Where to eat

Prices are per person for three courses, with half a carafe of wine, unless otherwise stated

Agkyra The menu depends on the weather in this traditional fish taverna (whose name means ‘anchor’) close to the waterfront. When available, try the pan-fried barbouni (red mullet) or sardelles (sardines) and Tinos-grown salads. The short, inexpensive wine list has plenty of local flavour, including decent barrel wine. Reservations recommended at busy times. From £22. Plateia Pallada, Tinos Town, 00 30 22830 23016

Agnánti Mezedopoleio (meze taverna) in a small, old grocery store in the centre of a car-free village. Good, home-cooked dishes include stifado (slow-cooked rabbit or beef stew with small onions and spices), oven-baked seasonal vegetables, small pies and daily specials alongside regional wines and Nissos beers. Breakfast on the 15-seat terrace on louza (local air-dried ham), omelette, honey and yoghurt. Reservations recommended. Breakfast from £7; lunch and dinner from £15. Ktikados, 00 30 69796 75109

Dio Choria Chef Vaggelis Rouggeris changes his menus seasonally: grilled and oven-baked meats (goat and small game in winter), oyster mushrooms, anise-flavoured sausages, fava (yellow split pea purée), chickpeas and spinach. Pies, dolmadakia (stuffed vine leaves) and artichoke specials quickly disappear, so an early booking is recommended. The wine list includes island, Italian and French bins. Leave time to explore the 900-year old village above, with its many steps and slim alleyways. Open during the summer (week before Easter – early October), winter weekends and public holidays. From £24. Dio Choria, 00 30 22830 41091

Itan Ena Mikro Karavi In a peaceful, colourful courtyard that was once a cinema, chef Andonis Psaltis serves traditional flavours – fava with grilled squid, trachanas (soured milk-soaked dried wheat) and salsitsi (air-dried pork sausage) in modern dishes. Try the rabbit-filled ravioli and mastic ice cream. The wine list includes organically-produced T-Oinos, Volacus and Domaine de Kalathas bottles, and some from other Cycladic islands. Reservations recommended during busy travel times. From £29.

Trion Lerarchon, Tinos Town, 00 30 22830 22818, mikrokaravi.gr

Marathia The concept of filoxenia (‘love of strangers’) is behind this elegant, enjoyable beachside restaurant. Owner Marinos Souranis sources fine ingredients – cheeses, capers, herbs – from Tinian small producers, perfect pastries are made by Kiriaki Papa, and seasonal fish – lavraki (sea bass) with okra, charcoal-grilled rophos (grouper) – or home-preserved – tonnos (tuna with bay leaves). Strong drinks offering including quality Tinos and Greek wines such as Tselepos Estate (Peloponnese). Reservations recommended, especially for early-evening (sunset) bookings. From £24. Aghios Fokas, near Tinos Town, 00 30 22830 23249, marathiatinos.gr

Tarsanás Mezes of marinated island artichokes, taramosalata, cheese and spinach pies precede a feast of grilled, baked or pan-fried ‘catch of the day’ – sardelles (sardines), astakos (lobster), vlachos (stone bass), synagrida (dentex), soupia (cuttlefish) – rice with herbs, seasonal vegetables and salads, in chef Antonis Ghion’s busy restaurant along from the harbour. If the winds are being kind, sit by the water. Thoughtful wine list, plus Nissos and other beers. From £26. Kazanova 5, Bintsi, Tinos Town, 00 30 22830 24667

To Thalassaki Take the steep, narrow road down to a jetty on a small bay (or anchor your boat) to enjoy chef and co-owner Antonia Zarpa’s innovative seasonal menus of Tinian products. Try artichoke salad with orange, wheat and onion; mixed pulses with codfish; layered grilled aubergine, courgettes and peppers with tomato sauce and raisins; or roast octopus with chickpeas. Good Tinos wines available and a solid cocktail list. Open from the beginning of Lent to the end of October. Reservations recommended.

From £38. Ormos Ysternia, 00 30 22830 31366