Selene

Who Should Book Selene — and When

If you are planning a special-occasion dinner in Santorini and want a restaurant with genuine depth behind it — not just a caldera view and a prix-fixe menu , Selene is the right call. It suits couples marking a milestone, serious food travellers who want contemporary Greek cooking with a credible wine program, and returning visitors who have already done the obvious Oia sunset spots and want something with more substance. The optimal window is shoulder season: late April through June, or September into October, when the heat is manageable, the tourist volume is lower, and the kitchen is operating at full capacity without the pressure of peak summer service.

A 36-Year Track Record in a Setting That Earns It

Selene has been a reference point on the island since its founding, now with 36 years of continuous operation behind it. The current address is Katikies Garden Hotel in Fira, housed in what was originally an old Catholic Monastery , a building with the kind of architectural weight that most Santorini restaurants borrow from their views rather than their walls. Wine Director Yiannis Karakasis oversees a list of 580 selections and 3,000 bottles in inventory, with particular strength in Greek, French, and Italian producers. At $$$ pricing on the wine side, expect bottles well into the €100+ range, so budget accordingly. Chef Ettore Botrini leads the kitchen, and General Manager Vasileios Koumpis runs the floor under owner Nikolaos Pagonis. Opinionated About Dining placed Selene at #494 in its 2025 European ranking , a meaningful data point that puts it in the conversation with the serious end of the continent's dining scene, not just the island's.

The Tasting Menu Logic

Selene's editorial angle is contemporary Greek, which in practice means the kitchen is working with native ingredients and regional technique but not limiting itself to a strictly traditional register. A tasting menu format rewards the patience to let the progression do its work: expect the earlier courses to sketch out the island's pantry , local produce, Aegean seafood , before the middle of the meal takes on more structural complexity, and the final savoury courses resolve into something more considered. This is not the format for a quick dinner or a group that wants to order freely. It rewards diners who are there for the full arc. Pairing the wine list to the menu is worth the extra spend given the depth of the Greek selection , Karakasis has built a list where indigenous varieties are treated seriously, which is not a given at this price point even in Athens. If you have been to Selene once and ordered à la carte, the tasting menu is the next logical step on a return visit.

Practical Details

Cuisine: Contemporary Greek. Meals served: Lunch and Dinner. Wine pricing: $$$, with many bottles above €100. Cuisine pricing: $$$, representing a typical two-course meal above €66 before beverages. Google rating: 4.5 from 299 reviews. Booking difficulty: Easy , reservations are available without the weeks-in-advance scramble you face at comparable restaurants in Athens such as Delta in Athens. Book two to three weeks out for peak summer dates; shoulder season is more forgiving. The Katikies Garden Hotel location in Fira is accessible from most parts of the island, and staying nearby simplifies the evening considerably , see our full Santorini hotels guide for options in the area.

Logistics at a Glance

Pearl Picks in the Region

If Santorini's dining scene interests you, widen the search: Almiriki in Mykonos and the Myconian Utopia Resort in Elia are worth considering for island dining at a similar register. For serious contemporary Greek cooking on the mainland, Delta in Athens is the current benchmark. Further afield in Greece, Etrusco in Kato Korakiana, Olais in Kefalonia, and the Old Mill in Elounda represent the stronger end of regional Greek fine dining. For those benchmarking against leading European and global tasting-menu restaurants, Le Bernardin in New York City and Atomix in New York City show the international tier Selene is being measured against in the OAD rankings. See also our full Santorini restaurants guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide to build out the rest of your trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should I order at Selene? Prioritise the tasting menu over à la carte. With a wine list of 580 selections overseen by Wine Director Yiannis Karakasis , and particular depth in Greek producers , the food-and-wine pairing is the strongest version of the meal. If you have been once and ate à la carte, the tasting menu format is the reason to return. Specific menu items are not confirmed in our current data, so check directly with the restaurant when booking.
• Is Selene good for solo dining? It works for solo diners who are comfortable at formal contemporary restaurants and want to engage with a serious wine program. At $$$ food pricing (typically above €66 for two courses, before wine), the per-head cost is meaningful but not out of reach for a solo treat dinner. Santorini is a destination-dining island rather than a neighbourhood-dining one, so solo visits here tend to be intentional rather than spontaneous. Aktaion in Firostefani is a lower-pressure alternative if you want something more casual.
• Is Selene good for a special occasion? Yes, clearly. The combination of a 36-year reputation, an OAD Top 500 Europe ranking (#494, 2025), and a setting in a converted monastery building gives the evening the weight a milestone dinner needs. At $$$ pricing on both food and wine, budget for a full experience including pairings , this is not the night to drink by the glass. For a comparison: Lycabettus in Oia trades more on the caldera view; Selene trades on cooking and wine depth.
• What should I wear to Selene? Dress code is not confirmed in our data, but at $$$ pricing in a hotel fine-dining setting with OAD recognition, smart-casual is the safe floor and smart-formal is appropriate. Shorts and beachwear would be out of place. Given the location within Katikies Garden Hotel, the dress expectations align with a serious hotel restaurant rather than a casual taverna.
• What are alternatives to Selene in Santorini? For contemporary Greek cooking at a similar price point, Koukoumavlos in Fira is the most direct local alternative. For a different format with strong views, Lycabettus in Oia is worth considering. If you want to step down in price without leaving the island, Aktaion in Firostefani offers a more accessible option. For the full Santorini picture, see our Santorini restaurants guide.
• Can I eat at the bar at Selene? Bar seating details are not confirmed in our current data. Given the hotel-restaurant setting at Katikies Garden, bar dining may be possible but is not guaranteed. Contact the restaurant directly when booking to ask about counter or bar options. The formal dining room is the default format here.