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Taste of Greece
What to Eat in Greece – Top 50 Foods
Greek cuisine is built on olive oil, fresh vegetables, herbs, grilled meats, seafood, and simple preparations that highlight quality ingredients. Meals are social, often starting with shared meze, and range from everyday taverna food to festive dishes.
Classics & National Favorites
Moussaka – Layered eggplant, minced lamb or beef, and creamy béchamel sauce, baked until golden. One of the best-known Greek dishes.
Souvlaki – Grilled meat skewers (usually pork, chicken, or lamb), often served with pita, tomato, onion, and tzatziki.
Gyros – Seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, shaved thin and wrapped in pita with tomato, onion, fries, and tzatziki.
Horiatiki (Greek Salad) – Chunks of tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper, and Kalamata olives topped with a slab of feta, olive oil, and oregano. No lettuce.
Tzatziki – Thick yogurt mixed with grated cucumber, garlic, and olive oil. Served with almost everything.
Spanakopita – Spinach and feta wrapped in flaky phyllo pastry and baked until crisp.
Tiropita – Cheese pie made with phyllo and a filling of feta or other Greek cheeses.
Dolmadakia – Grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs, and sometimes meat, served cold as meze or warm.
Fasolada – Hearty white bean soup with vegetables and olive oil, often called Greece’s national dish.
Pastitsio – Baked pasta layered with minced meat and topped with béchamel, sometimes called Greek lasagna.
Meze & Starters
Taramasalata – Creamy dip made from fish roe, lemon, and olive oil.
Fava – Smooth yellow split pea purée, finished with olive oil, onion, and capers.
Keftedes – Herb-seasoned meatballs, fried or grilled.
Saganaki – Cheese pan-fried until golden and crisp on the outside.
Gigantes Plaki – Large white beans baked in a rich tomato sauce with herbs.
Olives – Especially Kalamata, served as a simple meze.
Feta – Crumbly, tangy sheep’s or goat’s milk cheese, a staple of Greek cooking.
Kalamari – Squid, usually fried until crisp.
Octopus – Grilled or marinated in vinegar and olive oil.
Pita bread – Soft flatbread for wrapping or dipping.
Mains & Grilled Dishes
Kleftiko – Slow-roasted lamb (or goat), often sealed in parchment with herbs and lemon.
Stifado – Beef or rabbit stewed with pearl onions, wine, and spices.
Giouvetsi – Meat baked with orzo pasta in a tomato sauce.
Kokkinisto – Meat braised in a rich tomato sauce.
Gemista – Tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice and herbs.
Briam – Mixed vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, potatoes) roasted in olive oil.
Grilled lamb – Especially popular for celebrations and Sunday meals.
Grilled fish – Whole fish from coastal areas, simply prepared with olive oil and lemon.
Souvlaki platter – Skewers served with fries, salad, and tzatziki.
Baked chicken or pork with lemon, oregano, and olive oil.
Regional & Everyday
Bougatsa – Phyllo pastry filled with custard or cheese, often dusted with sugar and cinnamon (Thessaloniki specialty).
Koulouri – Sesame-coated bread ring, a common street snack.
Spetsofai – Country sausage and peppers simmered in tomato sauce.
Lathera – Vegetable dishes cooked in plenty of olive oil.
Horta – Boiled wild greens, dressed with olive oil and lemon.
Village bread – Crusty bread for dipping in olive oil or sauces.
Greek yogurt – Thick and tangy, often served with honey.
Olive oil – Central to almost every Greek dish.
Herbs – Oregano, dill, mint, and parsley used liberally.
Seafood meze – Small plates of grilled or marinated seafood, especially on the islands.
Desserts & Sweets
Baklava – Layers of phyllo filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey syrup.
Loukoumades – Small fried dough balls drizzled with honey and cinnamon.
Galaktoboureko – Custard pie wrapped in phyllo and soaked in lemon-scented syrup.
Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts – Simple and classic.
Melomakarona – Honey-soaked oval cookies, traditionally made at Christmas.
Rizogalo – Creamy rice pudding flavored with cinnamon.
Kourabiedes – Buttery almond shortbread cookies heavily dusted with powdered sugar.
Portokalopita – Moist orange cake made with shredded phyllo and soaked in citrus syrup.
Spoon sweets – Fruit or vegetables preserved in thick sugar syrup, often served with coffee.
Seasonal fruit – Fresh or as a simple ending to a meal.
Notes: Greek food is often simple and seasonal. Tavernas focus on grilled meats, fresh salads, and shared plates. Olive oil, feta, and herbs define the flavors, while desserts lean toward phyllo, honey, and nuts.
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