Greek food: what to eat in Greece
Greek food is simple and seasonal: olive oil, vegetables, grilled meat and fish, cheese and bread. The best meals are usually shared plates in a taverna, ordered together and eaten slowly. Dinner is late, a coffee can last an hour, and the regions differ more than the menus suggest. Crete, the islands and the north each cook differently.
The short answer
- Order this first
- A horiatiki salad, grilled fish or lamb, and a plate of something baked such as moussaka. Add bread, tzatziki and a bottle of house wine.
- When people eat
- Lunch around two or three, dinner often after nine. In summer, kitchens open late and the tables fill at ten.
- Tipping
- Service is often included, but a tip of about 10 per cent in cash is common. Leave it on the table or hand it over.
- Where to eat well
- Neighborhood tavernas away from the main tourist squares, and places where Greek is spoken at the next table. Our city food guides name and source the places.
What to eat in Greece
- MoussakaLayers of aubergine, spiced mince and potato under a thick béchamel, baked until set. It is a staple of tavernas on the mainland and islands, and best eaten warm, not hot.Across Greece
- HoriatikiThe Greek village salad: tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta, dressed with olive oil and oregano. It is made without lettuce, and the quality of the tomatoes decides it.Across Greece
- Souvlaki and gyrosSkewered grilled meat, or meat shaved from a rotating spit, wrapped in pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki. It is cheap street food and a quick lunch, and cities each have their own favorites.Across Greece
- Grilled octopusOctopus dried in the sun, then grilled and served with lemon and olive oil. It is found at seafront tavernas, and the dried-on-a-line sign is a good one.The islands
- Spanakopita and tiropitaFilo pies filled with spinach and feta, or with cheese alone. They are eaten for breakfast or a snack from a bakery and cost very little.Across Greece
- DakosA hard barley rusk topped with grated tomato, soft cheese and oregano. It is a Cretan meze and one of the simplest dishes on the island.Crete
- FavaA smooth purée of yellow split peas, made on Santorini with local peas and served with olive oil, onion and capers. It is a starter, usually shared.Santorini
- GemistaTomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice and herbs and baked in olive oil. It is a summer home-cooking dish that many tavernas serve at lunch.Across Greece
- BougatsaA filo pastry filled with custard, or with cheese or mince, served warm and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Thessaloniki treats it as a breakfast.Thessaloniki
- LoukoumadesSmall fried dough balls, served warm with honey and cinnamon. They are a dessert from stalls and cafés, best eaten at once.Across Greece
How the food changes across Greece
Athens and the mainland
The classic taverna repertoire: grills, baked dishes, salads, dips, pies and seasonal vegetables. Athens also has modern kitchens and a good street food scene.
Crete
Olive oil, wild greens, snails, herbs and cheeses such as graviera and mizithra. The Cretan diet is built on vegetables and legumes, and meals start with a small free dessert or raki.
The Cyclades and other islands
Seafood, capers, fava, local cheeses and tomatoes that are small and intense. Each island has its own sausage, cheese or pastry, and menus shorten in winter.
The north
Thessaloniki and Macedonia use more spice, pastry and meat. The city's bakeries, meze bars and Balkan-influenced dishes set it apart from Athens.
What to drink in Greece
- Greek wineAssyrtiko from Santorini is the best-known white. Moschofilero and Agiorgitiko are worth trying from the mainland, and house wine by the carafe is usually good value.
- Ouzo and tsipouroAniseed ouzo, or the unflavoured grape spirit tsipouro, served with meze. Add water to ouzo and it clouds white.
- Raki or tsikoudiaCrete's grape spirit, often offered free at the end of a meal. Small glasses are the norm.
- Greek coffeeThick and sweet, served in a small cup with the grounds left at the bottom. Frappé, an iced instant coffee, is the summer favorite.
- Mythos and Alfa beerThe two common Greek lagers. Both are light and pair well with grilled food, and craft breweries are growing in Athens and on the islands.
Where to eat in Greece, city by city
Athens
The capital and the best base for ancient sites, museums and long dinners. It suits first-timers and anyone who wants history before beaches.
Order Souvlaki and gyros
Rhodes
An island with a walled medieval town, beaches along its east coast and Lindos on a hill. It suits families and history lovers who also want the sea.
Order Souvlaki and gyros
Thessaloniki
A northern port city with Byzantine churches, a seafront promenade and a strong food culture. It suits people who want a city without the island crowds.
Order Bougatsa
Santorini
A crescent island around a flooded volcano, known for caldera views and sunsets. It suits couples and short trips, and it is busy and expensive from June to September.
Order Tomatokeftedes
Mykonos
A white-washed island of beaches, a harbor town and a nightlife scene. It suits groups and beach trips, and prices climb fast in summer.
Order Greek salad
Heraklion
Crete's largest city, close to the Knossos palace and the island's beaches, mountains and villages. It suits a longer trip, ideally with a car.
Order Dakos and Cretan salad
Corfu
A green Ionian island with a Venetian old town, quiet bays and a long coast. It suits slower holidays and people who prefer trees to bare rock.
Order Grilled octopus
How Greece eats
- Meal timesA late lunch from two or three and dinner from nine, later in summer. Breakfast is light, a coffee and a pastry.
- SharingOrder several plates to put in the middle, not one each. Meze first, then mains.
- Bread and waterBread may arrive with a small cover charge, and water is often brought free. The charge appears on the bill.
- ReservationsNeeded at popular places on Friday and Saturday evenings and in summer on the islands. Many tavernas keep tables for walk-ins early in the evening.
- TippingLeave about 10 per cent in cash, and round up for coffee or a snack.
Signs of a place to walk past
A menu with photos in six languages and a tout on the pavement.
A sea-view restaurant with seafood priced on the menu without a weight, so the bill is a surprise.
A taverna that serves every dish all day from a frozen kitchen, rather than a short, seasonal list.
A gyros stall with pre-cut meat piled and left, not cooked on a turning spit.
Food in Greece: questions people ask
What food is Greece known for?
Moussaka, souvlaki and gyros, horiatiki salad, grilled fish and octopus, feta and olives. Olive oil runs through all of it.
What are traditional Greek dishes?
Moussaka, spanakopita, gemista, souvlaki, grilled octopus and fava. Each region adds its own, such as dakos in Crete or bougatsa in Thessaloniki.
What should you eat for breakfast in Greece?
A pie from a bakery, such as spanakopita, tiropita or bougatsa, with a coffee. Hotels serve yoghurt with honey, bread and eggs.
Is Greek food good for vegetarians?
Yes. Many dishes are vegetable-based, including horiatiki, gemista, fava, dolmades and spinach pies. Ask whether beans or greens are cooked with meat stock.
What fish should you eat in Greece?
Grilled sea bream, sea bass, red mullet and sardines, plus octopus and squid. Fish is often priced by weight, so ask before ordering.
Is it expensive to eat out in Greece?
A casual taverna meal is moderate for Europe. Seafront and island restaurants cost more, especially on Santorini and Mykonos.
Is tap water safe to drink in Greece?
In Athens and most big towns it is safe. On many islands the tap water is salty, so people buy bottled water. Ask locally.