Taverna Paradiso, Naxos
The road to Taverna Paradiso ends where the sand begins.
One moment we were driving across Naxos, and the next we found ourselves sitting beneath windswept trees on Plaka Beach, with tables planted directly on the sand and the brilliant blue Aegean stretching endlessly before us. The weather had finally turned in our favour after the coldest May day Greece had experienced in seventy years. The sun was shining, the sea was sparkling and lunch could not have come at a better time.
Taverna Paradiso is exactly the sort of place you hope to stumble upon during a Greek island holiday. No pretence, no dress code, no rush. Just fresh food, cold wine and one of the most beautiful beachfront settings we encountered during the trip.
Lunch began with a colourful spread of traditional Greek dishes. The grilled seafood platter was the star of the table, loaded with squid, octopus, prawns and fish cooked simply over charcoal. Fresh seafood this close to the sea hardly needs much help beyond a squeeze of lemon and a glass of chilled white wine.
We also enjoyed a wonderfully tender grilled octopus salad, smoky aubergine salad, slow cooked mushrooms with onions and a comforting plate of braised artichokes and potatoes. Rustic dishes perhaps, but packed with honest flavours that reflected the simplicity of Greek home cooking.
The baklava that followed was impossible to resist. Crisp layers of pastry soaked with syrup and nuts, sweet enough to satisfy but not overly heavy after the meal.
Adding to the charm were the many resident cats wandering lazily between the tables, occasionally stopping beside diners in the hope of receiving a small reward for their company.
What I remember most though is not a particular dish. It was sitting beneath the shade of those trees with family and friends, watching the waves roll in while sharing food, wine and stories. Nobody was checking the time. Nobody was in a hurry.
It was one of those afternoons that quietly reminds you what holidays are really about. Not ticking attractions off a list, but creating moments that you wish could last just a little longer.
