In Ano Meria, Folegandros, you’ll find the small café-grocery of Mrs. Irini Psaromiligkou-Papadopoulou.

Her father opened it back in 1952, and it has been running ever since.

Mrs. Irini’s place is a blend of café, grocery, and kitchen — the kind of space you would find across Greece a few decades ago. Every day she cooks for locals, tourists, and travelers, serving recipes passed down unchanged from generation to generation.

When we met her, she was preparing the island’s famous Matsata — Folegandros’ handmade pasta. In a short conversation, we caught a glimpse of her story and her character.