We couldn’t believe our eyes when the bill arrived at To Kafeneio Stou Halikokou in Pitsinianika, Kythira: €50 for four people! Yes, you read that right: €50 for food that fed – and delighted – four hungry adults with simple yet joyful cooking, flavors both straightforward and soulful, and generous portions that satisfied and pleased.

There was warm velvety fava; tender giant beans with vegetables, aromas and that gorgeous red oil; excellent oregano-scented meatballs; feta baked with peppers in a little clay dish; tomato salad with local rusks and cheese; stuffed vegetables; and pasta with spiced ground meat.

At the helm of the tiny kitchen was a young couple. The fava and the beans had just come off the stove and were steaming. Outside, two big spits were slowly turning, ready for the evening crowd. I admired this little place: in the chaos of August, it managed itself with a calm precision and a sharp passion for honest, from-scratch cooking – good, humble food, without tricks or rip-offs. But really – €50 for four? Where else do you see that?

This summer, everyone I spoke to complained about how hard it has become to eat out on vacation. Often overpriced, sometimes – unfortunately – downright unbearable, even unfair. The more upscale the destination, the pricier the food: you’re not just paying for the meal, but for the brand of Paros, Mykonos, or “Greek Summer” itself: the sky-high rents, the inflated costs of the place. Then add to that the restaurateur’s choices of flashy design, luxury ingredients and gilded dishes. It’s fine – but it’s not for everyone.

And it’s not just August or the resorts. In Athens, prices are soaring like runaway balloons. What used to be €30 per head is now €50; what was €50 is now €80. At least. And so people go out less, or not at all.

Restaurateurs say it’s the rent, the raw materials, the taxes, the electricity – all too expensive. And yes, that’s true. But what about us, living in the same costly world? What have we done wrong that we must search like bloodhounds for honest little places like To Kafeneio Stou Halikokou, to feed us joy without tears?