Y’all, the food in Greece in next level! Honestly, how do they make their tomatoes taste more like tomatoes? How is it that feta tastes so bad anywhere else in the world, but I can’t get enough of it in Greece? I don’t know the answers to those questions, but I do know that Greece is home to my favorite cuisine in the entire world. Here are the essential eats you absolutely must try on your trip!

All the Sweets!

If you’ve been around here long, you know that all my teeth are sweet teeth! I love trying new and different sweets when I travel, and Greece has so many good ones. They mostly involve buttery sheets of phyllo, simple syrup, honey, custard, cake, etc. Basically, all the good things. It doesn’t matter if you can’t pronounce it or you’re not sure what’s in it, you should 100% try it! (Unless you have a food allergy–then please learn the Greek word for your allergy!)

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Feta

I will not touch nasty, dry, overly-salted feta anywhere. But the feta cheese in Greece? It’s the most amazing thing I ever ate! I love how they serve it warm, sometimes they puree it with spices, they put it in savory pies and salads of every kind. I never met a Greek feta in Greece that I didn’t like! Even if you’re like me and you’re just not into crummy cheese, try the feta in Greece. You might surprise yourself!

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Kebab

Sometimes you know what’s in it, sometimes you don’t. But I’m willing to guarantee it’s always delicious! The one below included beef, lamb, and perhaps some other meats, and it came served with warm pita bread and a yogurt sauce, topped with paprika. Even though I was full less than halfway through, I had to keep eating more because it was just so good! Greek portion sizes are a bit like those in the American South–out of control. But I’m not mad about it.

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Moussaka

This iconic Greek dish is well-known for a reason! It involves eggplant, usually beef, some other veggies, and is topped with a thick béchamel sauce. It’s basically an eggplant lasagna, but it’s so much better than that sounds! We tried it in at least three different restaurants on our most recent trip to Greece, and we couldn’t pick a favorite–they were all above and beyond!

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Savory Pies

Most Americans think of pie as a dessert item, but in a lot of the world, pies can also be savory. I loved all the savory pie options in Greece. My personal favorite is the spinach and feta combination, but you can find several varieties involving all kinds of vegetables, and sometimes meats as well. Breakfast of champions!

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Seafood

Greece has amazing agriculture–their land-based foods are incredible. But they also have the advantage of so much Mediterranean coastline, meaning they have their pick of the best fresh seafood as well. Have it baked, in pasta, or even whole–head and all! Fishermen go out every day, and you can always see people fishing off of piers right out into the Mediterranean Sea. You know it’s fresh when you can see where it came from.

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Souvlaki

If you’ve been to a Greek, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern restaurant anywhere in the world, there’s a good chance you’ve seen souvlaki on the menu. It’s usually involves chicken cooked on a skewer (usually removed before serving, but not always), but it could be pork, beef, lamb, goat, or even a mix of those! Sides served with it can vary, but typically, you’ll find pita bread, fries (or “chips” as you may see them referred on the menu), tomato, onion, or other veggies. Very often there is also a tzatziki or other creamy sauce for spreading or dipping as well. Oh, and it’s delicious!

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Stuffed Vine Leaves (aka Grape Leaves)

I don’t know what it is about them, but I adore stuffed vine leaves. You may have seen them on the menu as dolmades, or stuffed grape leaves instead, but they are all names for the same thing. Inside, you’ll find rice, spices, and sometimes ground meat as well. It’s all wrapped up in an olive oil-soaked grape leaf (eat those leafy greens!), and usually served with tzatziki or another yogurt-forward sauce. As an American, I want them stuffed full and almost overflowing, but the opposite is true of “good” dolmades. The skinnier the maker can roll them, the better they are at their job. (They should be rolled tightly so they don’t fall apart when you pick them up. You’ll usually find them served cold, but I’ve had them served warm a few times, and that is my favorite!

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Tzatziki

Ah, tzatziki. This yogurt sauce is on nearly every menu, and served alongside many, many dishes, both appetizers and mains. And I love it. Greek yogurt (more below) is thicker than the yogurt you may be familiar with in America or Europe, and so is the tzatziki. It also includes cucumber and mild–but perfect–seasonings. I love it as a dip for pita, dolmades, meats, or pretty much anything else. I’ve also been known to order tzatziki and dolmades as my meal in Greece. No shame!

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Vegetables

What’s so great about vegetables? I don’t know, but Greece has somehow made them taste incredible, y’all. Whether they’re roasted, raw, in salad, layered into moussaka, or fried into fritters, the veggies here are next level. I mean, how can a tomato taste more like a tomato? How can zucchini taste like anything? Who knew eggplant could be used so many ways and be so delicious? I had to no idea until I went to Greece!

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Yogurt

Think you know Greek yogurt? Think again! Yes, Greek yogurt is thicker than what most Americans and Europeans are familiar with when they think of yogurt, but Greek yogurt in Greece is even thicker. As in, it can basically be sliced and stand on its own. It’s creamier, too. Often it comes topped with fruit, honey, walnuts, or a combination of those. You’ll see it on most menus for breakfast or dessert, and it’s a main ingredient in many dips and spreads, including my favorite, tzatziki!

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Zucchini Balls

What is the big deal about zucchini balls? They’re awesome. They’re like fritters, in that they’re flat and round, not necessarily spherical like a ball. On the inside, they’re creamy and delicious, thanks to the zucchini and feta cheese. They could come as they are, or they may come with a yogurt sauce, depending on where you get them. They don’t sound that special on the surface, but we liked them so much, we ordered them in at least three different places!

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Want more? Keep eating on my World Foods Page, and get all things Greece on my dedicated Greece Page!

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