was not. The Pros: The staff members were very friendly and truly did their best despite being clearly short-staffed. The view was great, and the lobster we ordered was nice and fresh. The Cons: The kitchen and billing issues ruined the evening. We initially ordered the fried calamari, but they brought out the grilled version instead. Mistakes happen, and we didn't mind a bit of a wait with a nice view while they fixed it. However, what they brought back to the table was shockingly the exact same piece of squid, just thrown into the fryer. The grill marks were still completely visible underneath the batter. As a result, the calamari "double cooked" and was incredibly chewy, rubbery, and entirely unenjoyable. To make matters worse, when the bill came, we were charged in our home currency instead of the local currency without being asked. This forced Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) and resulted in an unnecessary 3.5% surcharge. It is a shame because the service team is lovely, the views are stunning but the kitchen shortcut and the billing misstep mean we cannot recommend this place.