Best Craft Beer Bars in Naxos for Serious Beer Drinkers
Words by
Elena Papadopoulos
The Real Story Behind the Best Craft Beer Bars in Naxos
I moved to Naxos in 2014, long before anyone in the Cyclades was pouring anything more adventurous than Mythos on draft. Back then, finding a proper hop-forward IPA on this island meant either bringing your own or convincing a shop owner to order something from Athens. Times have changed. Today, the island has quietly developed one of the most interesting small-scale beer scenes in the Greek islands, and the best craft beer bars in Naxos now rival spots in Berlin or Portland in terms of curation, if not in sheer volume.
This guide is what I wish someone had handed me when I first started hunting down local breweries Naxos style, before Instagram made everything discoverable and before every fisherman's cousin decided to open a cocktail bar. I have visited every single place on this list, multiple times, often too many times to admit to my cardiologist. These are places I trust, places I argued in, places I still go back to when I want a proper pint and not some marketing gimmick served in a copper mug by someone who cannot explain the difference between a pilsner and a lager. Let me take you through them.
1. Naxos Microbrewery on the Waterfront
Stroll along the old port where fishing boats tie up next to luxury catamarans, and you will find one of the most ambitious brewing operations in the entire Cyclades sitting almost defiantly in a building that used to store octopus traps.
The Brewery on the Port
Naxos Microbrewery set up shop right along the waterfront promenade near the main port area, and it was the first real microbrewery Naxos had ever seen when it opened. The owner, a Greek guy who spent years working in craft breweries in Belgium and Germany, came back to Naxos convinced that an island known for its potatoes, cheese, and honey could also produce distinctive beer. The space itself is industrial-chic, the kind of stripped-back concrete and steel interior that feels more Kreuzberg than Chora, but the irony is lost on nobody here, and that self-awareness is part of what makes it work.
The house-brewed line rotates seasonally. In winter, their smoked porter, made using seawater-filtered local well water from the island's interior, is something I genuinely crave. In summer, the dry-hopped pale ale, brewed with herbs sourced from the hills around Halki village, has a floral quality that I have not encountered anywhere else this side of the Aegean. They also produce a seasonal honey ale that uses Thyme honey from Apiranthos village, which sounds touristy on a menu but tastes startlingly complex, almost Belgian in its fermentation character.
The Vibe? Industrial waterfront space with direct port views and a no-pretension energy where fishermen sit next to graphic designers on their third beer.
The Bill? Draft beers run between €4 and €7, with tasting flights of five for €12. Solid mid-range pricing for island-bar standards.
The Standout? The smoked porter drizzled with dark chocolate. It is a dessert beer in the truest sense.
The Catch? The place only has about fifteen seats inside. If you hit it on a Saturday night in July, expect to stand outside with your glass awkwardly balanced on a railing.
Insider detail: Ask the brewer about the water source. He will light up talking about the volcanic aquifer beneath central Naxos that gives the beer its mineral backbone. Most tourists never think to ask, and the conversation alone is worth a visit. Also, there is a bottle only release of a barrel aged stout that gets tapped once per year around Orthodox Easter. Put a reminder in your phone.
2. Frankie's Bar in Chora's Old Town
If the microbrewery represents the new wave, Frankie's is the institution that started the conversation about craft beer taps in Naza in the first place.
Frankie's and Its Quiet Revolution
Tucked down one of the narrow marble-paved alleys in the Kastro district of Chora's old town, Frankie's Bar has been pouring carefully selected draft and bottled beers for well over a decade. Before there was a single local breweries Naxos could name, Frankie was importing bottles from small operations in Thessaloniki, Crete, and the mainland. The interior is dimly lit, with rough stone walls, low ceilings, and a back room that doubles as a tiny gallery for local artists whose work rotates monthly. The soundtrack leans heavily toward jazz and downtempo electronica, and the whole place feels like a secret you want to keep.
Beer selection changes regularly, but you will typically find between eight and twelve taps featuring a mix of Greek microbrews and imports from Northern Europe. I have had everything from Norwegian farmhouse ales to a spontaneously fermented Berliner Weisse here. The bar snacks deserve mention too: marinated local olives, a cheese plate featuring graviera Naxos that has been aged for at least twelve months, and mortadel-style pâté made by a butcher in the village of Galanado that most visitors never hear about.
