Mykonos

You can easily spend an entire afternoon at Scorpios, a beach club on the southern tip of the island. Reserve a sun bed and slowly make your way through the (predominantly vegetarian) lunch menu. The food is deservedly known as some of the best on Mykonos and includes big plates of wood-fired peppers, zucchini, and endive, along with all manner of salads. When the sun goes down, the whole place turns into a boho-chic dance party.

There’s no telephone, electricity, or Wi-Fi at this bare-bones taverna near Agios Sostis Beach, and that’s exactly the appeal. Nothing distracts from the unobstructed coastal views and the simply, perfectly prepared plates of grilled octopus, prawns, and chicken and super fresh Greek salads and artichokes kissed with lemon juice. Kiki’s is technically open only for lunch, but service lasts until early evening for those who’ve gotten a late start.

A jet-set hangout since the ’60s, Remezzo feels a little more refined than the average Cycladic taverna, with food to match. Even simple entrées are elaborately plated and colorful, like raw vegetable carpaccio with honey and citrus vinaigrette and roasted scallops with Aegean salt, sweet artichoke mousse, and Greek truffle. And the house rosé is great, which means you don’t have to spend a fortune on wine.

Run by the same family for three generations, Nikolas is as local as it gets on Mykonos. All the vegetables and most of the meat comes from the family’s nearby farm, and Nikolas (the grandson of the original owners) catches the fish for the same-day dinner service. Tables are wedged right into the sand of Anna Agia beach, at the southern end of the island, but shaded patio and indoor seating is available, too, for those summer scorchers.

This restaurant and club on Panormos Beach looks straight out of a glossy design magazine. Smooth slatted wood covers every inch of this place, which helps to create the clean lines that frame the perfect ocean views. Big terra-cotta pots of greenery and succulents add to the sense of calm. It’s all rather Zen, though the spirited crowd keeps things lively. After lunch (try the crudo and squid ink pasta), stop by Principote’s boutique, which carries a big selection of locally made sun hats, shoes, and bags.

An open-air restaurant in a sunken courtyard right in the middle of town, Interni feels like theater—both for its physical setting and for the first-rate people-watching. The gorgeous crowd is here to see and be seen, so if you aren’t in the mood for a little peacocking, it’s probably not the best spot for dinner. Otherwise, it’s all good fun, and the food isn’t bad, either, especially the cuttlefish ink tagliatelle and lobster risotto.

Kalo Livadi Beach is one of the longest stretches of sand on Mykonos, and a good reason to book a room at Archipelagos (one of the nicer hotels on the island), which is only a few minutes’ walk away. Another bonus: a serene, ridiculously pretty swimming pool that’s an antidote to the thumping party-scene hangouts on other parts of the island. The rooms were recently renovated in crisp shades of white, grey, and blue, and each comes with its own ocean-view balcony.