Lifestyle

Top 10 Foods to Try In Greece

by Stella on September 7, 2022

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Don’t even think about leaving Greece without trying these amazing dishes…

Top 10 Foods to Try in Greece

Instructions

If you're a coffee lover, like me, make sure you pick up a FREDO Cappucino. Order it the way you take your coffee at home (sweet with milk or not) and prepare to sip some pleasure. It is a freshly brewed espresso shot with this delicious creamy foam you mix into it. I'm salivating thinking about it. You can also grab a Frappe or an Eliniko coffee too.
A must have in Greece is the Pork or Chicken GYRO. Make sure you get it with everything inside. This includes tomato, red onion, french fries, parsley and tzatziki wrapped in a warm pita. I like to order an extra side of tzatziki on the side for dipping and an extra order of french fries. Let's be real, its never enough and we are in Greece – we need to fill up on this stuff. The 2nd best part about this food is that it is one of the most inexpensive options to eat at around 3 euros per souvlaki.
The Roca Salata (Rocket Salad) was super popular in Greece this summer especially. EVERY restaurant had it standard on the menu. You can also rock the Horiatiki Salata which is Greece's traditional salad with the block of feta on top.
Pasta, crepes and pizza are also very popular and delicious in Greece and absolutely rival Italy and France. It must be the water and climate that make these carbs so delicious in Greece. If you find a nice little Italian restaurant, make sure you get in there. It's probably owned by Italians that moved to Greece, so everything is 100 percent authentic.
Freshly Caught FISH is one of the best things you will have in Greece. My personal favorites and what I recommend to everyone are the Lavraki also known as Sea Bass or Mediterranean Sea Bass. This is served as a main course dish and topped with a delicious Ladolemono (lemon, olive oil, garlic, oregano and salt.
Definitely grab a Spanakopita or Tiropita from your local bakery, when you're on the go. For breakfast or lunch it is the ideal meal. Greece has plenty of bakeries everywhere you turn and inside you will find a multitude of savory puff pastry combinations. Most contain a cheese like feta so you really cant' lose.
Two must try appetizers in any tavern are the Grilled Octopus and Calamari. For the Calamari I recommend having it fried with some lemon squeezed a top or having grilled and stuffed feta cheese and herbs. NEXT LEVEL. For the Octopus, there is only one way and that is grilled with lemon. This is my personal favorite appetizer and always melts in your mouth without fail. Again, a little lemon squeezed on top and you are good to go.
The SAGANAKI is epic. That is all. It's basically a block of Kaseri cheese that is dredged in flour and then fried. If you're lucky, some places light it on fire when they bring it to the table. Regardless, the saganaki doesn't need flames to be lit. It is beyond delicious and make sure you have some fresh bread to eat it with. Thank me later.
KOLOKITHOKEFTEDES aka Zucchini Fritters. We make these here all the time too and yes they are on the blog but when you have them in Greece it is a next level experience. Just get them. My recipe is here.
DESSERTS: Where to begin and where to end. There are a few that I adore. First of all I highly recommend the ever popular Loukoumades. These fluffy little fried dough balls covered in a honey based syrup will have reeling; an absolute must try! Next up you need to grab is the Ekmek Kataifi, its absolutely delicious and necessary, and most Greek cafes and restaurants have it. Next is Galaktoboureko, this is a custard pie wrapped in phyllo pastry and dredged in honey syrup – another one of my all time faves. And then we have the usual suspect: Baklava, which is also a delicious nutty treat. Additionally recommended is ice cream, sweet Nutella filled crepes or the Nutella drizzled waffle. All of these are commonly found at the cafes in all of Greece.
BONUS: COCKTAILS: A few must have drinks while in Greece in the summer are definitely an Aperol Spritz on the beach and Mastiha, which a sweet liquor made from a therapeutic called mastic, found only in Xios, Greece.