If this is your first time visiting Pefkohori, you might be surprised to find that restaurants don't start to fill up until around 9 p.m., with dinner often lasting late into the night. While you might be thinking about your evening meal, the Greeks are only just finishing their day and slowly preparing for their favourite part – a long, relaxed get-together over food.
The reason for this lies primarily in the climate. During the hot summer days, temperatures are high, so life slows down and moves into the evening hours when it becomes more pleasant to be outdoors. For this very reason, Greeks avoid heavy meals during the day, and dinner becomes the main and most important meal.
But it's not just about the weather – it's also about the way of life. In Greece, dinner isn't something you eat “on the run”. It's a social occasion, a time for family and friends, for conversation, laughter and enjoyment. The food arrives gradually, with meze, wine or ouzo, and everything unfolds unhurriedly – as the Greeks say: siga-siga (slowly).
In Pefkohori, you'll experience this best while sitting in a taverna by the sea, as a gentle breeze comes in off the coast and the sound of people enjoying their dinner surrounds you. Children are playing, adults are chatting, and time seems to stand still. It's this very atmosphere that makes dinner a special, memorable experience.
If you want to experience Pefkohori like a local, adapt to this rhythm – dine later, order several smaller dishes and enjoy an unhurried evening. Because in Greece, dinner isn't just a meal – it's a way of life.