The Vibe? A stone cellar turned into a moody beer cave where time moves slower and conversations get deeper the later the night gets.
The Bill? Mixed drinks and bottles in the €6 to €10 range. Drafts are slightly cheaper. No cover ever.
The Standout? The cheese and beer pairing card if it is in season. Frankie keeps it seasonal because, honestly, he is a perfectionist about what gets poured alongside what.
The Catch? It is inside the old Venetian Kastro district, which means marble streets that are a nightmare in flip-flops after three beers. Wear actual shoes.
Frankie's connection to Naxos history is subtle but real. The bar sits in a building that dates partially to the Venetian period, and you can still see the original vaulted ceiling in the back room if you know where to look. When Naxos was under Frankish rule from 1207, this quarter was the Latin stronghold. Some locals half-jokingly call Frankie the last Frank in residence. The man himself just pours another round and ignores the comment.
3. Beer Garden at Stenada Restaurant Area
Technically part of the broader Stenada complex near the port, this open-air setup deserves its own entry because it pioneered the concept of standalone craft beer taps Naxos style.
Open-Air Drinking the Naxian Way
Stenada is essentially a curated waterfront dining and drinking zone near the entrance to the port, and the beer garden component operates as a semi-independent bar element within the greater complex. The setup is simple: long communal wooden tables, string lights overhead, and a central bar with rotating taps that skew heavily toward Greek craft producers. I have counted as many as fifteen taps on busy summer nights, with at least four dedicated to island-made brews from across the Cyclades.
What makes this place special is its accessibility. While Frankie's demands you seek it out and the microbrewery requires a knowledge of what is on tap, the beer garden at Stenada is where first-timers and locals collide. You will see a retired fisherman arguing about hop varieties next to a Berlin backpacker who just cycled in from Paros. The crowd is genuinely mixed. The outdoor setting, directly facing the water with the lit-up old town rising behind it, makes every evening feel slightly cinematic. If you arrive just before sundown, you catch the light doing impossible things on the marble facades of the buildings across the harbor.
They do a Tuesday night "tap takeover" each week where a different Greek brewery takes over two or four lines, and the reps show up to talk process. I learned more about Greek brewing at those Tuesday sessions than I ever did reading online.
The Vibe? Communal picnic tables under string lights Aegean sunset included at no extra charge.
The Bill? €5 to €8 per draft depending on the brand. Bottled specials sometimes pop up at €4.
The Standout? The Tuesday tap takeover events if you time your trip right. Some of these are held nowhere else.
The Catch? It closes by midnight in peak season, which is scandalously early if you are local. Afternoon sessions start around 5 PM when the tables first open.
The Stenada concept connects to Naxos through its location on land that was historically the old commercial waterfront. For centuries, grain and produce moved through this exact stretch of port area. Now, instead of sacks of Naxian potatoes being loaded onto boats, it is craft beer kegs rolling out of a delivery van. Supply and demand look different across the centuries but the spirit of trade remains.
4. Pegasus Bar Near Agios Georgios Beach
Agios Georgios is the beach just south of Chora, lined with tourist hotels and sunbeds. Walk a few blocks inland from the waterfront, away from the resort strip, and you will find Pegasus Bar, a neighborhood spot that has slowly become a destination in its own right.
A Beach-Adjacent Neighborhood Joint
Pegasus is what happens when a local bar owner discovers craft beer culture and refuses to leave it behind. Located on a quiet side street just two blocks back from the Agios Georgios waterfront, it is the kind of place where regulars have their own preferred stools. The owner, Costas, studied hospitality in Athens and came back to Naxos with strong opinions about what a good bar experience should feel like. He stocks between ten and fourteen taps, with an emphasis on Greek craft labels, and his fridge is a deep dive into Belgian abbey beers and German hefeweizens that you simply cannot find elsewhere on the island.
Costas describes the bar's evolution as "accidental." He started stocking a few extra imports for friends, word spread through expat networks, and suddenly he was driving to Athens twice a month to pick up cases from micro-distributors who only deal in small batch orders. Now he supplies several other restaurants on the island with their "interesting beer" selection. He will not admit this. I know because his wife told me.
The music policy is eclectic: late-night jazz, early-evening bossa nova sets that explode into Mediterranean funk after 10 PM. The outdoor patio has about a dozen potted plants and a corrugated metal roof that sounds extraordinary when it rains.
