Greece is known for it’s amazing coffee & bakeries, fresh seafood, olive oil, and fresh cheese. Foodies will definitely thrive in Greece! Read on for a foodies guide to to the Greek Islands and top 5 dishes/drinks to try while in Greece.
Gyro (pronounced “Yee-ro”)
This was the first dish I had in Greece around 12:00am at night once I landed! It is great because they sell these all night long and they are a great “after a night out” food/snack. My friends and I would always get one after a night out in the town or on our way back home from the bar.
One of the more well known Greek dishes – a gyro is made up of roasted meat that is thinly sliced from a vertical skewer (lamb, pork, or beef), tomato, onion, tzatziki, and french fries served in a pita. There are several other variations that exist but this is the one you are most likely to be served in Greece.
Also the best part is the french fries in the gyro and not to mention – how cheap they are! They are only around $5CAD. I can’t even remember how many gyros I ate while in Greece because they were very cheap and very delicious. To all the foodies visiting the Greek Islands, gyros are going to be your best friend.
Freddo Cappuccino
Greece is known for it’s warm climate – so if you’re ever in Greece you are bound to see people walking down the street with a cold cup of coffee in their hands. What most people are drinking is the freddo cappuccino or freddo espresso. My personal favorite is the freddo cappuccino.
You will find Freddo Cappuccino’s at almost every coffee shop, bakery, and sometimes even restaurant. Definitely one of my favourite parts about Greece was their coffee. Here are some photos for reference, so you can see how good it looks!
My favorite cafe in Santorini that I would go to every morning was Coffee Island Coffee Roasters. It is a chain so the coffee was cheaper, but made extremely well. There was always a line when I went – but it was worth it!
Moussaka – Eggplant Dish
Truly the best Greek comfort food! Moussaka is made with layers of eggplant slices, cheese, and a meat sauce, and it is topped with a creamy béchamel sauce. There are also variations of this dish including other vegetables. But, the one described above is the classic one you will most likely be served in Greece.
If you have ever tried the Italian eggplant parmigiana, I found Moussaka to be quite similar to this. The ultimate foodies “must try” when on the Greek Islands!
Seafood
It is no doubt the Greek Islands are known for their fresh seafood. The well-developed coastal areas makes fresh seafood easily accessible, and allows chefs to to be cooking with really quality fish.
Crispy fried squid (kalamarakia): Squid rings battered with flour and fried in olive oil until the perfect amount of golden crisp. It’s a very simple dish but one of the classics. It is served with lemon and sometimes with tzatziki as a side dip.
Grilled octopus (psito chtapodi): Grilled to perfection and typically served with extra virgin olive oil, oregano and vinegar. Grilled octopus salad is also popular on the Greek islands. If you’re a texture person you may not like the fact that it is chewy – but if you can get over that, the flavours are amazing!
Mussels Saganaki (Greek Midia Saganaki): A popular Greek appetizer, served in almost every Psarotaverna (fish tavern). Made with white wine, garlic, oregano, parsley, tomatoes, and a little olive oil – these mussels won’t disappoint. They are usually served with lots of bread to savour that amazing sauce.
Greek Salad
Greek salad is generally made up of pieces of tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, olives, and dressed with salt, pepper, Greek oregano, and olive oil. It is topped with not crumbled feta cheese but a big block on the top that you break up yourself, which made it even better. Greece is known for it’s olive oil and cheese so expect quality.
Greek salad is definitely a must try in Greece. At first I wasn’t expecting much to be different from the Greek salad served in Canadian restaurants – but it was so much better. I also wasn’t expecting the big block of feta on the top, but was truly impressed.
The Pastries
The bakeries in Greece are one of the best parts! From sweet to savoury – you have to try the bakeries on the Greek Islands. Here are some of the most popular items to try from the bakeries on the Greek Islands:
Baklava: One of the most well known Greek pastries that you can find on the Greek Islands, as well as around the world. It is a flaky layered pastry dessert that is made with phyllo pastry. It is filled with chopped nuts and it is soaked in honey or a light syrup.
Galaktoboureko: This pastry is made from custard in a crispy phyllo pastry shell, and it is soaked in syrup. Different variations of galaktoboureko is also found in Greek, Turkish, and Syrian dessert
Loukoumades: These doughnut-like deep fried balls are submerged in honey, are golden, and fried right to perfection. Cinnamon, walnuts, and sesame seeds are usually sprinkled on the top but you can also get many other flavours. It is easy to get carried away with these and eat one after another – let me tell you!
Spanakopita: A true Greek classic! Spanakopita is a Greek savory spinach pie, typically made with feta cheese. It may be called spanakotiropita ‘spinach-cheese-pie’ to emphasize the presence of cheese.
Recommended reading: 3 Days in Barcelona, Spain & Travel Tips
If you liked this foodies guide to the Greek Islands don’t forget to check out some more travel tips and guides here!
