Greek cuisine about traditions. It’s not surprising, given its nearly four thousand years of history. It’s worth noting that Greeks have carefully preserved four main secrets throughout the millennia, which form the basis of most Greek cuisine recipes: simplicity in preparation, quality ingredients, renowned olive oil, and skillful use of numerous herbs and spices. The foundation of the Greek diet consists of olive oil, wine, and bread. Various rolls and flatbreads in Greece are made from wheat or barley flour with additions like cheese, vegetables, olives, or honey.

Few people know that the first cookbook, published in 330 BCE, was written by the Greek chef Archestratos. Additionally, the tall white chef hats first appeared in Greece. In the Middle Ages, monks in local Orthodox monasteries, responsible for feeding the brethren, wore precisely such headgear. And how can we not mention the originator of all revelry and celebrations – the god Dionysius. Nectar, ambrosia… as the saying goes, “In Greece, everything exists.”

The core of Greek cuisine, what is it?

The roots of Greek cuisine lie in home cooking. Until the mid-20th century, the country was agrarian, and Greek women sensibly and creatively used seasonal products. Stuffed tomatoes and eggplants, for example, are not prepared in winter, even though these vegetables are available year-round. Many traditional dishes are still associated with religious holidays. Magiritsa, a delicious soup with lamb offal, green onions, and dill, is eaten only on Holy Saturday, while pork is often consumed during Christmas and New Year.

What do Greeks love to eat? Legumes, cereals, vegetables, herbs, olive oil, olives, honey, dairy products, especially young cheeses and yogurt. In the numerous islands where boats outnumber cars, fish and seafood are everyday and traditional food for Greeks. Greeks have never been known as meat lovers. However, since the mid-60s of the last century, meat has taken a more significant place in the country’s daily diet.

What do Greeks eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Greeks have lunch around two o’clock, dine after 20:30, often at 22:00 or even later. For breakfast, it’s usually a cup of coffee with a bun or cookies. Although home cooking is essential, Greeks love going to restaurants (we won’t talk about restrictions during the pandemic right now). Outgoing and emotional descendants of the builders of the Parthenon love going out. If there were an opportunity, they would spend all their free time with their parea (company) of friends and family outside the home. Taverns, cafes, bars, cafeterias, restaurants – Greece has plenty of options.

A few words about Greek “coffee,” which is a variation of Turkish coffee. It’s brewed in a small copper or brass pot with a long handle, called “briki.” Even if there is an electric stove at home, many specifically buy a gas burner to make their favorite drink, explaining the stability and beauty of the foam due to this particular preparation.

On average, Greeks drink 2-3 cups of coffee daily. It can be three degrees of sweetness: “sketo” – without sugar, “metrio” – with up to 1 teaspoon of sugar, and “glyko” – anything sweeter than “metrio.” Coffee in Greece is almost always served with a glass of cold water. However, for frappe coffee, invented in Greece, cold water is not needed because it is already cold. To prepare this refreshing and invigorating drink, water, coffee, and sugar are whipped until a stable and fluffy foam is formed, poured into a tall glass, and drunk through a straw.

Greek Cuisine by Region

Ionian Islands Cuisine

The Ionian Islands, located between mainland Greece and Italy, have at different times been a haven for Venetians and French. Therefore, the local cuisine partly resembles Italian and French cuisine. Here, especially in winter, dishes like stufato are popular – beef, pork, or chicken slow-cooked at low temperatures in a sauce.

In Greece, as in many European countries, there is a significant difference between the “noble” cuisine of old aristocratic families and the dishes of simple rural laborers. The wealthy from the north of the country somewhat disdain hot red pepper, while peasants in Corfu and Paxos, a small island a few kilometers south of the well-known Corfu, adore peppers and often prepare them as a sauté, seasoned with garlic and herbs, serving the dish with polenta.

Peasant cuisine is not as simple as it seems. On Kithira, the southernmost of all the Ionian Islands, they make ricotta-like cheese (ricottalike) with added fig juice instead of rennet and an original pasta – ksinohondros made from wheat flour and milk. Usually, it takes the form of small grains and can be sweet or slightly tangy. The latter uses already fermented cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk or yogurt.

Thessaloniki, Macedonia, and Thrace Cuisine

Macedonia and Thrace, the northeastern part of mainland Greece (with Thessaloniki at the forefront), are home to Muslims of Turkish origin, Greeks, and Bulgarians. Residents of the former Ottoman Empire brought their irresistible and luxurious desserts to this part of the country, such as the Turkish variation of pan-cooked pudding – kazandipi, a small crescent-shaped pastry made from a mixture of dried fruits, nuts, and citrus peel, coated with chocolate.

Pontians, who settled in this region, have their cuisine. Its signature product is Pontian mozzarella made from buffalo or cow’s milk – pontiako tyri and kapnisto (its refined smoked version).

