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Eat, drink & be very merry!

Prepare to eat a lot of delicious Greek food.

Do as the locals do, and while away time at one of the many tavernas & watch the world go by. Enjoy the vaguely chaotic service, warmth and being immensely full and rather tipsy by the time you leave!

Hydra has local restaurants & cafes ranging from modern and trendy to tiny, hidden places where YaYa cooks.

Dinner could be a bowl of fresh mussels and orzo pasta on a rooftop, or a potato filo pie eaten hot from a paper bag overlooking the port. Whatever takes your fancy!

Our favourites are below

Wine

Dine

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Yamas!

It means cheers in Greek and trust us, you'll be saying it a lot!

You may need to book some of the below restaurants the day before for dinner. Pop in when walking by or call, otherwise you may not get a walk-in table until after 11pm.

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Breakfast

Cafes line the waterfront, and even when overflowing with locals and tourists alike, they remain totally laid back.

We love sitting on the harbour watching the little boats unload the day's deliveries.

Papagalos
Spilia (spend the rest of the day swimming and chilling here)
Isalos (they can also create cute picnic baskets if you're heading to a secluded beach or going for a hike)

Coffee? It's always risky recommending coffee to a large group of Australians (you may even want an iced coffee/freddo cappuccino instead)... try,

Bandera
Nostimomania
Papagalos
Cool Mule

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Lunch

If you're after seafood it's freshest at lunch (unless marked with an * on the menu then it's frozen).

Try 'Kai Kremmidi' for yummy gyros
Christina's - a local favourite that looks over Kamini port. It's not showy but their saganaki, Greek salad and sea view are delectable
Piato, the chef is the owner's 80+ year old Mum! Try the smoked aubergine dip and decorate a plate alongside Kate Moss', Pamela Anderson's & Vivienne Westwood's
Mandraki restaurant, great if spending the day by the beach here - tasty sushi

If near Vlyhos beach, Enalion is great for classic Greek bites after a swim.

Dinner

There's so many options but these are our absolute favourites!

Techne, our number one pick! Amazing food, service and views!
Omilos, gorgeous seaside dining
Manna, modern Greek
Il Casta, need a break from Greek food? Try this sophisticated Italian

'Hydra's a little rock trapped in time... There's something wholly cathartic about being able to turn it all off - to sunbathe, to swim in the briny Med, eat copious amounts of Greek salads and fried red mullets, and toast to the perfect day.'

Megan Markle

Dinner Cont...

Giasemi, a hidden gem
Oraia, Greek food with a creative twist
Veranda, romantic terrace restaurant with views out across the port and mountains
Xeri Elia Douskos Taverna, where Leonard Cohen used to sit and sing
Taverna Marina, one of the oldest on the island with lovely views across the sea
Kodylenia, enjoy a nice, scenic stroll getting here

Best Bars

While you won't find huge nightclubs on Hydra, you can visit any harbour side drinking den and easily lose several hours! The whole harbour essentially turns into an outdoor bar each evening.

A must visit is the famous 'Pirate Bar'. Open from morning until late, it's been around for donkey's years and is an institution for strong drinks and fun.

Amalour and Bar 1821, have delicious cocktails and are fun street side bars with some jazz, reggae & soul on the dance floor.

Hydronetta bar, voted one of the World's best bars but maybe go here after the wedding... Or we'll kill you.

Be warned, bar staff are often generous with their measures so don't blame us if you crawl home!

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We've saved our favourite places for the wedding events of course!

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Don't leave Greece without trying...

Horiatiki: Greek salad, we're pretty sure you know this one
Dolmades: Ground lamb/beef with lemony rice wrapped up in steamed grape leaves
Dips: Taramasalata (fish roe), Tzatziki (yoghurt, cucumber, garlic), Fava (creamy split pea) & Melitzanosalata (like baba ghanoush)
Moussaka & Pastitsio: The greek versions of lasagna
Kolokythokeftedes: Fried balls filled with courgettes
Saganaki: Halloumi or feta baked with pastry and drizzled with honey and sesame seeds
Spanakopita: Pastry filled with feta & spinach
Gyros/Souvlaki: Sliced, grilled meat wrapped up in pita filled with onion, dip, chips, salad and sauces
Keftethes: Meatballs drowning in sauce
Any fresh fish & octopus: It's normally caught that day
Local olives & olive oil