OUR STORY
Meet Olga, Ntinos, Christos and the Neo Byzantio neighborhood of Nafplio
The people behind the table
Neo Byzantio opened in March 2026, founded by three people with a shared love for good food and a welcoming table: Olga, Ntinos, and Christos. We didn’t want to build just another mezedopoleio for tourists passing through in a hurry. We wanted a place where locals sit side by side with visitors from afar, around the same table, sharing the same delicious meze: fish and seafood, selected meats, fresh salads, and distinct traditional spirits from all over Greece.
Why “Neo Byzantio”?
We didn’t choose the name by chance; we borrowed it from our neighborhood. We are located in Agios Konstantinos Square, in the heart of Neo Byzantio, one of Nafplio's refugee districts.
The neighborhood was built in the 1920s and 1930s by refugees from Asia Minor who arrived in Nafplio following the 1922 Catastrophe, carrying very few material belongings but immense strength and resilience. At first, they were housed temporarily wherever space could be found: in old barracks, vacant buildings, and even shacks. Little by little, through hard work and loans they paid off for years, they built their own homes in the area then known as "Tabakika" or "Kioul Tepe." The Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, right on the square where we stand today, was built by the refugees themselves with their own bare hands.
Nearly a century later, the neighborhood may look different, but it still holds onto that original spirit: a sense of community, shared company, and the legacy of people who started from scratch to build something of their own. That is the very spirit we want to bring to our own tables.
For those who wish to learn more about the history of the neighborhood, you can read the detailed historical tribute by the 2nd Junior High School of Nafplio. Unfortunately, there is no English translation of the article so you will have to rely on your browser’s automatic translation.