Top 10 local foods to try in Greece

There are dishes to try in Greece for every taste. We will tell you what is worth trying for every tourist: Juicy meat, the freshest seafood, aromatic vegetable snacks, the choice is huge. No worries, you will not waste your time on Greek salad and cheese feta.

We have prepared a list of exciting national Greek top foods to try in Greece with a short description and photos. Soups, main courses, meze, sweets, pastries - all the most delicious in one place.

In Greece, meat and seafood are cooked in a special way. They are served with pasta, vegetables, pita, or cold cuts. So we have compiled 10 top foods to try in Greece that are worthy of the attention of every tourist.

But first, to realize this much-wanted trip, find out if you need a  Greece visa or not. So what are the best foods to try in Greece:

Moussaka | Μουσακάς

It is the first thing and one of Greece's best foods to try. The legendary casserole of juicy eggplants, aromatic lamb, meaty tomatoes with a delicate béchamel sauce is a gastronomic symbol of the country. Vegetarians should try Greek moussaka with mushrooms instead of meat. Incredible minced meat casserole with vegetables, cheese, and sour cream, cooked with white wine. It is impossible to break away, but you fill up quickly.

Pasticcio | Παστίτσιο

One of the top foods to try in Greece is Pasticcio. A simple, hearty, and most importantly - very tasty dish of the national Greek cuisine. Pasticcio is a pasta casserole with minced meat (usually lamb or veal) with béchamel sauce. This dish is worth trying in a Greek tavern - it is usually served with a salad. If you have a vacation on the island of Corfu, be sure to try the local version of Pasticcio: with tomatoes, cheese, eggs, ham - delicious! Somewhere at the heart of this dish is pasta. However, finding them is not easy, and while eating Pasticcio, you completely forget about it. You can find Pasticcio in the list of the best foods to try in Greece.

Souvlaki| Σουβλάκι

Delicious kebabs! Small pieces of meat (usually pork or lamb) marinated in lemon juice with olive oil and herbs, roasted over an open fire or charcoal. It is the main dish of Greek fast food. Souvlaki is often served directly on skewers or wrapped in pita with a special garlic-yogurt sauce. A perfect snack in a traditional Greek style!

Octopus | Χταπόδι

Greece is famous for its seafood - it is the basis of the local cuisine. Of course, you will remember about fish or shrimp without us, but an inexperienced tourist can inadvertently deprive an octopus. Try it in pasta or order it with vegetables. The classic Greek octopus is grilled with olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. Greece abounds in seafood. Seafood is always on the top of the foods to try in Greece. If you dreamed of eating your fill of fish, shrimp, and mussels on vacation, this is the place for you.

Kolokithokeftedes | Κολοκυθοανθοί

In Greece, you should definitely try this national dish. Kolokyfoanthi - young zucchini flowers stuffed with meat, rice, feta, vegetables, or something else. Light frying in deep fat makes the dish crispy but at the same time very tender. It is believed that the "correct" kolokyfoanthi should be tried in Lesvos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Crete - in short, on the islands.
To repeat one of these dishes at home, you can bring concentrated lemon juice, olive oil, feta from Greece. All this must be checked in as checked baggage. Dried herbs and spices can be bought in the markets. If you want, take pita with you in its original packaging.

Fasolada | Φασολάδα

In Greece, soups are delicious. Three delicious soups are considered national: Fasolada, Psarosupa, and Fakes. They are easy to find in almost every restaurant serving Greek or Mediterranean cuisine.

But the most delicious soup which you can eat in every season of the year is Fasolada. If you are vacationing in Greece in autumn, spring, or winter, be sure to try the national bean soup. It is made from white beans with lots of vegetables and tomato sauce. It makes a delicious vegetarian soup. Fasolada in Greek is a frequent guest of buffets in hotels in Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Crete. In Athens, this dish can be tasted in almost all restaurants. It is one of the delicious foods to try in Athens Greece.

If you decide to cook Greek soups at home, you can buy the essentials for serving them with you. For example, canned olives or olive oil, lemon juice, dried herbs.

Of the appetizers in Greece, the first step is to try vegetables: cuts, salads, light grills - for every taste. From national we recommend the following two options: Meze and Dzatziki

Meze | μεζέ

It is not quite a dish, not an appetizer, but rather a set of them. Greece is famous for its meze, which can be vegetables, meat or seafood. We advise you to choose the last option: shrimp in batter, sardines, octopuses, delicate squids - very tasty! If you decide to try the meze, be prepared that the serving of the appetizers is usually decent - not everyone will need a hotter after it. Meze in Greece is usually served with ouzo - a traditional aniseed vodka. It can be considered one of the best foods to try in Greece.

