Best Food to Try in Greece
Greece is delicious
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What to eat in Greece?
Greece is one of the most popular summer destinations. One of the reasons is that Greece has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean Basin and thousands of islands. Probably everyone has ever dreamed of visiting the country of the Olympian Gods, the picture-perfect turquoise waters and ancient ruins.
This country is living and breathing history and traditions. On every piece of land, you will see remains from the ancient times. The Greeks care a lot of their roots and traditions and everywhere you go in Greece, it is a perfect example of it.
One of the most traditional things that Greeks care about, is their food. Their amazing Mediterranean cuisine, that tastes like no other in this world. Everything is fresh and delicious. If you tried Greek food in your home country and you loved it, imagine that at level 100. No store-bought oregano will taste like the one you by from a local market in Greece. Everything is at another level here.
The Greek List
I have put together a top 10 of my favorite dishes to try out in Greece, from a touristy perspective. The best food list is bigger and much more in depth, but I have tried to show some food that everyone would like.
The Greek Frappe
This is the perfect summer drink. It can be found everywhere, enjoyed at a terrace or on the go. Whether you go to Athens or on an Island, this drink fits perfectly. It is one of the first things to order when I go to Greece and one of the things that I enjoy the most.
It is an iced coffee drink made from milk, sugar, instant coffee and ice. The Greek Frappe is refreshing and gives you that extra boost to endure the summer heat.
Greek Salad
This is no ordinary salad and especially not a side salad. This is summer in a plate. The freshness of the ingredients in combination with the tastiest olive oil, makes it heavenly. The traditional salad is made of perfectly ripe tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and bell peppers. This may sound classic, but to make it Greek, they have added the delicious Greek olives and little blocks of feta cheese. This salad tastes like no other.
Spanakopita
If you are on the go or just want to enjoy some traditional pastries, one of the most emblematic Greek pastries is Spanakopita. It is a delicious pie, made with layers of phyllo dough. This type of pie is filled with spinach and feta cheese. In my opinion, the best Spanakopita is to be found in small family run taverns.
Kolokythakia Tiganita
I know that the name will just sound Greek and you probably have no hint about what I’m going to talk about. This is my number one dish in Greece, the one that I have ordered in every restaurant and tavern in Greece. I usually order this with an extra bowl of tzatziki, although it is also included on the plate.
The Greek battered fried zucchini and tzatziki are heaven in a plate. They are delicious, they are spectacular and incredibly tasty.
Grilled Sardines
In general, we are not such big fans of fish and we quite avoid it. In my last trip to Greece, my father pushed me to try the grilled sardines, pointing out that the best fish is the one that is fresh and local, because the locals know how to cook it. After I’ve tried it, I didn’t stop. They were juicy, greasy, salty and the lemon on top, in combination with onion and fresh parsley, made them delicious.
Grilled Octopus
They just know how to cook seafood. If you are a seafood lover, you cannot go wrong with this. It was delicious, not chewy, not hard, just melting in your mouth. One of the best dishes ever served.
Gyros
Probably the one that everybody knows. Rotisserie meat, tomatoes and cucumbers salad, tzatziki and a flat bread. This can be eaten separately on a plate, or made it a sandwich. Either way, it is delicious.
If it is a sandwich, they will put all the ingredients on the flat bread and wrap it.
It is also one of the cheapest dishes in Greece and one of the most popular.
Moussaka
I will start by saying that if you are not familiarized with heavy food, take it easy with this one. The Greek moussaka is made with minced beef meat and eggplants. It is like a Greek lasagna and instead of pasta, you use eggplants. The Moussaka is delicious, but sometimes it may come in large portions. I would recommend to eat it at dinner or to share it with someone. In the summer, this type of food may be heavy.
Bougatsa
After a day of snorkeling and sunbathing, you can treat yourself with a lovely bougatsa. It is a sweet pastry, a phyllo dough pie with delicious custard filling. It is usually served at breakfast, but I’ve noticed that it is usually served at any hour in restaurants. Bougatsa it is a must try in Greece.
Portokalopita
My number one dessert in Greece. It represents the whole Greek experience. They take the phyllo dough sheets, dry them, crush them and mix them with Greek yoghurts and orange juice. After it is cooked in the oven, they pour a syrup that is made from oranges and sugar. It is a citrus perfection. It is best served cold, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it.
Yummy
Greeks do know how to cook. Of course, there are more to try, but those are the ones that we’ll order over and over and never be tired of them. In my opinion, what makes Greek food so special is the freshness of the ingredients and that they stick to their traditions. The food is their food, like the one their grandmas served them, and don’t feel the desire to change and adapt it. Greek food is delicious and Greece is…Travellicious.