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Hydra restaurants

Occupying a former fuel depot near the entrance of the port, the premises have a venerable history as a day-and-night spot
Occupying a former fuel depot near the entrance of the port, the premises have a venerable history as a day-and-night spot

Expert guide to the Greek Islands

  1. Corfu
    Corfu

    Corfu

  2. Crete
    Crete

    Crete

  3. Rhodes
    Rhodes

    Rhodes

  4. Santorini
    Santorini

    Santorini

  5. Mykonos
    Mykonos

    Mykonos

  6. Hydra
    Hydra

    Hydra

Eating out can be down-to-earth both in atmosphere and (with careful selection) prices – Hydra feels like a “real” town. Although the former produce halle just behind the central quay is barely functioning, plans are afoot to revitalise its underused stalls.

£££

Kodylenia

The island’s most popular waterside dining, with seafood a specialty – including fresh locally caught squid in the right season, and scaly fish at a slight discount during spring and autumn. Dishes may come garnished with krítamo (rock samphire). Great sunset views from the terrace – the restaurant does seem sometimes to be trading mainly on its location.

Kodylenia
The island’s most popular waterside dining, with seafood a specialty

Address: Kamíni cove, a 15-minute walk from the west quay.
Contact: 00 30 22980 53520 or 6972 814078; hydra-kodylenia.gr
Price: allow €35-€40 per head if you order scaly fish and bottled wine; otherwise still well north of €25
Opening times: March (Orthodox Lent, in effect) to end October
Reservations: suggested for groups, as frequent wedding/christening parties preclude on-specs
Payment: credit cards accepted

Omilos

Occupying a former fuel depot near the entrance of the port, the premises have a venerable history as a day-and-night spot; between 1958–67 it began as Lagoudera, the haunt of the beautiful people. Today it's an upscale bistro with an amazing seaside terrace, which makes a play for the day-tripper trade with its somewhat limited budget lunch menu (€17). It’s better to opt for the full a la carte menu.

Omilos
Omilos is an upscale bistro with an amazing seaside terrace

Address: west side of port, edge of town on path to Kamíni
Contact: 00 30 22980 53800
Price: budget over €40 for three courses, plus drink
Opening times: Apr–Oct, lunch and dinner
Reservations: suggested at night for large parties
Payment type: credit cards accepted

Téchnē

Techne means ‘art’ or ‘skill’ in both ancient and modern Greek, so this establishment has clearly set up its stall in the upmarket camp, largely succeeding. It self-describes as ‘restaurant and social’, though it’s a long traipse up from Avláki cove just for a coffee and a natter – the real point of the place is Greek nouvelle cuisine. Starters encompass such as courgette-and-haloúmi fritters with turmeric-ed yogurt dip or crisp kalamári bits with sweet chilli dressing and a roundel of charred lime; mains extend to hylopítes (square noodles) with apáki (smoked Cretan bacon), rosemary and myzíthra cheese or pork loin paired with slow-cooked beans, sauteed cabbage, capers an olives. Portions aren’t huge – don’t show up ravenous. A brief pud list includes own-made ice cream (chocolate and pomegranate worked well as a combo). By contrast the wine list is extensive (and dear), though there’s also accessibly priced mass-market and microbrew beers (Greek). Pick one of the tiered-terrace tables under pine and palm trees, with views over to the Argolid, or in cooler weather inside the stone-walled, 1870s-vintage former boat factory.

techne restaurant
Self-described as 'restaurant and social', the real point of the place is Greek nouvelle cuisine

Address: just before Avláki cove, on coastal path
Contact: 00 30 22980 52500; techne-hydra.com for the current, frequently changing menu
Price: two starter plates, ice cream and a beer will amount to about €31; substitute a mains for one starter and it’s more like €40
Opening times: mid-March to late Oct, late morning until 11pm
Reservations: useful for large parties
Payment type: credit cards accepted

££

Four Seasons

The remotest taverna on the island, and your only en-route lunch option if walking to Ágios Nikólaos or Bísti (more probably, an early-dinner stop on the way back). By 4.30pm most casserole dishes of the day had sold out, so rather than having fish or grilled meat we plumped for Greek comfort food after a long hike: a fine aubergine imamkeftedákia (meatballs), and super chips, washed down by a big cold beer. Well-chosen 1960s jazz on the sound system, great service from an utterly charming Algerian waiter, not many patrons yet for the sunbeds on the pristine beach just out front. If you're utterly taken by the place, book a night (or more) at one of the Four Seasons' six comfortable suites, upstairs from or behind the restaurant.

