Dried Olive

Η Dried Olive is a grocery tavern of the last century, with a trademark of a large olive tree in the center of its square (which dried giving its name to the store), which was to become one of the most famous taverns of Hydra and not only.

With 180 years of history, the Dry Olive, a reference point for the Hydraeans and for their most loyal foreign friends Hydra, is the tavern with cooked traditional food, aquatic squid, fish (in all forms and flavors), hunting (partridges, quail, snipe), cooked and grilled meat, but also where there are parties that leave time!

Behind the grocery store was the paternal home, where he was born Stefanos Douskos, the current owner, who recently handed over the reins of the store to his son, Cross. At the age of 19, Stefanos barges in the tankers of Kouloukoundis and Lebanon "because he wanted to meet the world". In 1976 he returns from the ships, because his wife (Lela Tsagari) and his 3 children need him home, as well as the tavern, which knows great glories. It is the time when foreigners (famous and not) discover the magic of Hydra, fall in love with its authenticity and become faithful to the island and of course to Duskos.

Leonard Cohen writes a song for the tavern and he comes here with his friends to sing with his guitar, the people of Hydra catch the song with chants and tiles, while the retsina flows abundantly from the barrels located in the basement of the tavern.

The tables in the square of Xeri Elia, placed under the shade that offer a huge wisteria, a pine and two mulberries, create an idyllic environment, either at noon or in the evening, to enjoy the specialties of Duskos. Large variety of delicious aquatic family meals, cottage, homemade noodles with tomato, moussaka, cannelloni, stew and fish soup, made with a personal recipe by Stefanos, which keeps it a seven-sealed secret!

Ask about the specialties of the day and be sure to ask for a dessert semolina halva with orange. Good aresinto wine and if you are lucky, live music by locals catching the guitar will complete its unique experience Tavern Douskos - Xeri Elia in Hydra!