39 Delicious Greek Food and Drinks You Have to Try in Greece

Oh, mamma mia! Greek Food. How much do you love tasting new dishes while traveling? I do! Which is undoubtedly one of the reasons I love to travel so much. I could never go to a place where I know the food is not good. It would ruin my vacation (please don’t judge me on this).

If you are already following me, you surely know how much I love eating. I went to a Chef school in Italy; after all, if a Chef doesn’t like to eat, how can their food be delicious? That is why I love cooking, but mostly, I love trying new cuisines.

The best way to know a country is to learn its culture and history through its food. Food makes people happy anytime after a hard day at work. This is what makes me happy: a good meal. This makes me even more satisfied when I travel after exploring all day, having a good dinner, and having a good glass of local wine/beer.

See the happiness on your waiter’s face when he sees you eating and loves its local food. When you tell him that it was the best meal you ever had, that you value his restaurant food so much, you will tell everyone they have to go there and have a meal.

Food is the best way to make friends, trust me (unless you meet people who don’t like food, but do they exist?).

That is why I made this list: to introduce you to everything Greece has to offer, or at least the most popular dishes. Every region and every island has some local dishes, like almost everywhere in the world. But don’t worry; if I had been there, I would have made a list like this one, adding more regional dishes so you won’t miss anything.

39 Delicious Greek Food and Drinks You Have to Try in Greece

1. Greek Yogurt:

Oh my God, how much I love Greek yogurt. It is so creamy and delicious, and trust me, the Greek yogurt you can buy in any supermarket worldwide is very different from the Greek yogurt you can buy in Greece. In Greece, it has an entirely different level of goodness.

It is perfect alone, with some sweet local honey and maybe some nuts. How you eat it doesn’t matter; it will be delicious anyway.

2. Coffee:

Greek coffee is a pretty potent brew of coffee, served with a bit of brown foam on top. It is made with very thin coffee grounds and is not filtered.

When you receive your coffee in Greece (if you order a Greek coffee, otherwise don’t worry, they also have the regular espresso), you have to wait a bit before drinking it to give time for the coffee ground to settle at the bottom of your cup.

Also, people used to read the coffee ground left at the bottom of their cups, and some still do.

Shop Greek coffee and Greek coffee makers.

European Travel Alert! If you are from the US and want to travel to Europe, from 2025 you must complete an ETIAS visa waiver form before your trip and pay the €7 ($7.25) fees. This easy-to-complete form should give you instant approval, but it’s recommended that travelers plan and submit their forms a few weeks before their departure date. 

3. Spanakopita: 

Spanakopita is a delicious savory local spinach pie, perfect for lunch, dinner, or a quick snack anytime. It is made with spinach (of course), parsley, onions, garlic, dry dill, eggs, and feta cheese, all wrapped up in light layers of phyllo pastry.

Then, it all goes to the oven to be perfectly baked. Spanakopita is a must-try while in Greece. You can get it in local restaurants and Greek bakeries; it is the perfect solution for a healthy and cheap meal.

4. Tiropita:

Tiropita is a cheese pie made with layers of phyllo pastry and a delicious mix of eggs and cheese. You can find it in most of the bakery and local lunch spots. It is very filling and highly cheap (1,20 euros). When it is made with kasseri cheese, it is called kasseropita. 

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5. Koulouri:

Koulouri looks like a pretzel, but it isn’t stated as a pretzel. This delicious, savory pastry is usually filled with feta cheese or olives and sprinkled with sesame, poppy, flax, or sunflower seeds.

It is very cheap (can cost around 0,60-0,70 cents), and you can buy it from street vendors or in any Greek bakery. 

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6. Pide:

Pide is a stone-oven-baked flatbread/pita bread with different toppings. It is originally from Turkey but also from Greece. The topping can be anything, like veggies, meat, cheese, or all three. I ate one with cheese and veggies in one of the local budget food places in Mykonos, and it was delicious.

It is a delicious option for a cheap meal while in Greece.

7. Choriatiki or Greek Salad: 

One of the most famous salads is the Greek salad, and honestly, who doesn’t love it? I had it almost every day while visiting Greece. 

It was my favorite lunch on the beach or keeping myself light while exploring.  If you don’t know this salad, here are the ingredients: Tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh onions, olives, feta cheese, green peppers, olive oil, and oregano. 

