O Platanos Ο Πλατανος — Restaurant in Municipality of West Mani

Nice location, good food, IRRESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT during covid-19

Spent several weeks in Western Mani during summer 2021, and visited PLATANOS on many occasions. It’s a beautiful taverna (that also functions as a local café) covered by century-old trees -– perfect refuge for the protracted heatwaves of this summer. Food and service were overall good, while a bit pricey considering location, overhead, and current Greek wages. However, the owners’ highly IRRESPONSIBLE handing of covid-19 (by their non-compliance to basic public health measures) was a huge disappointment with far-reaching ramifications. Unfortunately, they (husband and wife) and their taverna might have become a covid-19 SUPER SPREADER –- nobody would ever know the precise extent of the spread with almost nonexistent contact tracing or systematic community testing. Unvaccinated owners and both inconsistent/incorrect masking and lack of regular self/other testing among owners/staff ultimately led to an over 80% staff/owner infection and the infection of several regular patrons – not to mention the unknown number of passing-through visitors who would have possibly been infected and have transmitted covid-19 to other locations. Hope this highly PREVENTABLE local outbreak will not affect any of the older taverna goers of the area – many of whom are still not vaccinated. Also hope that this will become a LESSON OF CORPORATE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY for PLATANOS’ owners – especially by FULLY APPLYING ALL APPROPRIATE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES UPON THEIR EVENTUAL REOPENING. Best wishes for a full recovery of...

Our third visit to Platanos with our Summer School program was nothing short of magical. Christina, Foti, and the legendary yaya have truly elevated hospitality into an art form. Each visit feels more like a joyful family reunion than a restaurant experience.

From the moment we arrived, we were wrapped in authentic Maniot warmth. The food? Out of this world. Every traditional maniatiki dish was prepared with soul and precision, yaya’s hand clearly guiding the recipes passed down through generations. The tsouchti makaronada was richer and more flavorful than we remembered, and Fotis’s kontosouvli had everyone asking for seconds (and thirds!). Our students, many visiting Greece for the first time, were blown away by the culinary journey.

What truly sets Platanos apart is the spirit of the place. Christina and Foti orchestrated everything perfectly, making sure every guest, all 20 of us, felt like a VIP. Their patience, passion, and professionalism are unmatched. And when the music began? Pure magic. The patio transformed into a joyful dance floor, with students twirling to traditional Greek rhythms under the stars, cheered on by locals and staff alike.

It’s rare to find a place that blends authenticity, generosity, and excellence so seamlessly. Platanos is that rare gem, a living, breathing part of Mani’s cultural and culinary identity. We are already counting down the days until our fourth visit.

Bravo Christina, Foti, and yaya and thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

(Kalamata Summer School...

This is the second time we are visiting "Platanos" with our Summer School. What a hidden gem for travelers in Mani! Traditional maniatiki recipe came after traditional maniatiki recipe, leading up to the crescendo of Greek dancing in the spacious patio. Excellent place for groups of 40 people with a taste for local cuisine Especially their "tsouchti makaronada" and the cured pork ("pasto") recipes were big hits. The staff were helpful, polite and professional and they allowed our students to try some traditional greek dances in their patio. The prices were affordable and the service excellent. Our goal was to offer our American and Canadian students some exposure to local recipes and the mission was crowned with success. We look forward to...