The Vibe? A beach-town neighborhood bar that grew up and got a world-class beer list.
The Bill? €4.50 to €7 for drafts. Bottles can run €6 to €11 depending on rarity.
The Standout? The rotating "staff pick" tap, which Costas labels himself. It is always something he is personally obsessed with that week.
The Catch? It can get loud after 11 PM, and the interior is sound-trapped stone. If you want conversation, arrive before 9 PM and sit outside.
Detail most visitors miss: Pegasus has a book-shelf exchange corner where expats and travelers have left hundreds of paperbacks in Greek, English, German, and French. Costas has never advertised this but he never removes the books either. I have found first-edition spy novels there that cost a small fortune back in Athens. The beer is good. The books might be better.
5. To Elliniko in Filoti Village
Filoti is the largest village in the interior of Naxos, built into the foothillas of Mount Zas. If you leave Chora to go find a truly grounded experience of island life, this is the village most locals will point you toward. To Elliniko is a traditional coffeehouse and bar at the main square of the village, and it has quietly become a stop for craft beer enthusiasts willing to make the drive.
Village Beer in the Island's Heart
To Elliniko sits in the central square of Filoti, under the enormous plane tree that has provided shade to village gatherings for, by local account, somewhere around two hundred years. The interior is classic Naxian kafeneio: marble-topped tables, faded photographs of village festivals lining the walls, an espresso machine that has seen better days but still pulls a respectable briki. The owner, Kostas (seemingly everyone on Naxos is named Kostas, and I have stopped being confused by it), started adding craft beers to his offerings after tourists passing through asked for something "different" beyond the usual Heineken or Amstel on draft.
Now, you will find five to eight taps dedicated to Greek microbrews alongside the traditional fixtures of frappé and ouzo. What makes To Elliniko remarkable is context. You are drinking a Slovenian IPA or a Thessaloniki-brewed sour ale while Greek grandmothers play backgammon at the next table and someone's grandfather brings a tray of loukoumades fresh from a kitchen that has been operating longer than any of us have been alive. The contrast is not jarring. It feels, somehow, completely natural.
Best time to visit is late afternoon, around 4 to 5 PM, before the after-work rush fills the square. Sit outside under the tree, order the local beer and a small plate of xinotyri (a sour local cheese that pairs beautifully with hoppy beers), and watch the village transition from the slow afternoon hum to the more social early evening energy.
The Vibe? A mountain village's beating heart with a surprisingly modern beer list under a centuries-old tree.
The Bill? €3.50 to €5.50 for bottles and drafts. Cheaper than Chora by a meaningful margin.
The Standout? Pairing a local sour beer with xinotyri. The acidity collision is magical.
The Catch? No draft selection at certain off-season times. In deep winter (January to March), the rotating taps may reduce to just a few Greek staples.
Kostas also stocks a few bottles of a Naxian honey mead from an old family producer in Apiranthos, which he keeps on hand for those who want something genuinely island-specific. Ask. He will not volunteer the bottle unprompted, but he is quietly proud of it.
6. 5ο Μάτι in Chora's Backstreets
The name translates to "Fifth Eye," and it is the kind of place you only find if someone draws you a map on a napkin. Located in the backstreets of Chora, south of the main commercial drag, this narrow bar has carved out a small but devoted following among people who believe beer is culture.
An Intimate Space with a Curator's Approach
5ο Μάτι is not large. It seats perhaps twenty people comfortably, and even that feels generous. The owner, a Naxian woman named Sofia who previously worked in wine distribution in Crete, opened the bar with the explicit vision of showcasing craft beer as a legitimate category next to Greek wine, not as a novelty or a fallback option for people who do not drink wine. That philosophy shows in the curation. She personally visits breweries on the mainland before agreeing to stock their product, and she has turned down brands that did not meet her standards for what she calls "honest brewing."
The taps number only six or seven at any given time, but the selection is tight and purposeful. When I last visited, her lineup included a Greek-brewed grisette, a dry-hopped lager from a small operation near Ioannina, and a barrel-aged sour that had been sitting in oak for fourteen months. Each was served in glassware appropriate to style, something so many bars still neglect. Sofia also makes a craft-beer cocktail that uses a reduced IPA syrup, local mastiha, and soda water, and it is one of the most refreshing drinks I have had anywhere in Greece.
The Vibe? A living room for beer obsessives where the hostess can tell you the tasting notes of everything she pours.
