2 Best Places for Craft Beer in Naxos, Greece

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The Greek Islands aren’t known for their craft beer. While there are a couple of craft breweries in Santorini, there are none in nearby Naxos. The island is known more for the specialty liqueur, Kitron, which can be found in many of Naxos cocktail bars, and for having a couple of wineries. However, I still found some places to drink craft beer in Naxos, including one of my favorite beer bars in Greece and an excellent local cheese shop.

The Best Craft Beer in Naxos

Funky Hops Taproom Naxos

If a place is only going to have one beer bar, it should always be as good as Funky Hops Taproom Naxos. The bar is close enough to the rest of the island’s nightlife to be convenient, but thanks to its drinks selection & location on a side street, it doesn’t have a party bar vibe.

I first visited Funky Hops on what was a strange night. Naxos doesn’t see much rain, never mind in May, yet record rains had rivers flowing through the streets past the doorstep of Funky Hops. Rain is so atypical here that the bar doesn’t even have coat hooks, because why would you need a coat in a Mediterranean island paradise?

The music when I entered Funky Hops was perfectly appropriate for the dreary weather: the blues. It later transitioned into a bit more classic rock. The bar also sometimes hosts DJs on weekends, as was the case on my 2nd visit. The DJ was playing some fun soul & classic rock.

Funky Hops turned into a refuge for travelers on this rainy night. Owner Manos was friendly to everyone and eager to talk about beer. I also met a few other American visitors who were making their way through the islands. I went back to the bar several times during my stay in Naxos.

The beer selection at Funky Hops consists of up to 7 taps of Greek craft beer, plus a couple of dozen bottles and cans. For non-beer drinkers, they also serve wine and cocktails.

If you’re looking for the best selection of beer in Naxos, look no further than Funky Hops. It’s one of my favorite craft beer bars in Greece.

Address: Naxos 843 00, Greece (map)

Naxos Cheese Koufopoulos

Funky Hops is the one true place to seek out craft beer in Naxos. However, I did find a few different beers in one other place on the island. Naxos is famous for its unique cheeses. I first visited Naxos Cheese Koufopolous as part of a Naxos food tour. We tasted a few cheeses along with wine. I also spotted a couple of craft beers in a fridge, so I pledged to return to try them (along with more cheese, of course).

I ordered a tasting of 10 different cheeses, which I ate while sitting in a corner of the shop.

The cheese shop had three craft beers from Epirus Brewery, located in Northern Greece, not far from Albania. I opted for the Mountain Drops, a golden ale, which went well with the cheeses.

Address: ΠΑΠΑΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ ΧΩΡΑ, 843 00, Greece (map)
Website

Note: There is also a beer known as Naxos Beer that can be found in a few places on the island. As far as I can tell, it’s contract brewed elsewhere.

Here are some great Naxos tours & activities & other things to see & do in Naxos.

If you’re looking for a place to stay in Naxos, check out these hotels. For more restaurant recommendations, go here.

Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!