There’s something about autumn in Mount Pelion that makes you want to slow down. Perhaps it’s the changing colours of the chestnut forests, the crisp mountain air or simply the prospect of a long, unhurried lunch after a morning spent outdoors. On a recent visit to Zagora, having spent the better part of the day wandering through the woods in search of porcini mushrooms, we found ourselves doing exactly that. And there was probably no better place to end up than Meintani.
Tucked away in Zagora, a village best known for its apples and centuries-old traditions, Meintani is the kind of old-fashioned Greek taverna that seems increasingly difficult to come by. No elaborate menus, no unnecessary fuss, just proper home cooking, generous portions and recipes that have been passed down through generations. At the heart of it all is Niki Spanou, a formidable woman who has been running the family taverna since 1996, although her relationship with its kitchen goes back much further.
Niki grew up here, quite literally. As a child, she would help her mother and grandmother prepare food, wash dishes and serve customers, long before taking over the business herself. Her mother was the village’s first female tavern owner, opening the place back in 1967, at a time when women running such establishments was hardly the norm. Today, Niki continues that tradition, surrounded by a team of women who handle everything from the cooking to the serving.
And if there’s one thing she takes seriously, it’s her food.
By the time we arrived for our late lunch, we were more than ready to eat. We settled in on the balcony, taking in the lovely views over the surrounding greenery, while a few locals occupied their usual spots towards the back. There was something wonderfully familiar about the whole setting, the kind of place where people come not just to eat but to catch up, spend an afternoon and feel at home.
We started with a classic Greek salad, a plate of locally sourced wild greens and some homemade sausage that was simply divine. Then came the main event. A generous serving of tragos (male goat), slowly roasted in the oven for six hours until the meat was beautifully tender, accompanied by golden, hand-cut fries. Alongside it, oven-baked lamb with a rich lemon sauce and yet more fries, the sort you can’t help dipping into whatever juices are left on the plate. Nothing fancy, nothing overcomplicated. Just honest, delicious food, cooked with care and plenty of patience.
What makes Meintani special, though, goes beyond the food itself. Niki is a character in her own right. Fiercely independent, hardworking and refreshingly straightforward, she has spent decades doing things her way. In a recent interview, she spoke about how she never really learned to sit still, having grown up working from a young age and eventually taking on the responsibility of the entire taverna. She still gets up before dawn to start preparing the day’s dishes, keeping a close eye on everything that leaves her kitchen. Even after all these years, she insists that no two portions should ever taste different.
Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat another bite, Niki appeared with two little plates of preserved fruit (glyko tou koutaliou in Greek), the traditional Greek spoon sweets. One was made with firiki, the small, fragrant apples for which Zagora is famous, and the other with elderberry (sambouko in Greek). Both were wonderful, a sweet and fitting end to a meal that had already stretched well into the afternoon.
By the time we left, the forest walk and our mushroom hunt felt like a distant memory. We had come looking for a good meal and ended up discovering a little piece of Pelion’s culinary heritage, still very much alive thanks to one woman’s determination to keep it that way.
If you find yourself in Zagora, make time for Meintani. Come hungry, don’t rush and, most importantly, leave the ordering to Niki.