Four seasons hotel
The remotest taverna on the island, and your only en-route lunch option if walking to Ágios Nikólaos or Bísti

Address: Plákes Vlyhoú beach, 45-min walk from 
Contact: 00 30 22980 53698, fourseasonshydra.gr
Price: a 20-euro note covered the snack above, but realistically allow at least €27 per person. Drinks are well priced at €3.50–4 for big beers, €8 for cocktails, €1.50–3.50 for coffees
Opening times: Apr–Oct, all day and into the night
Reservations: it's pretty remote, so generally not needed
Payment: credit cards accepted

Enalion

The more polished of two tavernas here, Enalion has a wide-ranging, sophisticated menu for a beach outfit. To drink, there's good bulk white wine or strong tsípouro – 250ml of the latter would have rendered two legless, let alone one diner. Enalion also runs the sunbed concession at the right-hand (east) side of the beach – but only club sandwiches and drinks delivered to there.

Enalion
Enalion has a wide-ranging, sophisticated menu for a beach outfit

Address: Vlyhós beach, the more inland establishment
Contact: 00 30 22980 53455
Price: the above-cited meal was covered by a €20 note, but realistically allow about €25
Opening times: all day, from mid-May until some time in October, according to weather and visitor numbers
Reservations: only needed for special occasions like wedding parties
Payment type: cash only

Gitoniko

Equally popular with residents and visitors, this durable all-rounder does everything from vegetarian casseroles to grilled meat and fish, without airs or graces. Seafood proved a highlight – fresh squid or scaly fish at accessible prices, and for springtime starters there will probably be beets with their greens. At lunchtime, get there early – by 2.15pm it will all be gone. Table service indoors downstairs or on the roof terrace, by season.

Meine �� Taverne #hydra #gitoniko

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Address: back of the town, beyond Bratsera, on Harámi lane
Contact: 00 30 22980 53615
Prices: under €28 per person for the works, including bulk wine
Opening times: March–Nov, Mon-Sat, 12.30pm-3pm and 7.30pm-late; Sun, lunch only
Reservations: suggested for supper
Payment type: cash only

The best hotels in Hydra
The best hotels in Hydra

Paradosiako

The most creative and reasonably priced ouzerí on the island, showcasing unusual platters like kritharotó (orzo pasta with oyster mushrooms), krítamo (rock samphire) in late spring and seafood rizotti or makaronádes (marine titbits blended into pasta), as well as the usual fried starters and grilled meat or fish. Portions are big – our crisp-fried shrimp easily fed two – and the only black mark was poor barrel wine (opt for beer, ouzo or bottled wine instead). Token dessert list, though you'll probably be treated to semolina halvás. A limited number of terrace tables are hotly contested – lane seating was added in 2017– or there's a characterful interior.

Address: 100 yards inland, along Tombázi lane starting from the Alpha Bank
Contact: 22980 54155
Price: allow €22–26 for two platters and a modest intake of drink per person
Opening times: orthodox Lent until end November
Reservations: not taken
Payment: cash only

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Christina

Christina is still around, often installed at an outdoor table, but her son Dimitris and his wife Maria have taken over this unpretentious taverna with distant views of the sea. Outside of peak season, the menu can be limited; their signature dish is lahanodolmádes (stuffed cabbage leaves). A half-litre of rosé bulk wine was more than decent, and there was even a kérasma afterwards (yogurt with candied carrot).

Address: Kamíni cove, 150m inland
Contact: 00 30 22980 53516
Prices: under €20 for a starter and a mains, plus drink
Opening times: lunch & dinner, Apr–Oct
Reservations: advisable in high summer
Payment type: cash only

Lulu

An old standby that's maybe not the most cutting-edge or exciting taverna on Hydra, but since the early 1980s Lulu has garnered a reputation for consistency and freshness – especially seafood when available, for example 8-inch kalamári (not counting the tentacles) flash-fried to perfection, or grilled sardines – not the biggest portion ever, but tasty. White wine from the barrel is perfectly quaffable. Tables huddle under three big ficus trees on the outdoor terrace, or there's a pleasant, high-ceilinged interior for cooler weather.

