Metaxy Mas — the name means "between us" in Greek — is one of the better-known restaurants in Hora, occupying a corner in the backstreets of the old town that has been attracting a loyal following for years. It is a meze restaurant in the serious sense: you order many small dishes and share them across the table, working through combinations of local produce rather than one large plate each. The approach suits the Naxian larder well.
The dishes reflect the island's produce. Graviera cheese appears in several guises — saganaki (pan-fried with honey), grated over greens, in small pies. Naxian potatoes show up fried and otherwise with the confidence of people who know they are serving something genuinely excellent. The local sausages, cured and spiced in the Cycladic tradition, are a reliable order. The wine list includes Cycladic labels — Paros produces good wine, and some local Naxian attempts are starting to appear. Eat as many dishes as you can manage; the point of meze is abundance.
The room is small and the tables close together in the Greek taverna manner, which means evenings get loud and convivial. Book ahead in July and August; the restaurant fills nightly and walk-ins get the less pleasant tables near the door. Go for dinner rather than lunch — the kitchen performs better in the evening and the atmosphere in the old town at night is worth lingering over.