- Area
- Drakona, Keramia, Chania
- Distance
- About 18 km from Chania
- Cuisine
- Traditional Cretan, wood-fired
- Good to know
- No set menu; book ahead
What makes it different
Stelios returned to his village in 2004 to run the family taverna. There are no electric cookers: dishes are cooked in wood ovens, on wood stoves and in clay pots in the yard. He grows his own vegetables and keeps goats, rabbits and small local cattle.
Dishes change with the season. Look out for cauliflower with xynochondro (a sour-milk cracked-wheat), lamb baked in paper, gardoumakia, and potatoes fried in Cretan olive oil, with village bread and rusks.
Plan your visit
Booking is strongly recommended, and the taverna has traditionally closed one day a week. Phone ahead to check: +30 2821 065083. Opening days and seasons change. Check with the restaurant before you go, especially outside July and August.
Getting there
Drive south-west from Chania towards Keramia and up to Drakona; the road climbs into the foothills of the White Mountains. Combine lunch with the Theriso gorge drive or a visit to nearby villages.
Questions before you go
Where is Dounias taverna?
In Drakona village, Keramia, about 18 km from Chania.
Do I need to book Dounias?
Yes, booking is strongly recommended.
Is there a menu at Dounias?
No fixed menu; the dishes depend on what is in season and cooking that day.
