15 of The Best Greek Foods You Need To Try On Your Next Trip.

Traditional Greek food is famous for being healthy, packed with flavour and good for you! If you are planning a trip to Greece here are just 15 of the best Greek dishes you have to try.

Greeks love their food with a passion, it comes second only to their love for hospitality, which means that if there is one thing that Greeks excel at, it is feeding you! The famous Mediterranean diet is so healthy and so good for you because it consists mostly of fresh, natural and local produce, and Greek cuisine takes that to a whole new level with Kalimata Olives, and of course locally produced extra virgin olive oil, and world famous local cheese to dominate dishes with fresh vegetables and meat. It really is the food of the Gods, and whilst you may not be able to get any Ambrosia down at the local Taverna, Greek cuisine is amazing, and one thing is for certain, you will never go hungry in Greece! Here are some of the best Greek dishes you have to try on your next visit to the land of myth and legend.

Moussaka.

One of the staples of Greek cuisine and considered to be the national dish, this is essentially a meat and vegetable bake. A good baked Moussaka is made from aubergine, potatoes and minced meat, usually lamb but beef is used quite often too, and then topped with a creamy béchamel sauce before being baked in the oven. Vegetarian option are available simply by substituting the meat for more vegetables.

Fasolada.

Another contender for the top spot in Greek cuisine, Fasolada, sometimes called Fasolatha, is Greece’s unofficial national dish. It is a basic, simple dish which is what the Mediterranean diet is famous for, and is simply a white bean soup made of beans, crushed tomatoes, onions, carrots and celery. A little bit of extra flavour can be added with some parsley or thyme, but that’s it. As simple and as hearty as you can get.

Yemista.

One of my absolute favourite go to starters, Yemista is basically a stuffed pepper or sometimes a tomato. Take a pepper, stuff in with either rice or finely minced lamb and then bake in the oven. No one said Greek food was complicated, but it really is delicious!

Papoutsakia.

Like Yemista, this is basically a stuffed starter. This time an eggplant stuffed with a mixture of eggs, bell peppers, minced meat, tomatoes, lemon and olive oil, and then covered with cheese.

Souvlaki.

Everyone knows Souvlaki! Of all Greek cuisine imported around the world, these meat skewers are probably the most popular and can hold claim to be the ultimate in Greek street food, especially after a night out! Typically served with tzatziki – a kind of yoghurt based sauce or dip – pita bread, salad, tomato or rice, you cannot go wrong with Souvlaki.

Gyro.

Okay, so there is another contender for the most popular Greek export, the world famous kebab! But this traditional Greek dish is so much more delicious than the average takeaway fare you will find anywhere else. Basically strips or chunks of meat, usually chicken, pork, lamb or beef, is cooked on a rotisserie over an open flame and then wrapped in a flatbread or pita along with salad, onions, sometimes feta cheese and a variety of sauces. I could quite literally exist on this dish alone!

Soutzoukakia.

A classic Greek dish similar to meatballs but shaped like oblong sausages, they are typically made from lamb and served with a spicy tomato sauce and rice or sometimes pasta, depending on what region you are in.

Keftethes.

These meatballs are an absolute staple of Greek cuisine. Basically minced lamb is rolled up into a ball, fried in grated potatoes to form a breaded, crispy structure, and then served with tzatziki sauce. A little bit of salad on the side finishes the dish, but this is as fresh and simple – and as delicious – as you get!

Koulouri.

This favourite Greek snack, usually sold from street carts in the morning, is a popular breakfast or mid morning snack and is perfect for setting you up until lunch. These are basically just large rings of soft, sesame seed covered bread.

Baklava.

A definite leftover from Greece’s Turkish and middle eastern influences, Baklavas have been adopted all over the Mediterranean but have very distinct regional differences. Greece’s Baklavas are small, wafer thin pastries and soaked in honey and various types of nuts, and are absolutely delicious!

Loukoumades.

These small, fried doughnut balls are the perfect Greek desert or snack! Basically tiny doughnuts drenched in honey and crushed walnuts, what’s not to like? They are great eaten as a snack, but quite often they are the quintessential embodiment of the social aspect of Greek cuisine, they are made to be shared and put on a huge central plate to enjoy with friends. I’m all for cultural immersion and everything but this time I’m not having it, touch my Loukoumades and we are throwing hands!

Galaktoboureko.

Difficult to pronounce but it is worth learning how to because nothing, and I do absolutely mean nothing, will send you into an ultimate foodgasm more than these tiny little custard slices made with thin, flaky, phyllo pastry!

Dolmades.

This typical Greek side dish is made of either grape leaves or vine leaves, stuffed with lemon rice and minced lamb, or just the rice if you want the vegetarian version, and then steamed.

Spanakopita.

Greece isn’t famous for its pies, but it should be. A classic pie beloved by vegetarians is Spanakopita, a layered flat pie made with flaky phyllo pastry and filled with spinach and feta cheese, and is absolutely delicious!

Stifado.

Stifado is a classic Greek stew, made with game meat like rabbit or occassionally beef, tomatoes and onions, it really is as basic as you get but is deliciously filling and perfect after hiking in the mountains or during the cooler winter months.

Bonus Recommendation: All Sea Food!

Greece is littered with islands, fishing villages and seafood restaurants where you can get some of the freshest, tastiest and most amazing seafood in the entire Mediterranean! From fresh calamari to seabass carpaccio, there is literally too much variety to mention in one post, but do not leave Greece without sampling at least some seafood from an island or coastal town!

Kalí órexi!

Enjoy your meal, as the Greeks would say!

As a writer I feel kind of cheeky trying to describe Greek food, it is so simple and so wholesome that there is very little room to wax lyrical of gild the lily! But therein lies the power and the popularity of Greek food. It is such a healthy staple of the Mediterranean diet because it is so simple, it is so delicious because it uses basic, hearty, local ingredients!

Greek food honestly doesn’t get the attention it deserves, which is all the more reason to try as much as you can while you are here! No matter what region you travel to, you will always be full!

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