Since Thessaloniki is a resort city by the sea, local dining is impossible without gifts from the sea, especially mussels. They are baked and served with garlic sauce, skordalia. Such a dish is perceived and served not as a main course but as an appetizer. In Macedonia and Thrace, this category of dishes is extremely popular. Coming together under the common name “meze,” its appetizing small representatives have gone beyond the region and even beyond the borders of Greece.

The Cuisine of the Peloponnese

The Peloponnese Peninsula, located at the southern end of the mainland, is renowned for its olive groves, vineyards, abundance of vegetables, and fruits. Cabbage, carrots, eggplants, artichokes, tomatoes, lemons, oranges, melons, and apricots thrive in the fertile lands of the peninsula. Before the pandemic, every weekend in July, the residents of the coastal town of Epidaurus held an agrotourism fair where people could buy and taste all these gifts of the land, along with jams, preserves, marmalades, pickles, and other homemade products crafted by the skilled local women. In the Peloponnese, visitors may encounter cafes and taverns where dishes such as salads, vegetable stews, or even soups are enhanced with olive oil, self-produced in private olive presses. The locals here highly value and discriminate positively about their olive oil – and rightfully so!

The local fir honey is considered one of the best in the world and has a protected geographical indication. The most prized honey is harvested in early autumn. Greeks, in general, use this product not just as a tea sweetener but also to accentuate the depth and flavor of main dishes, especially those made from legumes, lamb, and goat.

The Cuisine of the Aegean Islands

Near the shores of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, you’ll find the Aegean Islands, with Lesbos and Chios being the largest among them. Unlike many smaller Greek islands, these islands are self-sufficient and not dependent on the tourist season. Uzo, a distilled spirit made from water and anise, often flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, reigns supreme here. Producers from Lesbos have managed to make it well-known throughout the country and even export it abroad, while the hardworking people of Chios also produce a drink that is no less excellent. Perhaps it’s because the residents of the first island are more industrious and meticulous in the truest sense of the word. They even managed to cultivate over 11 million olives on their stony and hilly land.

In the company of uzo, it’s customary to serve fried and baked vegetables, salads with legumes, stuffed zucchini flowers, and, of course, the gifts of the sea, ranging from skate and sardines to exotic red bivalves.

The Cuisine of Crete

Blending Eastern and Western traditions, Crete, the largest and southernmost of all the Greek islands, is distinctive and uniquely its own. The word “vegetarian” in Greek is “hortofagos,” literally meaning “weed eater.” Here, a variety of wild leafy greens, known as “horta,” gathered from hills and fields, is prepared in diverse and elaborate ways. Wild spinach, dandelions, nettles, purslane, and other greens are usually chopped and used as a seasoning for main ingredients. On Crete, “horta” takes center stage. It’s even fair to say it takes the spotlight.

The greens are simply chopped and dressed with a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice. This simple dish is served not only at home but also in restaurants. If you want to add complexity, the greens are sautéed with onions, fennel, potatoes, or used in omelets and casseroles. And in each dish, the quantity is measured not in leaves but in bunches. Women selling this popular item in Cretan markets gather wild greens in bunches specifically for salads, pies, or stewed dishes. That’s the “Greek bouquet garni.”

The extremely aromatic Cretan thyme is sometimes sold separately, with a sly smile. It is considered an aphrodisiac, called “eronda” – the “love potion.” Whether you believe in it or not is your prerogative. What is certain is that thyme infusion cures colds and, in general, is good for maintaining alertness and optimism.

The Cuisine of Athens and Central Greece

If you find yourself in Athens, visit the Athens Agora square, northwest of the Acropolis. There is a museum showcasing kitchen utensils, dishes, and tableware, allowing you to partly appreciate the household life of Ancient Greece. Modern city life, on the one hand, contradicts museum values, but on the other hand, it emphasizes that ordinary human desires – to relax comfortably and eat deliciously – have remained very relevant. Almost where the ancient market bustled, modern shopping centers and stores now stand, and where ancient Greeks enjoyed their meals, their descendants sometimes hurriedly, sometimes just for the love of street food, order spinach pies (spanakopita), pork or lamb kebabs (souvlaki), Greek gyros, or a horiatiki pita pie made of phyllo dough and filled with spinach, green onions, and feta.

In the capital, you can also experience high-end Greek cuisine presented by chef Lefteris Lazarou at the Varoulko restaurant (1 Michelin star). No matter how modern his dishes may seem, in most of them, the chef uses Greek olive oil, serving as its ambassador and one of the main promoters of Greek cuisine worldwide. In Lazarou’s arsenal are traditional recipes for sauces made with oil, such as avgolemono with beaten egg yolks for meat or vegetables, the already mentioned skordalia sauce, where garlic is mashed with oil and bread and served with fish and seafood, and latholemono, a mixture of oil and lemon juice for dressing salads of vegetables and fresh greens.

