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    Plaka, Lasithi Prefecture

    Giovanni

    Two glasses of rosé at Giovanni with the sea beyond.
    Rosé at a waterfront table, looking across the bay from Giovanni.

    What it is

    Giovanni sits on the water in Plaka, with the tables looking across the bay towards Spinalonga. On our latest visit, the centre of the meal was a roughly 2 kg rofos, brought to the table whole and described as just out of the sea. The setting and the cooking made the same argument: choose simply and stay close to what came in fresh.

    Why it matters

    The rofos arrived whole, with lemon and a light dressing alongside it. We also ate grilled calamari and octopus, horta and ahinosalata, with a bottle of Miraval rosé. Everything tasted exceptionally fresh. This is the useful way to approach Giovanni: ask about the day’s fish and build the table around it rather than treating the menu as a checklist.

    Whole cooked rofos on a white platter at Giovanni in Plaka.
    A roughly 2 kg rofos served whole at Giovanni during a 2026 visit.
    Whole rofos with lemon, sauce and vegetables at Giovanni.
    The rofos served whole, with lemon, dressing and vegetables alongside.

    What to understand before going

    The waterfront view is part of the experience, and the table in our photographs looks directly over the bay. The traditional wooden taverna chairs were somewhat uncomfortable during this visit; keep that as a small practical caveat. Dish availability and fish size will vary with the catch.

    What stays with you

    A whole rofos at the table, two glasses of pale rosé and the water towards Spinalonga: a meal whose strongest impression came from the freshness of the fish and the immediacy of the setting.

    Editorial note

    This guide combines firsthand observation with research from public and official sources. Practical details are checked against the sources listed on each guide where they are available; recommendations remain independent of paid promotion. For how we approach planning and selection, see our editorial manifesto.