Photo: Contiki
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Characterized by the classic Mediterranean diet, Greek cuisine is rich with culinary traditions, and it’s also lip-smackingly delicious! There’s really nothing quite like a dollop of fresh tzatziki on some pita bread to cool you down while you’re lounging at the beach.
Whether you’re out and about in Athens, or floating on a catamaran while island hopping, Greek street food is sure to be one of the shining stars of your sunny holiday. These are the best bits you must try!
What is typical Greek street food?
Greek street food staples include gyros and souvlaki! Super flavourful and super easy to carry and eat while you walk, these menu items are icons all around Greece for a reason.
What is Greece’s most popular food?
Greece’s most popular street food is without a doubt the humble and delicious gyros! You can find it at food trucks, street stalls, and restaurants all over the country.
Best Greek street foods
1. Gyros
Right, so you obviously can’t talk about Greek street food without talking about gyros. But why are they so great? Similar to kebabs, gyros are made up of meat cooked on a rotisserie and wrapped in pillowy pita bread with an array of toppings.
The meat is usually beef, chicken, or lamb, and the usual toppings include: tomatoes, cucumber, onion, fries, and a healthy serving of tzatziki. I’m salivating just thinking about it.
2. Souvlaki
Souvlaki are grilled meat, served on skewers, and eaten while they’re still hot! So convenient to pick up and enjoy on the go, you can’t go wrong here. Like gyros, the meat is usually beef, chicken, or lamb and you can find these at any self-respecting street grill or street food truck.
3. Spanakopita
A truly authentic part of Greek food, spanakopita is not only fun to say but delicious to eat. Golden crispy phyllo dough is baked with a filling of feta cheese, spinach, and lots and lots of olive oil. The crunch of the phyllo and the softness of the cheese and spinach all come together to create these portable pockets of heaven!
Image source:Contiki
4. Kreatopita
You’ll find that phyllo dough is a bit of a central theme throughout Greek dishes, and if you’re a meat lover mourning the lack of it in spanakopita, then kreatopita is for you. Basically, this is a Greek meat pie. A stewed ground beef filling – mixed with plenty of flavourful herbs, diced red peppers, and sometimes cheese – is stuffed into phyllo dough for an infinitely simple and mouth-watering meal.
5. Peinirli
What makes a pizza? Baked dough with toppings? It seems every culture around the world has their own pizza style, and in Greece it’s the peinirli. Similar to Georgian khachapuri, peinirli is a long boat-shaped open pie, topped with a hefty blanket of cheese, various meats and vegetables, and a gorgeous golden egg. Not the most practical meal to walk around with, but definitely a great contender to eat on the side of a street in Athens while you watch the world go by.
6. Dolmas
Now this is Greek street food at its finest. Dolmas are grape leaves, drenched in olive oil and stuffed with a variety of fillings. The most common filling is rice mixed with either minced meat, seafood, or offal – though combinations can vary. Bite-sized, dolmas are refreshing as f**k, and oh so very addictive.
Dolma is the Turkish word for stuffed, and this snack originated in Ottoman cuisine, which can be found all over Europe’s Mediterranean region.
7. Fish in a cone
How can we talk about Greek food without mentioning seafood??!!!!! Fish in a cone is exactly what it sounds like: battered and fried fish of all sorts, served in a paper cone for carrying convenience. Most commonly found in Italy, this street food is growing in popularity all around Greece, especially in Athens. The type of fish you get might depend on the catch of the day or where you are, but you can expect anchovies, sardines, other small fish, and even shrimp. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and you’re golden!
8. Fritters!
Speaking of fried things, who doesn’t love a bit of battered vegetable dunked into tzatziki and drizzled with olive oil? Seasonal veg is a staple of Greek cuisine, and they really take advantage of their fresh produce here. You can get kolokithokeftedes (courgette fritters) or tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) and they’re both crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, bursting with minty flavours.
If you want a meat option that resembles fritters, keftedes, also known as Greek meatballs, are an excellent choice too!
9. Grilled octopus
Especially common along Greece’s gorgeous jagged coasts and throughout the islands, you can’t travel to Greece without tasting some octopus. Caught fresh from the ocean, grilled octopus is chewy and salty and oh-so-amazing. There’s a variety of ways to eat it: on a skewer souvlaki style, in pasta dishes, served on bruschetta, or simply dressed in lemon juice and olive oil.
10. Koulouri Thessaloniki
Basically, koulouri is like the Greek version of a bagel! Either formed into a ring, or braided, the dough is covered in sesame seeds and cooked until crispy. Sometimes simplicity yields the best results. You can eat koulouri on its own, dipped in tzatziki or drizzled with honey. Whatever floats your boat.
Greek sweet treats
1. Loukoumades
Little balls of deep fried dough which are drenched in honey and sprinkled with pistachio or sometimes cinnamon, loukoumades are Greek doughnuts and they’re a classic sweet treat all around the Mediterranean. Dare you not to eat a dozen in one sitting.
Image source:Ahmed / unsplash
2. Bougatsa
Phyllo is back, and this time it’s filled with creamy custard and orange zest! Bougatsa can be a little conspicuous to eat on account of all the flaky dough and the oozing custard, but it’s so worth the mess!
3. Baklava
An iconic Mediterranean and Ottoman dessert, baklava is pure decadence in a small pillowy parcel. Layers of phyllo are filled with finely chopped nuts and then soaked in a syrup made of honey, orange blossom, and cardamom. It’s a very sweet and fragrant dessert, the perfect complement to a sunny holiday.
Image source:Contiki
The Greek salad
Synonymous with Greek cuisine is the Greek salad! While we wouldn’t necessarily class it as street food seeing as it’s not the easiest to eat on the go, it’s available absolutely everywhere in the country.
It couldn’t be more simple: sliced tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, and red onion, tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. You can eat it any time of day, anywhere at all. It’s crispy and refreshing and maybe the most iconic Mediterranean dish.
Notes on Greek cuisine
Greek cuisine is characterized by fresh and flavourful dishes, made with very simple and seasonal ingredients. Olive oil is the most important ingredient in all of Greek food – it’s never not used.
Staples include:
- Grilled meats like beef and lamb
- Seafood caught right on the coast
- Seasonal vegetables, mostly olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplant
- Pita bread and phyllo dough
- Dips! Namely tzatziki, taramasalata, fava, and humous
- Herbs like mint, dill, and oregano
Meze-style dishes are a popular part of Greek cuisine, as well as stews and baked dishes like moussaka and fasolakia.
Many Greek street foods and dishes are similar to foods found in Türkiye, Cyprus, and other south and eastern European countries. So when travelling, you’ll find a lot of overlap with foods you might already know and love!
