The nine suite Hotel Aristide on the island of Syros in Greece is now offering weekly communal al fresco lunches, showcasing modern Cycladic cuisine, in the orange and lemon grove of an organic farm in the historic village of Chroussa, 20 minutes from the hotel. Hosted by the hotel’s head chef and sommelier Petros Braikidis, the gourmet picnic is open to outside guests as well.
Guests at the informal private outdoor lunch, sit at a long table dressed with wild flowers in a beautiful countryside location surrounded by orange and lemon trees. Chef Petros serves ten to twelve courses using vegetables and fruit from Hotel Aristide’s own small holding to create a modern Greek menu. The menus vary according to seasonality but can include organic pork or beef cooked on the BBQ, locally caught fish, fava beans, grilled vegetables with wild herbs, parsley salad, grilled beetroot with harissa humus, grilled cauliflower with pickled strawberries and Cycladic cheese with caper jam.
The price for the lunch, which takes place every Thursday during the season, starts from Euros110 per person for a maximum of 12 people and includes all food, wine and beer, transfers and a short tour of one of the historic mansions in the village.