8. Saganaki:

In Greek, Saganaki means a wide variety of dishes prepared in a frying pan, the most famous and well-known being the fried cheese served with a slice of lemon.

I had it more than once, and it was served with a spicy sauce instead of lemon.

The cheese used to prepare this delicious Saganaki is the Graviera (don’t worry, I talk about it below in the “Greeks cheeses”), but you can use different kinds of hard cheese that melt beautifully. 

9. Kolokithokeftedes:

If you like courgettes/zucchini, you will love this Greek dish. Kolokithokeftedes is fried courgette balls, the perfect starter for your meal or as a main course. I liked them so much that I had them as a main course.

You can find them everywhere around Greece, and they are always delicious. 

10. Tomatokeftedes:

Another fabulous “meze” is the Tomatokeftedes. They are fried tomato balls from Santorini. They are made with tomatoes pureed, flour, herbs, spices, onion, parsley, mint, salt, and black peppers, all mixed to create a dough and then deep-fried.

Better served with Tzatziki (you will eat a lot of Tzatziki in Greece; it goes with everything). 

11. Greek olives:

Greece is a paradise for olive lovers. Here, you will find so many different types of olives that you will eat a different one every day during your vacation. They are usually served as aperitivo while you wait for your meal at a restaurant or as part of a local dish.

This could be the perfect souvenir for an olive lover but don’t forget to read the best souvenirs to buy in Greece here.

Shop Greek Olives from Greece.

Greece Souvenir Tip: They also sell olives in vacuum bags, so you can bring some back home as souvenirs for yourself and your family.

12. Honey:

Greek honey is delicious, like every natural honey. You can check the price to buy natural honey (and avoid the fake ones where they add sugar to it). Usually, in supermarkets worldwide, you see a big jar of honey at a meager price. Well, that is not real and pure honey; it is modified honey, far from being pure and having all the goodies that honey offers.

So, when you see a small jar of honey sold in a local market, and the price is around 5 or 6 euros (I mean, I am talking about 150gr), it is probably good. Of course, making sure to buy it from the owner, in my opinion, is the best way to be sure your honey is natural. My parents always go to Slovenia (my hometown is near the Slovenia border, in Italy) and go straight to the beekeeper to buy its products. 

You can do it while in Greece. I did it on Ios Island. Just ask locals if they know a beekeeper or a honey shop in the area you are exploring. They should probably know. 

Shop: Delicious Greek honey.

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13. Tzatziki:

This delicious sour and creamy sauce is perfect for eating meat, vegetables, bread, and anything else you like with it. Tzatziki is made with Greek yogurt, drained cucumber, salt, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh herbs, usually dill or mint, refreshing and filling.

14. Tirokafteri:

Tirokafteri is a delicious cheese sauce. “Tiri” means cheese, and “kaftery” means spicy, so spicy cheese sauce. It is made with different kinds of cheese, depending on which region of Greece you are visiting, but it is usually made with feta, olive oil, hot peppers, garlic, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice.

It is usually eaten with pita bread or with meat and vegetables. 

Visiting Greece?

The Complete Athens Travel Guide
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15. Taramasalata or Taramosalata:

Taramasalata is usually eaten as part of the “meze” (Greek starter), and it is made with tarama, the salted and cured roe of the cod. Still, it can also be from carp or grey mullet, all mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, spring onion, vinegar (instead of lemon juice), peppers, and potato. 

It is a perfect dip to eat with bread or vegetables, like the Tzatziki. 

16. Dolmades:

This very particular Ottoman dish is made in different ways. Dolmades can be made with rice, rice and meat, fish, vegetables or fruits, wrapped up with leaves, usually grape ones, and cabbage leaves. 

They are delicious and filling. My favorite way to eat them is by dipping them in Tzatziki sauce.

17. Souvlaki:

Souvlaki is the most famous Greek street food. Souvlakis are grilled small pieces of meat on a skewer. The original recipe is pork meat, made with chicken, lamb, fish like swordfish, and vegetables. 

The meat is usually marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Then it gets grilled, ready for you to eat immediately, in the street, or seated with a good fresh glass of beer.

They are usually served with fries, rice or fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions), and the delicious Tzatziki sauce. It’s a very cheap way to have a healthy lunch while exploring Greece.

18. Kleftiko:

Kleftiko is an effortless-to-make but delicious Greek dish. It is made with lamb marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. Then, it is wrapped in baking paper with onions and potatoes and roasted very slowly until it is so tender you can break it with a spoon. 

