Pirate

The legendary Pirate of Hydra is a store that has left a history. It is the bar on the right side of the beach, next to the statue of Koundouriotis, who since it was first built, saw everyone passing by his tables: shipowners, children of business families, bonviveurs, models, boats and sailors, to young people, groups boys and girls who loved good music and relaxed, but also dancing to the point of exhaustion.

The Pirate is making it 1976 by three (then young) people: him Menelaos Manolopoulos, Alexis Petropoulos and Taki Bouchla. It is the golden age of the seventies, Menelaus has gone to England to study, stayed there for a while, tasted the music and the avant-garde of London, and returning to Hydra had the idea to open a bar as he had imagined. "Then we worked in Kavos with Menelaos, this bartender, I am a waiter", Takis Bouchlas tells us. "We talked about it and said let's go do it!"

Christmas of '76, the Pirate first opens and it becomes a disaster! Menelaos (physiognomy of Hydra and far ahead of his time) brings all of Athens with his acquaintances. They come to Hydra to go to the Pirate, because they had heard about this amazing bar with great music! "Our foreign friends brought us records that came to Greece after 6 months! The Eric Clapton and gives us as a gift an album of his dedication. THE Leonard Cohen, The Alexis Mardas, bring their friends, make their shop their hangout ".

After 1,5 years, Alexis leaves and Menelaos - who plays the music - stays in Pirate - and Takis behind the bar.

Their life is this shop. They lived it, it was their second home. In the "golden" 80s and 90s, the Pirate holds high his pirate flag and entertains the youth with his music and incredible dancing atmosphere.

In 2005 Menelaos leaves for health reasons and the bar remains in the hands of Takis Bouchlas and his family, his wife Wendy (England who was a successful model and make-up artist) and his children, her Ruck and Zeus. "Then we opened the kitchen upstairs and decided to make Pirate an all-day bar", says Takis.

Wendy starts cooking the foods she likes: salads, homemade food, international cuisine. You can have your breakfast, your coffee, a light lunch (the kitchen closes at 5 pm) and after your drink and of course your cocktail.

The Pirate, 41 years later, remains a must for Hydra, and not only!