Taverna Othonas

🇬🇷 Ταβέρνα Όθωνας
📍Rethymno, Crete, Greece
Eatery type: Upscale taverna
Food: Mainly meat-based
Vegetarian score: 🌱🌱
Quantity score: 🥣🥣🥣
Quality score: ✅✅✅
Housewine score: 🍷🍷🍷
Location score: 🗺️🗺️🗺️
Parking score:🅿️
Ambience/comfort score: 💺💺
Outdoor score: ⛱️ ⛱️
Kids score: 👦👦
Service score: 💁💁💁
Price level: €€
Overall score: ⭐⭐⭐
Score system
Intro to Cretan eateries
Cretan diet guide

Taverna Othonas (in Greek “Ταβέρνα Όθωνας”) is one of our favourite choices in Rethymno for having an absolutely fulfilling and affordable meal involving creative cuisine while dining in style. It is greatly located bang on the old town centre of Rethymno and offers very pleasant ambience as well as great service. Apart from the standard menu dishes, the taverna also has daily specials. It is recommended to follow the advice of the chef and owner when ordering, who explains with pleasure about the daily specials and gives great recommendations regarding dishes and combinations. Taverna Othonas is really good at chargrilling fillets, such as pork, chicken or beef, and topping them with signature sauces that bring their taste to altogether different levels. We tried really succulent pork fillets in cherry sauce accompanied with a risotto and pork fillets in ouzo and mint sauce (called “Zorbas sauce”) accompanied with hearty mashed potatoes. The pork matched very well with the sweetness of the cherry. The intense taste of aniseed of the ouzo was balanced out by the pungence of mint and the outcome was a pleasure for the palate. Salads and starters are also not to be missed; “Ktima salad”, containing greens, tomatoes, avocado, apaki meat, slices of graviera cheese, pomegranate and pine seeds, is a classic. The feta pie in filo pastry, grape syrup, dried figs and sesame seeds, is also one of the signature starters. House wine is of exceptional quality and the offered dessert at the end is always a great surprise.

The really balanced “Ktima” salad, containing greens, tomatoes, avocado, apaki, slices of graviera cheese. pomegranate and pine seeds as well as sun-dried tomatoes

Location

Taverna Othonas is located in the heart of the old town of Rethymno, in the lively Platanos area. It can be easily reached on foot from any place in Rethymno, justifying a 3 out of 3 location score (🗺️🗺️🗺️). You cannot reach the taverna by car as it is in the middle of Rethymno old town which is sort of car-free. If you go by car you should park outside the old town and walk to the taverna for 10 mins. Therefore, the parking score is 1 out of 3 (🅿️).

Ambience, comfort, decor

Taverna Othonas has a very cozy indoor seating area, greatly decorated with paintings of Rethymno and seasonal decor. There is also an outdoor protected area more suitable for summer months. The outdoor score is 2 out of 3 (⛱️⛱️). Both seating areas are comfortable, justifying an ambience/comfort score of 3 out of 3 (💺💺💺). The restaurant is friendly to children without having any special play areas for kids, which is the norm for the old town of Rethymno. The kids score is, therefore, 2 out of 3 (👦👦).

The indoor seating area of Taverna Othonas with festive decoration (left) and the outdoor seating area (right)

Food, quality, quantity

The highlight of Taverna Othonas is the great range of creative dishes based on Greek and Cretan cuisine. The cuisine is mainly meat based, although vegetarians have a few options, resulting in a 2 out of 3 vegetarian score (🌱🌱). Food portions are very big and of great quality, justifying a quantity score of 3 out of 3 (🥣🥣🥣) and an equal
quality score (✅✅✅). One can also find some very traditional dishes greatly cooked.

In general, it is recommended to follow the advice of the chef and owner when ordering, who explains with pleasure about the daily specials and gives great recommendations regarding dishes and combinations. Make also sure not to miss the salads and starters. Last but not least, the house wine is of supreme quality, earning an easy 3 out of 3 housewine score (🍷🍷🍷).

A variety of olive oil topped breads with homemade dips (left) and a delicious feta pie in filo pastry, grape syrup, dried figs and sesame seeds (right)

After trying the usual variety of breads with creative dips that the taverna offers, we started our meal with the really rich and balanced “Ktima salad”, containing greens, tomatoes, avocado, apaki meat, slices of graviera cheese, pomegranate and pine seeds as well as sun-dried tomatoes. We combined it with a signature starter/appetizer of Taverna Othonas, the feta pie in filo pastry, grape syrup, dried figs and sesame seeds. We continued with a dish of Chinese inspiration with the unique Othonas’ touch, chicken in sweet and sour orange-based sauce, which we found greatly pleasing.

Chicken in sweet and sour orange-based sauce

As we were a big company of people, we had the opportunity to taste a great variety of meat based main dishes. Taverna Othonas is really good at chargrilling fillets, such as pork, chicken or beef, and topping them with signature sauces that bring their taste to altogether different levels. We tried really succulent pork fillets in cherry sauce accompanied with a risotto and pork fillets in ouzo and mint sauce (called “Zorbas sauce”) accompanied with hearty mashed potatoes. The pork matched very well with the sweetness of the cherry. The intense taste of aniseed of the ouzo was balanced out by the pungence of mint and the outcome was a pleasure for the palate.

Succulent pork fillets in cherry sauce with risotto (left) and pork fillets in ouzo and mint sauce (called “Zorbas sauce”) accompanied with mashed potatoes (right)

We also tried chicken fillet in feta and mustard sauce; a very interesting combination of Greek elements (feta cheese) with more northern flavours (mustard). Another classic at Taverna Othonas is the really succulent slow cooked lamb shank with oven potatoes.

Chicken fillet in feta and mustard sauce with Cretan fries (left) and slow cooked lamb shank with oven potatoes (right)

One of the bigest surprises of the evening was a daily special; “lamb frikase” cooked to perfection. This is a really traditional and intricate dish, involving stewing the lamb together with Cretan bitter greens and serving it in egg-lemon sauce (“avgolemono“). The soureness of the lemon sauce matches greatly the bitterness of the greens and the heartiness of the lamb, thereby providing a remarkable outcome. The dish was greatly accompanied by Cretan fries.

“Lamb frikase” cooked to perfection; a traditional stew combining lamb, bitter greens and a greatly matching egg-lemon sauce

Service

Service at Taverna Othonas is very friendly, fast and attentive, easily earning a 3 out of 3 service score (💁💁 💁).

Treats at no extra charge

As dessert, we were offered fantastic fried battered banana chunks topped with honey and accompanied by vanilla ice cream. The usual raki that accompanies the dessert is of great quality. Note that the offered desserts at Taverna Othonas varies depending on the day and the season and is always one of the strong points of the restaurant.

Delicious fried banana chunks (battered) with vanilla ice cream

Reservation advice

Reservation is recommended, especially in summer time, when the taverna is really busy.

Price and overall score

The price for a full meal is between € 15,00 and € 20,00 per person (price level: €€) including drinks (housewine option), representing a great value for money. In addition to the exceptional quantity and quality, Taverna Othonas produces creative cuisine which is affordable. One dines in great ambience right in the heart of beautiful Rethymno. Taverna Othonas deserves the exceptional overall score of 3 out of 3 (⭐⭐⭐).