19. Gigantes:

Gigantes are so-called because they are massive. I am talking about beans. These delicious light brown giant beans are cooked in a sweet tomato sauce with fresh Greek herbs and served as they are or with some feta cheese on top.

20. Gyros:

Gyros is one of the things that will save your wallet while in Greece. You can find it everywhere. It is delicious, healthy, and crazy cheap. Gyros is a sandwich made with pita bread and grilled meat, including pork, chicken, beef, or lamb (previously marinated with Greek herbs), fresh onions, tomatoes, fries, and tzatziki sauce.

I ate the cheapest one in Athens, which only cost 2 euros. 

21. Moussaka:

Moussaka is a must to try while in Greece. It is delicious and very filling. If you order one portion for yourself, you probably won’t be able to eat anything else after it (or maybe you will; I couldn’t).

It is made with eggplants or potatoes, tomatoes, ground meat sauce (like Italian bolognese ragu), bechamel sauce, cheese, onions, garlic, and cinnamon. It is like Italian lasagna, but instead of pasta, there are aubergines. They are yummy!

22. Keftedakia:

Do you like fried meatballs? Who doesn’t? Then you are going to love the Greek version. Keftedakia are fried and usually served with tzatziki sauce and a delicious tomato salad.

Travel Tip: Book a food tour before visiting Greece to try as much local food as possible!

23. Soutzoukakia:

Soutzoukakia are meatballs with tomato sauce. The particular taste of these delicious meatballs comes from the cumin, which is part of the ingredients of this local dish. The meat used is usually beef, but you can also find some made with a mix of beef and pork that are much tastier. 

Hreads up! Want to know more about Greece? Check out my “Guide to Greece Page” where I give you all the tips about where to go, what to see, and where to eat.

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24. Popoutsakia:

Eggplants again. This time, they are stuffed with ground meat, tomatoes, cheese, onion, garlic, eggs, bell peppers, herbs, and spices. You can find them in many local restaurants. They are healthy and delicious.

25. Pastitsio:

Pastitsio is a Greek version of the Italian lasagna, made with pasta like “penne.” Instead of alternating each layer, the pasta is at the bottom, then covered with the beef sauce, then topped up fully covered with the bechamel sauce and sprinkled with cheese. 

26. Baked feta:

Baked feta can be served with only olive oil, chilly, and oregano or baked with fresh tomatoes, chilly, and oregano. Either way, it becomes the perfect dip for pita bread. 

27. Tirokroketes:

Tirokroketes are fried cheese balls, the perfect way to start dinner. They are crunchy on the outside and hot and melting inside. They’re probably ideal comfort food or the best starter to share with friends. 

They are made with a combination of Greek cheese that makes them taste perfect. 

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28. Stifado:

Stifado is rich in flavor beef stew ( but also made with pork or rabbit) cooked in red wine, honey, tomatoes, olive oil, and whole shallots. 

29. Gemista:

This is the perfect dish if you don’t fancy a lot of meat. Gemista is made with tomatoes or peppers and filled with ground meat, rice, aubergine, potatoes, courgettes, onion, garlic, salt, parsley, tomato paste, and black pepper. 

Then oven-baked and served with boiled potatoes. It is tasty and light, the perfect lunch in Greece on a hot summer day. 

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30. Fasolada:

Fasolada is a white bean soup made with olive oil and vegetables, the perfect way to warm up during cold winters. Yes, it can be freezing in Greece during the winter season. 

31. Briam:

Briam is a dish made of roasted vegetable casserole that includes potatoes, courgettes, eggplants, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It is delicious and light, perfect as a side dish, as the main course for vegans, or if you need to get your veggies after eating so much meat and fish in Greece.

32. Horta:

Horta is a typical side dish made with different boiled green leaves, like chicory, dandelion, and more, and served with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. I honestly loved it. The taste is fresh but bitter, the perfect side dish for your meal. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of it.

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33. Greek Cured Meat:

Loukaniko: Loukaniko is a sausage usually made with pork or lamb, flavored with fennel seeds, orange peel, and different Greek herbs and seeds. It is traditionally smoked over aromatic woods. 

