Blessed by a climate that’s both dry and hot much of the year, Greece has an abundance of riches when it comes to local food products. And the best part? Food travelers can easily access the counry’s best food at markets and restaurants throughout the country.
Discover ten must-try Greek food favorites you must try during your next trip to Greece or at your local Greek restaurant.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki is readily available at both sidewalk stalls and casual restaurants all over Greece. It’s easy to find the ultimate ‘meat-on-a-stick’ snack food on the country’s many islands; however, much of the countries best tastiest souvlaki is sold in Athens.
Learn More: Athens Souvlaki Guide
Saganaki
Named after a small two-handled frying pan, saganaki is an addictive Greek food that involves melting cheese to crispy perfection. The type of cheese varies by restaurant, with options including graviera, halloumi and feta. Some restaurants in Greece add additional ingredients like tomato, shrimp and mussels, but there’s no shame in eating plain cheese saganaki when you travel to Greek destinations like Meteora.
Learn More: Where To Eat When You Visit Meteora
Baklava
Though baklava may have been invented by the Assyrians during the days of the Ottoman Empire, there’s no debate about its popularity in Greece. Typically baked with 33 layers of phyllo dough, nuts and cinnamon as well as honey or syrup flavored with rose water, Greek baklava is one of the world’s most irresistible desserts.
Learn More: Irresistible Desserts Around the World
Horiatiki
Greek salads known as horiatiki don’t include lettuce. Instead, these rustic salads feature a bounty of local ingredients like tomato, cucumber, onion, feta cheese and olives finished with oregano, salt and olive oil. On islands like Santorini, the best horiatiki salads add twice-baked barley rusks similar to crunchy croutons but larger.
Learn More: The Best Food in Santorini
Moussaka
Moussaka may be the most popular Greek dish served around the world and with good reason. When served hot out of the oven, moussaka is both comforting and filling. On islands like Rhodes, chefs prepare moussaka by layering sauteed eggplant and minced meat (traditionally lamb) to create a casserole before adding a top layer of béchamel. Other typical ingredients include tomato, onion, garlic and cinnamon.
Learn More: The Best Restaurants in Rhodes
Loukomades
Traditional Greek loukoumades are round balls of golden fried dough flavored with cinnamon and honey syrup. Some people sprinkle powdered sugar on their loukoumades for an extra burst of sweetness, but this is an optional add-on. Either way, they’re one of the world’s best donuts!
Learn More: Delicious Donuts Around the World
Grilled Octopus
Greek restaurants serve octopus on a ‘sea to table’ basis. This is especially the case on Greek islands like Santorini where fishermen capture octopus in the morning and grill the tentacled mollusks later that day.
Learn More: The Best Restaurants in Santorini
Taramasalata
Taramasalata starts with cured fish roe and gets added flavor from ingredients like olive oil and lemon juice. The creamy, salty mezze dish is a Greek classic that can be enjoyed all over the country including on the island of Mykonos.
Learn More: The Best Mykonos Food Experiences
Dolmades
Not only do vintners on islands like Santorini create world-class Greek wine from the fruit, but chefs also use grape leaves to create dolmades. Filled with herbaceous rice mixture, these bite-sized stuffed grape leaves taste great with tzatziki yogurt sauce and Greek wine.
Learn More: The Best Santorini Wineries
Cheese Pie
Greek cooks make cheese pies with phyllo dough and a feta-based filling. Locals typically eat these tasty pies for breakfast or as a pre-lunch snack. Sold on the streets of Athens, they’re best eaten hot out of the oven.
Learn More: The Best Restaurants, Bars and Markets in Athens
About The Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.
