Score system

To quantify the quality and efficiency of a restaurant from the perspective of a customer, Cretan Healthy Life developed a 3-point review score system that gives a score of 1, 2 or 3 in 12 fields. The overall score field accounts for all other metrics with an emphasis on value for money.

1. Vegetarian score

A restaurant receiving a score of 1 out of 3 means that mainly offers meat based food. A score of 2 out of 3 means that is suitable for pescatarians (there is fish and seafood) and a score of 3 out of 3 means that the restaurant can casually cater for vegans.

🥩: Not suitable for vegetarians.
🌱🌱: Partially suitable for vegetarians (suitable for pescatarians).
🌱🌱🌱: Restaurant is suitable for vegans.

2. Food quantity score

In general restaurants on Crete offer hefty portions but of course there some variations worth assessing.

🥣: Portions are small.
🥣🥣: Portions are average.
🥣🥣🥣: Portions are huge.

3. Food quality score

Probably the most important metric in a restaurant, the quality and authenticity of the food!

✅: Food is of good quality.
✅✅: Food is authentic and of very good quality.
✅✅✅: Food is creatively authentic and of exceptional quality.

4. Housewine score

The vast majority of Cretan restaurants offer inexpensive house wine served in carafes. Most locals make this choice. Usually house wine is of good quality; it can also be exceptional. There are two main advantages, namely it is inexpensive and gives you the opportunity to try the outcome of the local viticulture that could be traced back to millennia ago.

🍷: Not very good house wine. Better to order bottled wine or retsina.
🍷🍷: House wine is good and pleasant to drink.
🍷🍷🍷: House wine is exceptional. There is no need to order bottled wine.

In the rare case that a restaurant does not have a house wine option, we mark that this score is not applicable (N/A).

5. Location score

This score reflects how good is the location of the restaurant. It naturally takes account of the proximity of the restaurant to the city centre of the closest city. However, it also accounts for other important factors such as proximity to the seafront and the offered view. For car parking availability see the metric below.

🗺️: Far from city centre, you need to go by car. Location is nothing special.
🗺️🗺️: A long walk from the city centre (car might be necessary).
🗺️🗺️🗺️: Located bang on the city centre or in a position offering exceptional views.

6. Car parking score

Crete is a big island and most residents and visitors move by car. Therefore, restaurants with easily accessible and sufficient parking space have an advantage.

🅿️: There is no parking space. You have to park elsewhere and go on foot.
🅿️🅿️: Existing parking but not so ample.
🅿️🅿️🅿️: Plenty of easily accessible parking space.

7. Ambience/comfort score

Naturally the ambience and comfort of a restaurant play an important role. In Crete restaurants tend to offer comfortable seating areas, as sitting comfortably is not considered a luxury and Cretans dislike uncomfortable places. Of course there are variations which we try to measure using this metric. This metric mainly assesses the indoor ambience and both the indoor and outdoor comfort. For the outdoor ambience see the outdoor score.

💺: The ambience is nothing special.
💺💺: The restaurant has pleasant ambience and is comfortable.
💺💺💺: The ambience is special and the seating area very comfortable.

8. Outdoor score

Crete enjoys a very long summer and the vast majority of restaurants serve also outdoors. It is therefore important to classify how good the outdoor space of each restaurant is.

⛱️: Not so pleasant or special outdoor area.
⛱️⛱️: Nice and pleasant outdoor area offering good shadow without being too restrictive.
⛱️⛱️⛱️: Outdoor area is exceptionally nice and/or offers great views.

9. Kids score

Crete is a very children friendly island and children are always welcome in restaurants. Some of them have amazing facilities, such as special playgrounds.

🧒: Accommodates kids but not so convenient for them.
👦👦: A friendly restaurant for kids not featuring a playing area.
👦👦👦: Exceptional place for kids featuring a playground.

10. Service score

In general, service at Cretan restaurants tends to be very good and customer friendly. Of course Crete receives great numbers of visitors every summer, hence restaurant staff has additional pressure. Some restaurants deal with it better than others.

💁: Service is slow on average.
💁💁: Service can get slow at peak times and seasons.
💁💁💁: Service is fast and friendly at all times.

11. Price level

The price level marks below concern a full meal, including starter/salad, main and dessert. This also includes drinks with a housewine option. If you choose bottled wine, the price level mark will most likely be higher than indicated below.

€: Price is below EUR 15,00 per person.
€€: Price is between EUR 15,00 and EUR 30,00 per person.
€€€: Price is over EUR 30,00 per person.

12. Overall score (value for money)

The overall score takes account of all metrics detailed above. Special weight have the food quality, quantity and the price level of each restaurant; metrics determining the value for money. Therefore, value for money is very much reflected by this overall score.

⭐: The restaurant is worth a visit.
⭐⭐: The restaurant is very good and is worth becoming a regular customer.
⭐⭐⭐: The restaurant is exceptional by all means and offers great value for money.