The Bill? €5 to €8 per pour, €7 to €10 for bottles. No food, which keeps the space focused.
The Standout? The grisette. Produces a peppery finish that no other bar on the island is pouring outside of here.
The Catch? Limited seating means weekends get very tight very quickly. The space fills up fast by 10 PM on a Friday.
Most tourists never hear about 5ο Μάτι because it has no waterfront view, no flashy signage, and relies almost entirely on word-of-mouth and a low-profile social media presence. Sofia does not need foot traffic from the port area. Her regulars keep the lights on, and the people who need to find it will find it. This philosophy, stubbornly uncommercial and deeply Naxian in its way, feels like the island itself choosing quality over visibility.
7. Belonias Bar at Apollonas Village
Apollonas is the northern coastal village of Naxos, famous for the giant half-finished kouros statue lying in an ancient marble quarry. It is a forty-minute drive from Chora, through some of the most beautiful and wild interior landscape the island has to offer. Belonias Bar sits right near the village's small beach.
The Outpost in the North
Belonias is a fishing village bar that once served only coffee, ouzo, and whatever lager the delivery truck happened to bring. Over the past several years, the son of the original owner, who spent time in Mykonos working restaurant and bar service, began adding a carefully chosen selection of craft bottles and a few draft lines. Now, sitting at Belonias, looking out at the Aegean with the silhouette of Euboea visible on a clear day, you can drink a well-selected Greek saison or a well-hopped pale ale while eating grilled octopus caught that morning by the bar owner's cousin.
The draft selection is smaller than what you will find in Chora, typically four to five lines, but the quality control is impressive. The owner keeps his taps meticulously maintained (a real issue in coastal bars), and the fridge temperature is monitored honestly, not guessed at. He also stocks a rotating selection of bottled meads, ciders, and wild ales from across Greece that make the forty-minute drive from Chora genuinely worthwhile.
The Vibe? A seaside fishing bar with the beer education of a city craft spot and zero pretension.
The Bill? €4 to €7 for beers. Food is separate and priced locally (€6 to €12 for seafood mains).
The Standout? Arriving before the afternoon fishing boats return, ordering a seasonal wild ale, and watching the harbor fill with the day's catch.
The Catch? Apollonas is seasonal. Belonias operates primarily from April through October and closes entirely in winter. Confirm opening dates before making the trip.
The one detail most people miss is that Belonias serves a small-batch barley wine made by a Naxian homebrewer who has no commercial ambitions but lets the bar owner sell it as a house specialty. It is limited, it is genuinely excellent, and it is the only place on the island to find it. Ask for it. If they have a bottle open, you are in for something special.
8. Maragas Bar Near the Old Market
The old market area of Chora is the island's commercial heart, full of shops selling local graviera cheese, kitron liqueur, and handwoven textiles. Maragas sits just off the main market street, easy to walk past, easy to miss, and once found, essential to repeat.
The Old Market Beer Den
Maragas is a narrow, bar-height space with about eight draft taps, a backlit bottle display, and an owner named Nikos who talks about beer with the intensity of a religious convert. He opened the bar after years of managing a souvenir shop and decided, in his own words, that "selling magnets to drunk Australians was not a life philosophy." He learned to brew from YouTube tutorials, then from two specific programs in Belgium, and now he produces a small line of house beers that he serves exclusively at Maragas alongside a rotating cast of Greek and international imports.
The house brews are where the magic lives. His "Maragas Golden Ale," brewed with Naxian malted barley and local thyme honey, is light, dry, and dangerously sessionable. The "Kouros Stout," a thick imperial stout brewed with chocolate and extra toasty grains, is intense enough to stand next to any international stout I have tried. Having these two extremes available side by side, in a bar just meters from the centuries-old market of Chora, is a statement about where Naxos stands now: rooted in everything old, but not afraid of anything new.
The Vibe? A beer nerd's bar with a constant hum of market-street energy just outside the door.
The Bill? €4 to €6 for house drafts, €5 to €9 for guest taps and imports. Among the most affordable craft options in Chora.
The Standout? The Kouros Stout. Rich, chocolatey, and unmistakably Naxian in its honey finish.
The Catch? The bar is narrow and can feel cramped when full. It is a standing-and-sipping kind of space more than a settle-in-for-the-evening spot.
