Eating out in Megali Mandinia

There are three excellent, friendly, family-run tavernas, plus a cafe, that are open all year round. They all feature traditional dishes using fresh, local produce, including locally reared meat, accompanied by easy drinking wines from the Peloponnese. The views, airy position and good value cooking have attracted people to eat at the village for many years.

The village tavernas and café – we recommend them all:

• Anavryti – our closest and the oldest taverna in the village, with excllent traditional food and a large, airy balcony overlooking the gorge.  Open every evening during the summer and for Sunday lunch from noon.  Winter hours may vary.

• Megali Mandinia – great sunsets and views towards Kalamata; country cooking including cockerel and rabbit specials, plus they sell their own delicious honey. Open every evening.

• Sunset – home produced vegetables and meat deftly cooked with nice use of herbs; small and homely with great gorge views from the vine-covered balcony. Open every evening.

• Kali Kardia café – a traditional kafenion that also serves good, simple food most lunchtimes and every evening with with views of the mountains from the terrace. Open from morning till late.

Don’t be surprised if you’re not given a menu, a verbal run through of the dishes of the day is the usual approach although menus are usually on hand if you want to check prices or translations.

Wine lists haven’t reached the village yet, so simply enoy a half kilo karafe of white, rose or red – Greek wines have come a long way since the days of heavily oxidised rural offerings.

If you want a change from the village, there are seaside tavernas within easy reach.  We like the Akrogiallia at Akrogialli as well as those at Kitries.  Kalamata offers a huge choice along the beach front and around the Marina, whilst for lunch Ta Rolla near the market is hard to beat.