Porto Tavern

In its picturesque port Porto Cayo - was the base of the pirate fleet of Lambros Katsonis and took its name from Port of Cailles (quail harbor) - a few meters from where the wave breaks, is the tavern Porto by Antonis Grigorakakis.

Born and bred in the place (with his brother Michael they went to school in the opposite village of Achillion, climbing every day like kids on the path above the sea) having been engaged in painting and folklore, he was looking for a way to stay here as long as possible. And so, the 1990 built the tavern.

Fish is his specialty, since his father was a navigator on the ships, but also a fisherman, who with his boat, the Archontoula (his wife's name) fished and brought all kinds of fish home. The whole family helps in the shop. Served by his son o Elias (a handsome lad who goes to 1st Lyceum in Gythio), his nephew - also Elias, an accountant who helps when needed - and the Mary, with an open-hearted smile, and brings us the pies she makes herself.

Antonis remembers the hard life of his childhood, without complaint, rather with nostalgia:

"Our mother used to take us to help her with the quail. We caught them alive with abstinence, broke their wings so they could not leave, and put them in large cages. They took the ships and sold them all over the Mediterranean. There were no roads then. The road came in 1978 and two years later the electricity came ".

Life is hard on Mesa Mani, with women working in the fields "Because they did not mind. The men guarded the houses with their rifles. The vendetta was done for reasons of land and honor. So the man looked at a woman, he had to marry her. The 12-year-old boy had to have a gun. That is why here a weapon = a person, that is, a boy in the family. And in a family, the more "weapons" you have, the stronger you are ".

A few years ago, Antonis made one beautiful stone guesthouse a few meters further.

Antonis' reputation for fresh fish, the pulled pies and other delicacies in the tavern Porto is known throughout Mani. And so you often meet people who started from Areopolis, Gerolimenas or Vathia or even further to answer him and his goodies!