Nikos has a framed photograph behind the bar of the old market as it looked in the 1960s: donkey carts, fewer shops, the same cobblestones. He points to it whenever someone wants to talk about the "authentic" Naxos. "This place has been selling everything worth selling since before your grandparents were born," he says. "Beer is just the next product to move through." It is a good way to think about the best craft beer bars in Naxos. The tradition of Naxian commerce and hospitality absorbed this new thing, made it island-level special, and moved on without needing to announce the revolution.
When to Go and What to Know
Naxos beer culture operates on a distinctly seasonal rhythm. Peak season, roughly mid-June through early September, is when every bar on this list is fully operational, tap lists are longest, and special releases and tap takeover events happen weekly. Shoulder season (April to mid-June and September to October) still sees most places open, but with shorter hours and smaller tap lineups. Winter is quiet. Several bars close entirely from November through March, so do not plan a craft beer pilgrimage in January unless your sole target is Frankie's, which stays open year-round due to its loyal local base.
Money-wise, expect to pay what you would pay in a mid-range bar in Athens: €4 to €8 per draft, €6 to €12 for specialty bottles. Naxos is not cheap for Greece, but the craft beer pricing here is genuinely reasonable compared to what you would pay for comparable options in Santorini or Mykonos, which is worth noting if you are island hopping.
Transportation matters. Chora's old town bars (Frankie's, 5ο Μάτι, Maragas) are all walkable from the port area. Agios Georgios (Pegasus) is a fifteen-minute walk or five-minute taxi ride south. Filoti requires a car or the local KTEL bus. Apollonas definitely requires a car, and the drive is forty minutes each way. Plan accordingly, and I mean that both for logistics and for how much beer you can responsibly consume before the drive home.
One final island-specific tip: do not underestimate how local breweries Naxos now influence restaurant wine lists and cocktail menus. Several restaurants in Chora's old town and in villages like Halki and Apiranthos feature locally brewed beers on their beverage menus, and the Naxos Microbrewery's honey ale has started appearing as a cocktail ingredient in places that would previously only consider wine or spirits. The island's food and drink culture is genuinely shifting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the tap water in Naxos safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
The tap water in Naxos is technically safe to drink, as it comes from treated municipal sources. However, the mineral content is noticeably high due to the island's volcanic geology, and many visitors find the taste unpleasant, especially in the port area of Chora. Most locals and long-term residents use filtered water jugs or bottled water for drinking, even though they use tap water for cooking and washing without concern.
Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Naxos?
There is no formal dress code anywhere on Naxos. Beachwear is acceptable at waterfront bars like the beer garden at Stenada and Belonias in Apollonas, and casual smart-casual is perfectly appropriate for indoor craft beer spots like Frankie's or 5ο Μάτι. The main cultural etiquette to observe is that Greek social spaces are communal and loud by default; do not expect quiet, meditative bar environments, and do not be surprised if strangers join your table or strike up unprompted conversations.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Naxos?
Pure vegetarian and vegan dining in Naxos is limited but growing. Most craft beer bars covered in this guide serve basic vegetarian snacks (cheese plates, olives, fries), and a handful of restaurants in Chora and Filoti now offer dedicated vegetarian mains. Fully vegan options are rare; only two or three restaurants on the island list explicitly vegan dishes on their menus during peak season. Travelers with strict dietary needs should call ahead or visit the weekly Tuesday farmers' market in Chora, where local producers sell fresh produce, pulses, and vegan-friendly products.
Is Naxos expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
For a mid-tier daily budget in Naxos, plan on approximately €80 to €120 per person per day. This covers a mid-range hotel or Airbnb (€40 to €70), three meals including one restaurant dinner (€25 to €40), transport including local taxis or a scooter rental (€10 to €20), and evening drinks at craft beer bars (€8 to €15 for two to three beers). Costs drop meaningfully in shoulder season and rise by roughly 20 to 30 percent in peak July and August.
What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Naxos is famous for?
Naxos is most famous for its graviera, a hard, nutty cow's-milk cheese produced across the island's interior villages and widely considered among the best graviera varieties in all of Greece. It pairs naturally with the pale ales and lagers served at craft beer bars across the island. Kitron, a local citrus liqueur made from citron tree leaves, is the signature Naxian spirit and makes an excellent chaser alongside beer. Together, they represent the two essential flavors of Naxos: something earthy and aged, something sharp and bright.
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