As well as its fascinating historical monuments, gorgeous climate and striking coastline, Greece is known for its delicious Mediterranean food. Featuring a blend of Middle Eastern influences and western cooking styles, Greek food offers a wholesome yet tasty cuisine that’s heavy on fresh seafood, malty sheep’s cheeses and golden olive oil. Greek desserts are also not something to sleep on, with delicious classics including baklava and bougatsa. Here are some of the best Greek foods that every traveller should try while in Greece.
Best foods in Greece for meat lovers – The Souvlaki
Greece is famous for street food, and one of the most popular street food dishes is souvlaki, or skewered grilled meat. Skewered meat is a traditional dish throughout Greece and is believed to date back thousands of years. Modern souvlaki will usually be made from pork that’s been charred on a grill to give it a rich, smoky flavour. Most Greek street food stalls and restaurants serve souvlaki with lemon, raw onion and tomato, and a side of chips.
If you’re visiting Cyprus during your Greek tour, you can also try souvlaki served with a tomato sauce that is traditional to the region. Vegetable souvlaki skewers, as well as souvlaki made from lamb, beef and chicken, do exist, but they are generally less common than pork skewers.
Moussaka
Moussaka combines several staple Greek ingredients, including tender slow-roasted minced lamb, aubergine and sweet Mediterranean tomatoes. The ingredients are layered with a creamy bechamel sauce, creating a tasty balance between classic Middle Eastern food and traditional French cooking techniques. Some versions of moussaka also have a thin layer of sauteed potato on top.
Moussaka is a pretty common dish throughout Greece and pops up on casual lunch menus and at fine-dining establishments. For some excellent examples of this popular dish, why not stop in at the Rouga restaurant in Thessaloniki or the Il Pozzo in Lakones?
Soutzoukakia
Meatballs are usually associated with Italian cooking, but travellers heading to Greece should definitely look up the Greek version of this dish, known as soutzoukakia. Cooked in a delicious red wine and tomato sauce, Greek meatballs are made from tightly packed beef mince and served alongside rice. The secret ingredient, which gives the dish its aromatic quality, is cumin, and plenty of it. Soutzoukakia is a common regional dish in Thessaloniki and is the perfect winter warmer if you’re visiting Greece in the off-season.
Best foods in Greece for seafood fans – Lavraki
Greece’s coastal towns and island communities are perfect destinations for seafood lovers who want to try the local cuisine. One of the best foods in Greece to try if you love hearty fish dishes is grilled lavraki or sea bass. Sea bass is a popular fish throughout Europe, but most of them are caught in the Mediterranean.
Lavraki in Greece is usually served grilled, with lashings of good olive oil and lemon wedges and Mediterranean vegetables on the side. It’s the perfect dish to enjoy for a light lunch with a crisp glass of white wine.
Bourdeto
If you’re visiting Corfu during your travels in Greece, you should definitely try bourdeto: a fish stew that’s native to the region. Traditionally, the dish is made with scorpion fish, and versions like this can still be found in Corfu. However, in other parts of Greece, you will often find the recipe made with other white fish.
Bourdeto originated as a cheap, rustic meal in Corfu fishing communities and still reflects these humble roots. The bourdeto sauce is made from onions and tomatoes and is seasoned with lemon and paprika. The traditional flavour is quite plain, but you may find that the dish is served with extra spices added if you order bourdeto in popular tourist destinations in Greece.
Grilled octopus
Grilled octopus, or chtapodi sti schara, is a popular starter dish on Greek islands like Crete, Mykonos and Santorini. It’s also extensively served on the Greek coast and is often a favourite among visiting tourists. The simple cooking style helps accentuate the briny freshness of the ingredients, with the octopus usually being caught nearby. You can often expect grilled octopus to be served thinly sliced, with salt, pepper and lemon to accompany it, and with a delicious piece of crusty bread on the side.
If you prefer a bit of crunch with your seafood, you could also try kalamarakia tiganita, or deep-fried octopus rings. These delicate little snacks are made with a fluffy tempura batter and are an exquisite light bite after a swim or a great appetizer before dinner.
Best foods in Greece for vegetarians – Dolmadakia
Dolmadakia, or stuffed vine leaves, is a classic Mediterranean dish with Turkish influences. The vine leaves are usually wrapped around seasoned rice or finely ground mince and served with dill, spring onions, mint, lemon wedges and yogurt. Vegetarian dolmadakia is common, and Crete versions of the dish are usually stuffed with aubergine or courgette instead of mince. To prepare, the leaves are first par-boiled and then shallow-fried in salt, olive oil and herbs before serving.
Dolmadakia is commonly served in restaurants throughout Greece and even features in some ancient Greek art and mythology. For instance, an image on the west side of the Parthenon in Athens is believed to show the Greek goddess Hera sneaking bites of stuffed vine leaves from a cooking pot. The dish is light and fresh tasting, making it ideal to eat in hot weather. For a great example of dolmadakia, try Restaurant Smaragd in Rhodes.
Spanakopita
Filo pastry and feta cheese are two staples of Greek cuisine that are combined to create this delicious Greek dish. Spanakopita, or Greek spinach pie, is one of the best foods in Greece for vegetarians and offers a salty crunchy pie topping over layers of crumbly hot feta. The spinach is traditionally layered throughout the pie and mixed in with a creamy dill and egg sauce. The overall effect is that of a perfectly crispy vegetarian lasagne that’s often served as a starter on restaurant menus.
Sweet stuff: best Greek desserts
Baklava
Sticky, flaky pastry and a crunchy chopped-nut centre make baklava a solid favourite among Greek desserts. Although there is some historical debate over whether this dessert is originally Greek or Turkish, you’ll have no problem finding bakeries that serve this tempting sweet snack. Greek versions of the dessert traditionally have 33 layers of filo to represent the 33 years of Jesus’s life. Baklava is particularly popular in Athens, so make sure to pick some up when you’re visiting the Greek capital.
Bougatsa
If you love rich, creamy desserts, custard-filled bougatsa pastries are the perfect Greek treat for you and can definitely be considered another of the best foods in Greece. Although savoury versions of bougatsa exist, the sticky, rich filling and flaky pastry, topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon, is not to be missed. While bougatsa is a popular dessert on restaurant menus throughout Greece, traditional hand-made versions of the dessert are mainly found in Thessaloniki or Macedonia.
Best Greek drinks to try
Coffee lovers are always at home in Europe, with thick, strong espressos served in almost every bar, cafe and restaurant. However, coffee lovers may not know that the famous frappe iced coffee also originated in Greece. This frothy blend of cold-brewed coffee, iced milk and sugar can be found in bars and restaurants throughout Greece. It’s the perfect way to start your morning on the beach or the perfect pick-me-up between sightseeing trips.
Retsina
Retsina is an aromatic white wine that has been made in Greece for more than 2,000 years. The drink gets its unique flavour from the fermentation process, which traditionally involved aging the wine in pine resin casks. Retsina is also believed to have been used in a variety of religious festivals in ancient times. It’s traditionally paired with strong flavours, such as cured meat, olives or dishes that contain lots of garlic.
If you want to try retsina while in Greece, you will find that it is commonly served in Athens and the regions surrounding the capital. Retsina is also still manufactured in the central Boeotia region, in Cyprus, and on the Greek island of Euboea. You’ll also find plenty of bars that serve a local version of retsina on Santorini.
