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 – including former No10 adviser Henry Newman – 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, including adviser Henry Newman (right)
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, including adviser Henry Newman.
A biography of Mr Johnson by Lord Ashcroft, former Tory Party deputy chairman, fanned concerns within the party earlier this year about the power wielded by Carrie and the No 10 advisers she is close to – with Mr Newman the name most frequently mentioned.
Mr Newman, who was working for Mr Gove when he withdrew his support for Mr Johnson in the 2016 Tory leadership election, was also at the centre of the so-called ‘chatty rat’ lockdown leak in 2020, but strongly denied being the culprit.
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.’
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 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.
Earlier this week, Mr Johnson left a 50 Euro tip after enjoying a fish dinner at a Greek beachside restaurant.
The outgoing PM and Carrie, 34, plus children Wilfred, two and baby Romy, were joined by pals for the dinner which came as they wound up their week long break in the sunshine.
Mr Johnson also took time out to pose with two Ukrainian staff who worked at the restaurant where he ate and assured them Britain would back them all the way in the fight against Russian invaders – giving his trademark thumbs up to the camera.
The nine strong party – including security – turned up just before 9.30pm on Thursday night at the Agalma Seaside restaurant on Bouros Beach, near Karystos.
Pictured: The PM poses with the mayor of Karystos who gave Boris Johnson a picture of the Roman aqueduct that was in the city in ancient times
Mr Johnson also took time out to pose with two Ukrainian staff who worked at the restaurant where he ate – giving his trademark thumbs up to the camera
The Johnson family have been staying in a villa nearby and have been spotted all week at various beaches and restaurants along the coast which is just a couple of hours drive from where the PM’s father Stanley has a house at Horto.
Agalma owner Alexandros Fragos told MailOnline:’ I knew Boris and his family were staying in the area as it has been the talk of the village all week and on Thursday we got a call saying he was coming for dinner.
‘To be honest I wasn’t too sure what to expect but he came across as a very kind man and he was very nice. He spoke to all the staff and he even left a 50 Euro tip which they were all very happy with.
‘He came into the kitchen where he spoke with two Ukrainian staff I have, Zak and Katya, and he told them it was important that Britain and the rest of Europe supported Ukraine in the fight against Russia.
‘He and his party were here for about two and a half hours. They tried lots of typical Greek dishes, and enjoyed fresh calamari and fish caught by the local fishermen.
‘Lots of people were in the restaurant and they all recognised him and he was happy to talk and pose for pictures with them. I couldn’t believe how friendly he was. The staff were delighted with the tip.’
The Johnson family have been staying in a villa nearby and have been spotted all week at various beaches and restaurants along the coast
The Johnson family gathered with friends at the Agalma Seaside restaurant on Bouros Beach on Thursday evening
The nine strong party – including security – turned up just before 9.30pm on Thursday night at the Agalma Seaside restaurant, near Karystos
Boris Johnson was seen with son Wilfred in Greece in a social media snap posted today (pictured)
In 2011 former PM David Cameron got into hot water while on holiday in Italy after paying for two coffees which came to 3.10 Euro with a 50 Euro note and failing to leave any small change as a gratuity.
Mr Johnson and his family arrived in Greece via Athens last weekend and are expected to return to London – which has been crippled by public transport strikes – in the next 48 hours.
As he travelled to his holiday villa, Mr Johnson was pictured stopping off in the town of Nea Makri, where he picked up supplies at a local supermarket before being driven off in an SUV.
He was seen smiling to locals and the packing his shopping up, with Carrie in the background, and their break comes just days after they returned from a week long stay at Vila Planinka, in the remote mountains of Slovenia.
The resort, situated in a valley near the village of Jezersko, is 30 minutes from the capital Ljubljana and promised a ‘soothing balance of energies’ and where guests can also dine on bear prosciutto.
Mr Johnson and his family arrived in Greece via Athens last weekend and are expected to return to London in the next 48 hours
The PM’s spokesman said that work on the transition to the next leader is ongoing – with Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak set to take over within weeks
Removal vans parked in Downing Street today as Boris Johnson prepares to make his exit
Mr Johnson is allowed to take away any furnishings he paid for himself as part of a controversial revamp of his official residence and he and Carrie are said to be house hunting in the south east London suburb of Dulwich.
Mr Johnson is set to leave his post as Prime Minister within weeks and will be replaced by either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak
Labour has accused Mr Johnson of ‘laughing’ at people back home who are struggling with a huge cost-of-living crunch, branding him a ‘lame duck’ with just weeks until he is replaced by either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer – just back from holiday himself – had tried to capitalise on the sense of drift in government by unveiling plans to freeze energy bills for at least six months.
Earlier this week removal vans were seen outside Downing Street, with aides confirming that work was ongoing for the ‘transition’ to the next PM.
Mr Johnson is allowed to take away any furnishings he paid for himself as part of a controversial revamp of his official residence and he and Carrie are said to be house hunting in the south east London suburb of Dulwich.