The journey by sea taxi to Mandraki, the small seaside settlement east of Hydra Town, takes about 15 minutes. From the open waters, one can admire Apollo–Sun, a wind-powered sculpture of copper and bronze created by contemporary American artist Jeff Koons, whose rays move in circular motion — an eternal flow of time.

As you arrive at Mandraki, the first tables of a well-kept home appear, bearing the sign “Psarotaverna O Lefterakis”. The owner, Lefteris Mavros, originally from Kalymnos, is a man seasoned by years in the heat of the restaurant world, both in Hydra and in prominent establishments in Athens. In Mandraki, he chose to bring his personal gastronomic vision to life, creating a space for all hours of the day where Greek cuisine meets Hydra’s local tradition and classic seafood, without international additions or trendy raw preparations.

The taverna was named “Stou Lefteraki” in honor of his beloved grandson, who shares his name. There, at the edge of the waves, in the serenity of the beautiful cove, among the white tables and lime-washed walls, beneath the large wooden pergola, and between sky and sea, the food becomes the main protagonist.

Classic recipes of Greek cuisine — meat, fish, and vegetable dishes — are enriched with fresh fish from local fishermen, baked according to traditional Hydra recipes while remaining full of flavor. A pot-cooked octopus, prepared without water and using only olive oil, vinegar or wine, and the octopus’s own juices, follows the rules of simple local cooking, as taught by Lefteris’s grandmother. A truly remarkable meze.

Small fish, such as melanouria and gavrakia, are placed in a baking dish with fresh tomatoes, plenty of onions, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then baked — a pared-down, classic version of plaki. Even the traditional red-stewed veal with quinces is served here in season, part of Lefteris’s effort to highlight every facet of the island’s gastronomic culture, which he has cherished so deeply.

We began with vibrant, crisp tomatoes from Argolis, dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and a touch of salt, alongside a dish of alivárvara baked in vinegar, paired with large Damask olives from the Peloponnese. Alivárvara are slightly bitter wild greens, somewhat reminiscent of radicchio.

Next came a robust and lemony taramasalata, accompanied by succulent Greek shrimp sautéed with garlic and butter. We were delighted to discover how perfectly the Pitsiladi ouzo from Plomari complemented the greens and seafood — a traditional, smooth, and aromatic spirit, with notes of anise, cardamom, and citrus.

The oven-baked eggplants with tomato, thyme, mint, feta, and black olives offered the perfect pause before the final act of the meal. The roasted Steira (which Lefteris affectionately called Skariéta) with olive oil and lemon highlighted the exceptional quality of the seafood — perfectly cooked, a free-range fish, nutritionally precious, yet remarkably accessible.

Handmade strawberry jam, coming straight from Lefteris’s kitchen, and a traditional almond ice cream pudding offered the sweetest farewell to a culinary journey — an escape so close to Athens, yet feeling worlds away.

Far from the city, in a place where historic legacy walks hand in hand with cultural heritage and gastronomic tradition, every moment feels timeless.

Info:
Stou Lefteraki / Mandraki Beach, Hydra. Tel: +30 22980 54114

See also:
Vouka: A culinary discovery just a breath from Chalkida