Eating time ������ #Greece #hydra #islands #food #foodtime #perfect ��

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Address: up Navárhou Miaoúli, the shopping street flanking the east side of the cathedral, 100m in from the water
Contact: 00 30 22980 52018
Price: eminently reasonable – you should have change from a 20-euro note for a mains, a starter, and a quarter-litre of wine or a beer
Opening times: lunch and dinner daily, except January – February
Reservations: usually not needed
Payment: cash only

Kryfo Limani/Secret Port

It's worth showing up at this appropriately secluded courtyard spot just for the decor, a riot of 1970s–80s taverna kitsch: serried ranks of pinna shells stuck in the flower-beds, a red grid pattern painted underfoot, 'Sailing' theme tableclothes, a buoy, more nautical impedimenta (including two small propellers) on the walls, lobster carapaces, and even several bouroú or sailor's signalling conches. All this under lemon trees, a ficus and subtropical shrubbery. But the food's good too: signature dishes include stuffed vine leaves under egg-lemon sauce, and hearty fish soup. Bulk wine is drinkable (though we had to request ice cubes for unchilled rosé) and keenly priced at €7–8 a litre. 

Address: head inland from Amalourbar and Paradosiako, at the Amaryllis Hotel forty steps beyond turn right onto side lane, proceed up this 70m and Kryfo Limani is on your right
Contact: 00 30 22980 52585 or 6977 946426
Prices: very reasonable – all of our recent two-course meals fell well shy of €20, including a half-litre of wine
Opening times: April–Nov, lunch and dinner
Reservations: generally not needed
Payment type: cash only

To Pigadi/The Well

Once upon a time there were six mezedopolía (tipple and titbit establishments) around the marketplace perimeter; this one, also known as Tou Giorgou after the proprietor, is the only survivor, and a veritable slice of old Hydra. Not fine dining but very adequate for snack platters like non-hot-pink taramosaláta, keftedákia (little meatballs), fried tiddlers and briám (ratatouille), accompanied by tsípouro or so-so house wine.

Address: marketplace, east side of main building
Contact: 00 30 22980 29744
Price: rock bottom for Hydra – €10–15 for two dishes and a bit to drink
Opening times: all year, most days, noon–3pm and 6.30–9pm
Reservations: not needed
Payment: cash only

Pefkaki

This ouzerí is a wonderful, friendly alternative to Omilos Techni or Kodylenia if you're not up for the glitz and the outlay, with tables under the 'Little Pine' (actually not so little) of the name, and views over a terraced garden and the straits to the Argolid. There's a limited menu, mostly seafood, fried vegies, salads and drinks, with some items 'off' at slow times.

Kamini - Credit: imagIN photography - Fotolia
Pefkaki can be found on the east edge of the beautiful Kamíni village, on the approach path from main port Credit: imagIN photography - Fotolia

Address: East edge of Kamíni, on the approach path from main port
Contact: 00 30 22980 52702
Price: for two starter platters with a beer or glass of ouzo, allow €16; for a starter, main dish and tipple, make that €23
Opening times: lunch daily, late May– early Sept (while it's warm to sit out, as there's no indoor space); dinner also June–Aug
Reservations: not taken
Payment: cash only

Marina

The more ‘down-home’, traditional taverna here, with an unbeatable setting under pines and tamarisks, its terrace tables taking in the seascapes around Ágios Ioánnis and Dokós islets. Marina herself commands the kitchen, with jolly Nikos at front of house. Fare is 1980s style in the best sense: melitzanosaláta arrives chunky and mayo-free, rock samphire (krítamo) is gathered in May for peak tenderness, bread is baked in-house, fish or squid emerges well grilled, the rosé bulk wine proves to be easy drinking.

Address: the ‘cape’ at Vlyhós beach, on the left facing the sea 
Contact: 00 30 22980 52496
Prices: our starter, squid and a bit of wine ran to around €17
Opening times:  claims to be open daily, all year
Reservations: not taken
Payment type: cash only