Tzatziki | τζατζίκι

The legendary Greek appetizer is a must-try and one of the top foods to try in Greece. Tzatziki is made from natural Greek yogurt with cucumber, garlic, and herbs. Sometimes it is used as a sauce for souvlaki kebabs, and sometimes it is served as part of a meze with pita or fresh bread and other snacks. Thick yogurt with chunks of cucumber and garlic, which you will not try anywhere except Greece, and it tastes great!

You can buy a concentrated tomato paste made from mashed tomatoes in Greece. As well as dried garlic, oregano, and other spices. From ready-made Greek snacks, you can bring home hummus or melizanosalata. They are sold in plastic jars in many supermarkets.

The first thing and must eat foods to try in Greece is fresh bread. Dip it in olive oil or try with feta. Greek pita is also good, especially with national appetizer sauces.

On vacation, do not miss the pastries and desserts from our list; remember the names!

Spanakopita | Σπαναaκόπιτα

If you ask what are the best foods to try in Greece, we can answer that Spanakopita is one of the best foods to try in Greece.

Traditional Greek flaky pie made from the finest dough stuffed with spinach, cheese, sometimes pine nuts. Delicate, creamy, incredibly tasty! It often causes rave reviews even from tourists who do not like spinach (of course, until they are told what it is inside).

Lucumades | Λουκουμάδες

Surprisingly sweet and delicious donuts! All those with a sweet tooth should try the legendary national sweet in Greece. Lucumades - miniature ball donuts sprinkled with honey or sugar syrup, lightly sprinkled with cinnamon. In Greek hotels, they are often prepared for breakfast - there is a chance to taste the sweetness, even lukewarm.

Home from Greece, you can bring baklava in the boxes - an excellent sweet gift for loved ones. It is easy to find Vasilopita in factory packaging during the winter holidays. It also makes sense to buy filo dough sheets in supermarkets. True, they are very fragile - you need to transport them carefully.

The average bill in restaurants in Greece starts from 7-10 euros. For fish dishes, go to seafood restaurants. And if you want a tasty and inexpensive meal of meat, look for taverns. Here you will find everything you can roast on a spit or bake over coals!

The main drink in Greece is, of course, wine. Rather, guilt in all their diversity. It is impossible to be in Greece and not try them!

It is not entirely correct to get acquainted with the food to try in Greece at a hotel with a buffet - national dishes are not widely represented. Better to go to restaurants that serve all the very best that Greece is really famous for. And even more interesting is to book a thematic excursion or a full-fledged gastronomic tour. We have compiled a list of the most interesting options.

Athens with a culinary specialist

A very popular Athens food tour with great reviews. You can find out the foods to try in Athens Greece. The guide will take you on non-tourist trails through the best spots in the city. This is a great chance to find out where all the most delicious is sold. And at the same time taste the main products, dishes, and drinks of the Greek cuisine. An incredible gastronomic adventure awaits you!

"Delicious" Athens

Walking around Athens, you will get to know Greece through its culinary traditions. It is a great chance to taste different types of olives, fresh oil, seafood, pastries, cheese, and other goodies. You will learn to understand the gastronomic symbols of Greece and unmistakably identify high-quality national dishes and foods to try in Athens Greece.

Tasteful coves of Rhodes

Boat trip along the picturesque bays of the Greek island. The crystal clear sea, relaxation on the beach with golden sands, and, of course, a delicious lunch of national cuisine. The ship captain will prepare for you all the most delicious based on products from the local village.

Walk through Thessaloniki

A popular sightseeing tour in Thessaloniki with excellent reviews from tourists will be a good idea. The guide will tell you about ancient and modern traditions, show you the most interesting things in the city, and answer questions. The excursion is variable - it is easy to tailor it exactly to your interests. If you are interested in getting acquainted with Greek cuisine - no problem, the guide will select an exclusive "delicious" route.

Impressive Corfu

A rich tour of Corfu with excellent reviews from tourists. It is suitable for a family or a small company. This is a unique chance to explore the entire island, to see all the most beautiful and important things. During the trip, you will have the opportunity to enjoy homemade wine, olives, olive oil, kumquat, and other Greek delicacies, as well as meet the farmers and also you will know the best foods to try Greece.

Gastronomic Crete

The tour can start in Heraklion or Lassithi. This is a great chance to visit an olive factory with a guided tour. If you like, you can buy olives and oil at manufacturer prices. Then you will find a Cretan-style evening with dancing, a show, a rich feast of national wines and dishes.

You may or may not like Greece as a resort and a country, but you will not be able to remain indifferent to the local cuisine! Amazing olives, real feta cheese, the freshest seafood … Yes, they can cook here! Greeks love to eat and treat this process responsibly and on a grand scale. Therefore, it is not easy to stay hungry here, and its traditional cuisine should definitely be given its due.