Louza: Louza is a delicious dry-cured ham made with tenderloin (a pork cut). The method used to cure it is always the same: adding salt and then air drying, but the ingredients added to it can be different everywhere you go around Greece. They can add Thyme, black pepper, fennel seeds, red wine, cinnamon, or clove. You can find it as a starter in some local restaurants when ordering a mix of charcuterie, in good supermarkets, or at the local town food market.

Syglino: Syglino is a delicious cured meat preserved in big clay pots with only the best Greek extra virgin olive oil or, in some cases, pork fat (called “glina”). They serve it hot or cold as a starter. It goes amazingly with a good glass of wine.

Kavourmas: means “sauteed meat,” which looks like salami. It can be made with pork, beef, cow, sheep, buffalo, or goat. The meat is cut into pieces, kept in salt all night, and then simmered for 4 or 5 hours until it is incredibly tender with its fat and olive oil. Then, they add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves, or herbs like oregano.

They then add everything into jars with fat on top, keep them in cold places, and use the meat over months.You can also find Kavourmas cooked with vegetables as a stew and served as “meze” (the Greek way to call little plates of starters, like Spanish tapas).

Apaki: Apaki is typical of Crete. It is the pork fillet, a very soft cut of meat. They soak the meat in wine and vinegar (and sometimes also with spices and herbs like olive oil, black pepper, salt, and cumin) for a couple of days and then smoke.

34. Greek grilled meat:

Grilled meat is trendy in Greece; you can find any meat, from beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, veal, and rabbit. It can be cooked immediately or marinated overnight with olive oil, spices, and herbs (of course, all from Greece) to give the meat a more Greek flavor.

If you like meat, I highly recommend a mix of grilled meat with some local veggies and the famous Tzatziki sauce; you will love it. 

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35. Greeks Cheeses:

Feta: Feta cheese is one of the most famous and known Greek cheeses that you can find anywhere around the world, but I must say that in Greece, it all has a different and better taste (like everything that you eat where it has been produced, it is always better than abroad).

In case you have never tried it, feta cheese is a soft, white cheese made usually with sheep or goat cheese, and it is probably one of the oldest cheeses in the world. It has a delicious aroma, a little bit sour but delicious. You are going to eat feta cheese in Greece for sure. It comes on top of a Greek salad. It can be backed, used to make savory cakes and much more.

Kasseri: This Greek cheese is a semi-hard, yellow cheese with a soft, sweet taste that is perfect for eating on its own, just with pita bread. You will probably find it on your plate while ordering a mixed cheese and cured meat starter. You can find it in any supermarket and town food market.

Mizithra: This delicious cheese is known in Greece as “whey cheese,” made with Greek whey from previous yogurt or cheese. The milk is usually from goats, sheep, and sometimes cows. 

Anthotyros: Anthotyros is another whey cheese, almost like the Mizithra. It can be fresh or dry cheese. The dry one is a more mature cheese like Mizithra. This cheese is made with whey and milk from goats, sheep, or sometimes both. 

Manouri: Manouri is a semi-soft Greek cheese made with a mix of whey and milk, including goat or sheep’s milk. The process is similar to that of feta cheese, but the addition of cream makes it creamier.

Graviera: This cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in Greece, like Feta. It is a dryer and more matured cheese, with small and irregular holes all over it, with a yellow color made in wheel shape. The taste is a little sweet and spicy. Different types of Graviera are made with cow, goat, or sheep milk. It depends on the area you are exploring. 

Kefalotyri: Kefalotyri is a salty, white, and hard cheese made with goat or sheep milk or mixed with both. You can eat it as it is, fried in olive oil, or add it to many dishes, like pasta, vegetables, or meat. Because of its consistency, this cheese is one of the best for grating.

Metsovone: This delicious semi-hard cheese is naturally smoked “pasta filata” and made with cow’s milk, cow and sheep mixed, or even goat’s milk. It is like the Italian “Provolone”(if you have ever tasted it) because Greek cheesemakers made it after spending time in Italy learning how to make the famous Italian cheese. It is known to be an Italian-influenced Greek cheese. 

36. Greek fish:

Greece has three sides in the sea, and a considerable part is Greek islands, so you will eat many fish while traveling around this ancient country. The fish is always fresh and delicious, cooked in many different ways, all excellent.

I highly recommend trying as many fish as possible while in Greece. It is worth it. You will find Tuna, Haddock, Sardines, Sea bream, Sea bass, Octopus, Mullet, Comber, John Dory, Anchovies, Mackerel, Shrimp and Squid in Greece.

