Issue1 TasteBound compressed - Flipbook - Page 23
Phāea Blue,
Crete, Greece
Sitting at the Blue Door
Taverna with salt-baked
fish and a crisp glass of
Cretan wine, there’s
a distinct sense of
timelessness – from the
rugged coastline and
view out to the fabled
island of Spinalonga to
the warm hospitality of
host Harris in the old
fisherman’s house. It’s just
one of the food moments
that sets Phāea Blue apart,
as the 47-room boutique
hotel hits its stride in its
first full season.
The design feels
effortless: light pours into
pared-back rooms, with
the Aegean glinting just
beyond – proof that, in
places like this, a light
touch is all that’s needed.
Where detail and
intention do come to
the fore is in the hotel’s
flagship restaurant,
Anthós, where chef
Athinagoras Kostakos
champions contemporary
Cretan cooking with flair.
Guests are also invited
to join the Phāea Farmers’
Feast – a hands-on
exploration of Crete’s
cuisine, from gathering
herbs in the organic garden
to cooking in the earth
itself. It’s an apt metaphor
for a place so grounded
and loyal to island tradition.
Doubles from £370 per
night. phaeablue.com
TA S T E B O U N D
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