A Word FromYour Hosts, Neil And Lorraine (Nelos And Lol)
As a young boy, Neil read “The Greek Myths” (or “The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece”) by Robert Graves several times and became intrigued by Greece and the Greeks, both ancient and modern. His first experience of Greece was in 1971 as a 14 year old when, as part of an educational school cruise, he visited the ancient site of Delphi, having docked at the historical port of Itea in the Gulf of Corinth. He was amazed by the grandeur of the structures that remained, the stories of the Oracle and heroes of ancient Greece, and the rugged beauty of the country. Unfortunately, it was to be another 25 years before he would next visit Greece, 3 years after meeting Lol.
Lol in the meantime had discovered her love of Greece by taking a holiday to Corfu, one of the Ionian islands off the west coast of Greece, and Aegina, an island in the Saronic Gulf south of Piraeus. She fell in love with the Greek people, their friendliness, their humour, the food, and especially their sense of “xenia” - hospitality, particularly towards strangers.
Shortly after meeting, Lol and Neil discovered they both had a passion for Greece and so in 1996 they took their three children, Christopher, Daniel and Natalie, to Kos, in the Dodecanese island group near to Turkey. This was not only the catalyst for their desire to explore Greece in more detail, but also piqued their children’s interest in the country. However, for a multitide of reasons, a family holiday to Zakynthos would be their only visit to Greece in the following 12 years.
Spending time together as a family, particularly at meal times, is an essential element to Greek living. Neil and Lol, and their friends and family, have been welcomed into tavernas filled only with locals having Sunday lunch, where special events such as christenings are taking place, and family tavernas where yiayias (grandmothers) describe the food through their sons and daughters!
Lol, being a yiayia herself, cooks Greek dishes regularly, hosting long afternoons and evenings in the original Taverna Nelos filled with varied and delicious food starting with “mezes”, followed by main courses such as pastitsio, moussaka, or stifado…and of course, always ending with tsipouro or other traditional Greek drinks.
We want your visit to “Taverna Nelos” to be as authentic and enjoyable as possible, and hopefully show you why Neil, Lol and their family and friends love Greece.
Yamas!
You may be wondering why we chose to open a Greek taverna in Grimsby.
Well, this is a family owned-and-run restaurant with many stories and adventures leading to its creation.
Here are just a few …
One of Lol and Neil’s favourite destinations is Crete, starting in 2008 when they decided to take Lol’s father, 81 year old George, on holiday to Chersonissos (“ch” as in Loch). There they became well acquainted with the small villages in the hills above the town, with tsipouro (Greek for raki and always a complimentary drink at the beginning, middle or end of a meal!) and with Niko, the lovely owner of Argo taverna, who took George under his wing and chatted every day - with beer of course!
George had enjoyed himself so much that he wanted to go back to the same hotel the next year - but of course it was mainly to see Niko again! Lol and Neil were a little concerned that Niko wouldn’t remember them as he sees thousands of tourists every year, but as they approached the taverna Niko broke off talking to some customers, saying “my friend is here!” And every day George and Niko again would engage in conversation, always with beer!
Tragically, George died on the flight home, but although it was difficult for them, in 2010 Lol and Neil decided to take their three children to Chersonissos where their grandad had spent his final but extremely happy days, and introduced them to Niko - who needless to say treated them all like family. Genuine xenia that typifies Greece.
Since then, Neil and Lol have travelled around the Greek mainland with their travel companions Kaz and Steve, on several occasions, most notably from Thessaloniki to Meteora (where monasteries perch precariously on huge rock pillars) via the foothills of Mount Olympus; from Athens to the Peloponnese where ancient city states such as Argos, Corinth, and Sparta eventually merged with the likes of Athens to form Greece; and around the 4 original Panhellenic Games sites of Delphi, Nemea, Isthmia and Olympia (where Neil ran on the original track).
They also took to island hopping, exploring the Cyclades and Dodecanese island groups, and in 2024 walked the 10 mile Samaria Gorge in Crete, the longest gorge in Europe!
In all of these travels, they have visited scores of ancient Greek sites, dined at hundreds of tavernas, and met thousands of the most interesting and hospitable people - and, of course, always served up with complimentary tsipouro.
Greece is a country where myths, legends and historical fact, merge poetically and consistently.
Taverna Nelos is no exception
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Nelos is a unique name with an intriguing sound that conveys strength and charm, and meaning “sacred promise”. As a name, it remains relatively uncommon, making it stand out, particularly in modern contexts. While specific historical records of the name Nelos are sparse, its Greek roots connect to traditional values of fidelity and honor, suggesting a depth of character.
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Some believe it derives from Neleus, a mythological king of Pylos in the Pelopponese, whose legendary son, Nestor, was a character in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, where he appears as an elderly warrior who frequently offers advice to the other characters.
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It could be that your host, Neil, together with his wife Lorraine, loves Greece and everything Greek, and as he is known as Nelly or Nel, so Nelos became his Greek nickname. And when he retired he converted his garage into a small Greek taverna and called it “Taverna Nelos”.