Part of the fun of visiting or living in a different country is discovering its cuisine. Greece is well known for its numerous tasty dishes. The traditional Greek diet with its low amount of meat and high levels of vegetables, fruit, and olive oil is said to be one of the healthiest in the world.
In addition to the enjoyment of tasting all the famous Greek dishes, there are also a number of island specialties to discover on your travels.
Due to its geographical location, Greek cuisine includes a number of dishes from the Middle East and Turkey, as well as some delightful pasta dishes that have their origins firmly in Venice, as Greece was occupied by the Venetians between the 12th and 18th centuries.
Greeks are taking hospitality and food to the level of an effortless art form. Unpretentious and healthy yet incredibly flavorful, Greek dishes savored in a rustic-looking cute taverna by the sea is one of the best experiences you can enjoy in this life.
In the past, meat was only enjoyed during big religious festivals such as Easter and Kataklysmos (Pentecost), as well as special family events such as Name Day celebrations.
There are a number of periods of fasting in the Greek Orthodox calendar, including Sarantakosta, the 40-day Lenten Fast that many Greeks still follow. Greek housewives shop most days for fresh produce from their local market or Fruiteria (fruit and vegetable shop).
The range of frozen and canned foods found in local supermarkets is limited. The Greeks like to eat local fresh produce, and consequently, their diet reflects the passing seasons. Here are the staples of Greek cuisine you must try while in Greece:
1. Horiatiki (Village Salad)
A generously sized bowl of salad is served with every lunch and dinner in Greece – either to enjoy at the beginning of the meal or as a side dish. Horiatiki is made from chunks of tomatoes, slices of cucumber (with the skin on or removed), freshly sliced lettuce or white cabbage, and olives, generally known as “Greek salad” overseas.
The classic dressing comprises olive oil, a good pinch of salt, fresh lemon juice, and oregano. The salad is tossed in the dressing, and crumbled Feta is sprinkled on top. Sometimes, sliced onion is added, as well as slices of green bell pepper and caper flower buds and berries.
2. Melitzanosalata
Tzatziki, hummus, tahini, and taramasalata are all famous Greek dishes that taste really good on pita bread and can be bought in supermarkets the world over. A dip that is not so easily found but is every bit as tasty is melitzanosalata, which is an eggplant dip made from oven-roasted eggplants, chopped red onions, olive oil, and Feta.
Another more unusual dip to watch out for is Fava, which is made from yellow split peas grown on a number of the islands, including Santorini.
3. Yemista
Yemista is one of the most popular ways that seasonal vegetables are served in Greece. Tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini are stuffed with minced meat, rice, and herbs in a tomato sauce and oven-baked for a filling, comforting dish.
A variation of this dish is “Melitzanes papoutsakia,” which is stuffed eggplant and gets its name as the halved eggplants look like little shoes. The eggplants are filled with a similar mixture to Yemista, plus some potato.
4. Kalamari
One of the most famous Greek dishes that can be found the world over is Kalamari, the Italian name for “squid”. This popular dish is served in two ways in Greece. The most common way is lightly battered and fried to perfection.
Really good kalamari never tastes chewy, and the only accompaniment is a drizzling of fresh lemon juice. Kalamari is also delicious braised in lemon and garlic or in red wine.
5. Moussaka
This popular dish is considered the national dish of Greece and is enjoyed all over Europe. Moussaka comprises layers of fried eggplant, sliced fried potatoes, and mince in a spicy tomato sauce, topped with a creamy layer of béchamel sauce. In restaurants in some of the larger cities, a delicious vegetarian version is often available.
6. Dolmades
This delicious dish is perfect finger food and often served as an appetizer. Fresh vine leaves are rolled into small cigar shapes that contain rice and a mixture of fresh herbs, including mint, dill, and coriander. Some Dolmades also contain minced beef or pork.
There are variations of this recipe to try as Dolmades can be made with young cabbage leaves. In Thessaloniki, Dolmades are stuffed with savory grilled sardines.
7. Pastitsio or Macaronia sto fourno (Greek macaroni and cheese)
This delicious main dish has a firm consistency and can be cut into generous squares for each person. Pastitsio is made with large tubular pieces of pasta spread in layers in a large ovenproof dish with minced beef flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. The topping is a creamy béchamel sauce flavored with Feta cheese.
8. Souvlaki (meat skewers)
This is the Greek version of takeaway and is absolutely delicious. Souvlaki (the plural is souvlakia) can be bought from shops and stalls in many towns. Skewers of pork are cooked over charcoal. The meat is served in a warm pita bread with mixed salad and a good sprinkling of lemon juice. Sometimes you can order a mixed souvlaki, which is pork with sausage.
9. Gyro
Gyro is another popular takeaway, and this is a doner kebab with chicken or pork being cooked on a vertical spit. Thin slices of the meat are carefully carved and popped into warm pita bread – just add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
10. Stifado
Stifado, also spelled Stifatho, is one of the typical dishes of Greece and is an excellent beef casserole, the ultimate Greek comfort food. It is said that the recipe was brought to Greece in the 12th century by the Venetians.
The beef is cooked slowly in the oven for many hours so that the meat simply falls from the bone. It is cooked with small onions, red wine, and several spices, including cinnamon, in a thick tomato sauce. Stifado is usually prepared with beef, but lamb stifado does appear on menus too.
11. Greek pastries
It is hard to resist the tempting selection of Greek pastries that are sold both in bread shops and occasionally by sellers in the street, pushing a barrow filled with warm food. These typical foods from Greece are popular to eat mid-morning for breakfast and as lunchtime snacks.
The savory Greek pies are filled with tahini (Tahinipittes), olives (Eliapittes), local cheese (Tyripittes). Kolokithopita is a delicious pumpkin and Feta cheese pie, while the internationally famous spanakopita is filled with spinach and feta cheese. Freshly baked koulouri bread rings, coated in roasted sesame seeds, also taste really good.
While you’re in the shop, take the opportunity to sample some of the best Greek foods: Greek cakes and cookies!
Some favorite sweet Greek pies include kourambiedes, which are shortbread biscuits containing chopped almonds that are dusted with icing sugar, and melomakarona are delicious honey cakes.
Most items in the bakery are bought by weight, so pick up one of the trays and select what you would like to buy, using a different tray for each price.
The perfect way to enjoy a variety of typical foods from Greece is to order a Mezé – which is short for Mezédhes, meaning “little bites.” The Mezé comprises an array of different dishes, including dips, fish, vegetable dishes, and oven-baked and barbecued meat.
The final course is traditionally a bowl of chilled seasonal fruit. The Mezé is like a banquet, and it is a meal to enjoy at a leisurely pace with friends. Some Mezés are set menu, but for others, you can choose which dishes you would like.
As the Mezé showcases all the seasonal foods, it changes throughout the year. The perfect accompaniment to a delicious Mezé is some excellent Greek wine or beer, of course.
καλή όρεξη (pronounced Kali Orexi) – Bon appétit!
