Boris Johnson and wife Carrie enjoy meal on Greek holiday

2022-08-20

EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson and wife Carrie enjoy a slap-up meal on last night of their Greek holiday – before restaurant owner bends his ear over the Elgin Marbles!

PM tucked into local delicacies including legendary spinach and cheese pies
Restaurant owner revealed Mr Johnson found the venue on TripAdvisor
It is his second holiday in quick succession, after a recent trip to Slovenia

Boris Johnson and wife Carrie said farewell to their Greek holiday with a slap up dinner at a restaurant famous for its spinach and cheese pies.

The outgoing PM and wife Carrie, 34, enjoyed a delicious meal with pals just hours before he left to return to Britain after his week-long break.

Sitting at an outdoor table as they enjoyed the balmy summer evening Mr Johnson and the group tucked into a menu of traditional local delicacies including its legendary spinach and cheese pies.

The trip to Greece is the couple’s second holiday in quick succession, coming hot on the heels of a trip to Slovenia for their belated honeymoon.

The PM has faced a backlash for the timing of the trips, as millions of Brits back home struggle to deal with the cost of living crisis.

Olympia Banou, owner of Honi at Karystos, on the island of Evia, told MailOnline: ‘Apparently he saw us on TripAdvisor and the friends he was with also recommended my restaurant. We are a traditional, small family place and we use local produce from our farm.

‘We make fantastic pies and everyone knows that and they also had pasta and lamb chops. It was a simple dinner with some rose wine and pomegranate liqueur to finish with.

‘He really enjoyed it and said it was one of the best meals he had eaten while on holiday here. He said he had been doing a lot of swimming while he was here and joked he would have to keep it up when he went back as he had eaten so well.’

Dressed in a grey Worley Weingart t-shirt Mr Johnson, 58, smiled and posed with his trademark thumbs up, as he sat next to wife Carrie with a group of friends

Sitting at an outdoor table as they enjoyed the balmy summer evening Mr Johnson and the group tucked into a menu of traditional local delicacies

Mr Johnson arrived in Karystos last weekend and has been spotted eating out at several restaurants in the area and even left a generous 50 Euro tip at one

Dressed in a grey Worley Weingart t-shirt Mr Johnson, 58, smiled and posed with his trademark thumbs up, as he sat next to wife Carrie with a group of friends.

Mr Johnson arrived in Karystos last weekend and has been spotted eating out at several restaurants in the area and even left a generous 50 Euro tip at one, as MailOnline revealed earlier this week.

Mrs Banou added: ‘The party split the bill and it wouldn’t be very nice of me to say how much each paid but they did leave a tip and the staff were very happy.

‘He seemed a very nice man and his wife was lovely, he was very friendly and he was happy to talk to the staff and to other customers. He even agreed to pose for a picture with me.

‘The group was here for about two hours before they left and he told me he was travelling back to Britain on Saturday as he had to be in work on Monday. He said he’d had a fantastic time and would be back again as soon as he could.’

The dinner came just hours after he had met local Karystos mayor Lefteris Raviolos, dressed in the same T shirt, where the two had discussed local issues – as well as raising the subject of the Elgin Marbles which Greece has asked the UK to return.

Mr Raviolos said:’ When I mentioned the possibility of their return, he smiled meaningfully but didn’t say anything else. I gave him a local painting as a gift as well as a basket of local produce.

‘It was a great pleasure to have him here, promoting our region and our country. He has been very comfortable here and has been socialising with the locals.

‘In the last few days there has been an increase in internet searches for our region, it’s clear people want to know where he has been staying and all about us.’

Mr Johnson posed with a number of locals throughout his holiday to the Greek island

Mr Johnson shaking hands with a local business owner on his holiday in Greece

The Elgin Marbles are a collection of marble friezes that were part of the 2,500 year old Parthenon temple on the Acropolis in the Greek capital Athens.

They were taken back to Britain by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and are currently in the British Museum but they have been hotly disputed ever since with the Greek government repeatedly demanding their return.

Last month letters emerged, that had been written by Mr Johnson, an expert in Greek history, in 1986 in which he backed the return of the marbles during his time as President of the Oxford Union.

He said: ‘ I think the majority of students agree with me when I say there is absolutely no reason why the Elgin marbles, superlatively the most important and beautiful treasures left to us by the ancient world, should not be returned immediately from the British Museum to their rightful home in Athens.’

Last year Mr Johnson said the return was a ‘matter for the British Museum’ which was seen by the Greeks as an indication they would be sent back but so far nothing has been confirmed.

The Johnson family have been staying in a nearby villa, which is just two hours drive from Horto where the PM’s father Stanley has a house but they are not thought to have met up.

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