If you leave Athens and head into the mainland, your journey will take you through Thessaly and Central Greece. There’s a belief that the classic Greek cuisine dish – young lamb on a spit – was first prepared in these regions. That’s why this region and, of course, Athens have so many specialized meat taverns known as “hasapotavernes.”

Three hours away from the capital is Mount Parnassus, now a popular ski resort. It’s also a pastoral area with flocks of sheep and goats. The cheese here is… a bit spicy, pasty, made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk called “katiki,” and the noble classic – feta.

What to Try in Greece?

Florina Pepper

If you come across a pile of highly aromatic, long, red peppers at a farmers’ market, know that it’s Florina from Thrace. It’s sweet and meaty. Whether fried or baked, it’s eaten on its own, used for making meze, sauces, seasonings, or paired with cheeses. Preserved Florina peppers in olive oil are among the most popular export products.

Paximadia

These are rusks, usually soaked in water before eating. The most famous ones are made in Crete from barley and wheat. In other parts of the country, they are made from rye or chickpea flour with the addition of herbs and spices.

Mastic (Mastiha)

Known as Mastiha in Greece, it’s resin pieces (crystals) formed on the bark of the mastic tree. Produced traditionally on the island of Chios in the Aegean Sea for at least 2400 years, if not longer. Mastiha is used to make chewing gum, added to chocolate creams and yogurts, or ground with a mortar and pestle with a small amount of sugar or salt. It’s also the base for a strong liquor with a mild taste, cucumber undertones, and a pine-fruity aroma.

Dakos

A shepherd’s food. A salad made from tomatoes, feta, olive oil, and paximadia rusks, grated with garlic and soaked in water.

Honey

Greece is renowned for its honey. The country’s incredibly rich flora provides bees with a vast variety of wild flowering plants. Greek honey varies greatly depending on the season. Bees forage on meadow flowers in spring, adore flowering thyme in early summer, turn to pine in summer and early autumn, pay attention to heather after the first autumn rains, and cherish chestnut in autumn. Experts recommend trying thyme honey from Crete.

Olive Oil

Greece ranks third in olive oil production and first in consumption. On average, each Greek consumes over 20 liters of olive oil per year. The best oil is produced in the Peloponnese, Crete, and Lesbos, although olive trees grow in 50 out of 54 Greek prefectures.

Olives

The most famous variety is, of course, the Greek Kalamata olive—almond-shaped, brown-black with a dense skin. Besides them, there are dozens of table olive varieties, mostly of regional origin. Olives are often stuffed or seasoned with fennel, lemon, garlic. In recent years, some Greek producers have been experimenting with making jams from olives.

Soups

In Greece, they enjoy thick soups with vibrant colors, more resembling puree or porridge in consistency. Preference is given to light fasting versions. Avgolemono is made from chicken broth, with the meat usually not added. Orzo (short pasta) is boiled in the broth, sometimes replaced with rice. Avgolemono sauce, an egg-lemon mixture, regulates the consistency of the soup. Greek cuisine: Avgolemono soup is dressed with Avgolemono sauce.

Fasolada

A fasting but incredibly tasty and nutritious dish. The key role here is played by beans, or as the Greeks call them, “caviar of the poor.” They are soaked in cold water overnight and then poured with boiling water and cooked for several hours. To already soft beans, vegetables are added: carrots, celery, and a tomato mixture made from mashed tomatoes, fried onions, and spices. Fasolada is served both hot and cold, preserving its taste properties.

Revithia

It’s a light chickpea soup, and the preparation is somewhat similar to Fasolada. Chickpeas are soaked in water overnight, well-rinsed, and boiled for about two hours. When boiling, foam appears, which needs to be removed. Finely chopped onions, Greeks’ beloved olive oil, and traditional spices are added to the mixture. Finally, emphasize the taste with lemon juice. Revithia should have a puree soup consistency. If it turns out rather liquid, they thicken it with flour.

Kakavia

Its name comes from the pot (kakavi) in which it is cooked—it is considered the oldest recipe for Greek fish soup. Initially, only small fish were put in it. However, variations with other seafood—mussels and shrimp—are increasingly common. Garlic and onions are added to heated oil, sautéed until golden brown. Then, saffron, tomatoes, salt, and pepper are added. When the vegetable mixture simmers a bit, a whole fish is added. The content is strained through a sieve, and pieces of large fish or other seafood are dipped into the resulting mass. Lemon juice will add a pleasant touch. Kakavia is served with pieces of bread fried in oil.

Youvarlakia

A type of soup with meatballs, present in the kitchens of many countries. However, it has its peculiarities. The minced meat is prepared conventionally: fried onions and garlic, boiled rice, egg, minced meat, salt, and pepper. Meatballs are fried in oil, poured with water, and left to stew. The main feature of the soup is Avgolemono sauce, which gives it a pleasant acidity. The sauce is mixed with a small amount of broth and added to the meatballs. The mass is heated, but it should not boil. The finished dish is garnished with chopped parsley.