My favourite taverna, a family story
From the early days of Dimitris Ouzeri to the next generation of Karaflas. Good food, family pride and a story that could only be told with a little humour.
The name has a story of its own
In the early days, Dimitris still had hair and called his restaurant Dimitris Ouzeri. As the years went by, it became Karaflas Taverna.
More recently, his son joined him, and Dimitris proudly, as he should, adapted the name to Karaflas Dimitris & Son. A new chapter in a family story, and a father with every reason to be proud.
Thank God my nephew takes after his mother in the looks department!
The original name, back when Dimitris still had hair.
The next chapter, with a name that became part of the story.
His son joins him, and Dimitris proudly adds him to the name.
Why this place has always mattered to me
In my original page, I described Dimitris as a chef who blends traditional techniques with his own imagination. His food, the view and the character of the ouzeri made it a place I wanted every visitor to discover.
His good taste extended beyond the kitchen. The distinctive interior, friendly service, Greek atmosphere and music were all part of the experience.
The old page even noted breakfast, lunch and dinner during the high season. Those words belong to the ouzeri’s earlier days. For the restaurant today, visit Karaflas on Instagram for photographs and updates.
The original photograph archive
All 14 pictures from the original slideshow are here, from Dimitris in the kitchen and the hand-drawn menu to tables overlooking the sea and moonlit evenings.
Select a photograph to open its original file in a new tab. These are archive pictures, including the old menu.
A few words from the original page
An ouzeri is a traditional Greek place to enjoy ouzo with meze, small dishes shared at the table. Its name comes from ouzo, the familiar drink flavoured with anise.
In the old days, fishermen would gather at the ouzeri, listen to the baglamas or bouzouki and enjoy their mezedes.
A meze is a small dish, often served alongside a drink and shared with others. The plural is mezedes.
You may already know taramosalata or tzatziki. In my original page, I wrote that Dimitris did those and much more, only better. I still have a soft spot for his cooking.
The baglamas is a small Greek stringed instrument, resembling a miniature bouzouki, with a higher pitch.
Along with the bouzouki, it belongs to the musical world that helped give the old ouzeri its atmosphere.
Rebetiko is a Greek urban musical tradition, sometimes described as the “Greek blues”. On the original page, I called it “rempetica” and suggested asking Dimitris to play some on his CD.
Food and music were always part of the same memory.
The story continues
This page keeps the memories of Dimitris Ouzeri and celebrates the family’s next chapter as Karaflas Dimitris & Son.
For photographs and updates from the taverna, Instagram is the place to begin. You can also join the Facebook group and share your own memories.
Join the Leros Greece Facebook community to share photographs, memories and your favourite places on the island.