37. Greeks Wines

Retsina: This is a very particular wine. You probably cannot find another wine like this one because it is flavored with the resin of the Aleppo pine tree. I cannot explain its taste because I have never tried it before. It is not sweet or bitter, and the taste is relatively mild. S

Xinomavro: This unique white wine comes from a famous variety of grapes from Naoussa. The primary flavors are tobacco, allspice, anise, raspberry, and plum sauce. It tastes a bit like herbs and licorice. It goes perfectly with pasta with cheese, chicken, and pork.

Mavrodafni: This red and fortified wine is a delicious dessert wine, part of the “Port” wine family. You will find it in many local restaurants to pair with a delicious Greek dessert.

Vinsanto: This delicious sweet wine has a spicy flavor like cinnamon, clove, dry apricot, and mixed raisin. It is the best way to finish a fabulous Greek dinner.

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38. Greek beer:

Mythos Beer: This is the most well-known beer in Greece. You will find it everywhere, from bars, restaurants and supermarkets. This lager beer has won many awards and will refresh you while taking a break from exploring or relaxing on a beach. 

Fix: Fix Brewery is the oldest beer in Greece, produced in Athens since 1864. This blond lager will surprise you with its apple and banana perfume.

Alfa: This beer is one of the oldest beers in Greece, produced since 1961. The Athenian Brewery has it and is made of only Greek barley. It is a blonde lager with a gold color and a light aroma.

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39. Greeks Alcoholic drinks:

Kitron: Kitron is a citron liqueur that you can find in some liqueur shops around Greece, but it is originally from the island of Naxos. To make this delicious liquor, they use citron tree leaves and fruits, which taste more pungent than lemon.

They produce three variants of this liquor. The yellow one is the strongest and has less sugar than the other two, the green one is sweeter and has less alcohol, and the clear one is between the other two.

Tsipouro: A delicious and robust distilled spirit (40-45%) to enjoy straight from the freezer (like limoncello! Yes, I know I am talking about Greece in this article, but I like to associate other countries’ products with Italian ones; what can I do? bear with me please). This is described as an un-aged Greek brandy usually offered as a welcome (like Ouzo) from Greek people. 

It is made from the residue of the wine press or the wine. There are two different types of Tsipouro: anise-flavored and pure. 

Mastika: Mastika is a sweet liqueur made by distilling the mastika tree’s cristal, resinous spice resin from the island of Chios. It is usually drunk at the end of the meal because it is believed to help digestion. 

Ouzo: The most famous aperitif in Greece you will surely try while visiting this wonderful country. It has a delicious anise flavor, and you will find it everywhere, even on the beach bar menu, served with ice. It is made with a grape spirit base and then flavored with anise. 

Greek people usually drink it after saying: “Yamas”(that means “cheers”), the perfect word to make you smile. Say it! Aren’t you smiling? I am, and you will smile even more after drinking a glass or two of Ouzo. 

Please always drink responsibly. You are on holiday, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose control of yourself or the situation; always be vigilant of what happens around you and protect yourself.

Tsikoudia: Raki is made of twice-distilled grapes and anise and is best served with ice. It is originally from Crete, but you can find it all around Greece, and it contains between 25-30% alcohol. It is like the Italian Grappa (if you have ever tasted it). It is very high in antioxidants and, if drunk in a small amount, can help your digestion (a small amount, I said, not all the bottle).

Before you go…

My lovely anxious travelers (did you become already super-organized like me to fight travel anxiety? No? Download my guide on becoming one then). I know what you’re thinking: “Foodie overload! How will I possibly fit all this deliciousness into one trip?” Don’t you worry, your pretty little travel heads!

Remember, Greece isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon (of moussaka and Greek beer). Savor each bite, sip each drop, and let the flavors whisk you away. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you later.

And let’s be honest, isn’t the best way to truly live a place to, well, taste it? Skip the history books and grab a hunk of freshly baked bread drizzled with olive oil – that’s history you can feel on your tongue!

So ditch the diet, pack your stretchy pants or comfortable summer dresses, and get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will leave you saying, “Opa!” with every mouthful.

Greece awaits, my friends, and it’s calling your name (and stomach!). Now, go forth and conquer those taste buds! Remember, a full belly leads to a happy heart, and a happy heart leads to unforgettable memories. Bon appétit! (Or should I say, καλή όρεξη!)

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