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A Foodies Guide to Greece: 10 Greek Foods You Cannot Miss
Greece is home to some wonderful foods. Their Mediterranean cuisine is filled with olive oils, grains, meats, and wine! This is one country I was most excited about during our two-month Europe backpacking trip. We traveled to Athens, Naxos, Zakynthos, and Santorini and I was plum full from all of the delicious Greek food! These are my top bites from our trip and the must-eat dishes coming from a foodie!
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1. Gyros
You cannot visit Greece without ordering their most famous dish, the gyro! A classic Greek gyro has a good portion of shaved meat, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tzatziki sauce, and french fries all wrapped into warm pita bread. We partially lived off of gyros during our time spent in the Greek islands. This is a very cheap bite at just $3.00 – $5.00 per gyro. You will find these addictive bites all throughout Greece.
2. Greek Dips
To start any meal off you must try the Greek dips and homemade bread on the appetizers list. This is an inexpensive dish that almost every traditional Greek restaurant offers. My favorite place is in Athens at the Muse Bistro inside the trendy Gem Society Hotel.
Restaurant: Muse Bistro | Menu | Location
3. Orzo (Greek Pasta)
Orzo (Greek pasta) is a hearty warm dish that is similar to risotto with a thick sauce and large flour-based grain. To get the best orzo travel to the Greek island of Naxos and visit Scirocco. The shrimp and beef scallopini Greek pasta are delicious with perfectly cooked pasta and complimenting indulgent and rich additions.
Restaurant: Scirocco | Menu | Location
4. Horiatiki (Greek Salad)
After those hearty orzo dishes, enjoy a refreshing Greek salad. A traditional Greek salad includes tomatoes, green bell pepper, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese. The simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar let the fresh ingredients shine. You will find this large chopped salad all throughout the Greek islands.
5. Anything Lamb
Lamb is a popular protein throughout Greece. I personally love lamb because of the unique flavor it has. When the Greeks get ahold of this lean meat they make some amazing dishes! We had a delicious braised lamb shank braise on a bed of Greek pasta in Santorini at 41 Forty One Beach Bar. The lamb fell off the bone and oozed flavor! Another fantastic lamb dish was in Naxos at Nostimon Hellas. These juicy lamb meatballs had a crispy kantaifi exterior that was fried to perfection and packed a punch of flavor.
Restaurant: 41 Forty One Beach Bar | Menu | Location
Restaurant: Nostimon Hellas | Menu | Location
6. Moussaka (Ravioli)
Moussaka is a layered savory Greek dish that includes eggplant or potatoes, ground meat, spices, and tomato. Muse Bistro in Athens puts their spin on this popular dish by stuffing handmade ravioli with traditional moussaka ingredients. The homemade ravioli was perfectly prepared. Whether you try it in a ravioli or in its traditional eggplant, this comforting dish will hug you tight!
Restaurant: Muse Bistro | Menu | Location
7. Seafood
Since Greece lies in the Mediterranean, seafood is a prominent source of protein. Some popular kinds of seafood you will find in Greece are sea bream, red mullet, anchovy, and mackerel. I love seafood because it is light and the perfect dish to enjoy in the Greek heat. We had an amazing amberjack fish at Okio in Athens. The fish was cooked to perfection with a quick one-minute sear on each side and topped with a sweet and sour tamarind sauce.
8. “Saganaki” (Fried Cheese)
Saganaki is a pan-fried cheese usually with simple ingredients of lemon, flour, and olive oil. Get the best Saganaki at Scirocco! It is made with local Naxos hard cheese. The nutty cheese is battered then fried to a golden brown. Immediately after the sizzling hot ‘saganaki’ is done frying, it is topped with sesame seeds and thyme-infused honey.
This was one of the best bites of our trip! The cheese oozed, the pastry crunched, the seasonings shined, and the honey laced throughout. I would go back to Naxos just for this one dish!
9. Wine
Get out to the countryside and enjoy some wines! Almost every island has a winery with a mix of unique Greek wines. We stopped at Goumas Estate Winery in Zakynthos while zipping around the island on our scooter. This family-owned winery was charming and offered some great wines. My absolute favorite was the smoked rosé, which came from some fires a few years ago that gave the grapes a smokey note. It was very unique and would pair perfectly with a light fish dish!
Winery: Goumas Estate Winery – Art & Wine | Wine List | Location
10. Portokalopita (Orange Cake)
Portokalopita is a traditional Greek orange cake made with phyllo dough, orange, yogurt, and eggs. It reminded me of a cake filled with baked custard, with a unique inside texture. Visit Scirocco in Naxos to get homemade Portokalopita with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce. This is one delicious dessert!
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