ExploFood · Europe
What to eat in Greece
Five dishes to try in Greece, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Greece
Moussaka Μουσακάς
Baked layers of aubergine and spiced minced meat under a béchamel topping.
How to have it: Ordered at tavernas, usually baked at lunchtime and served warm rather than piping hot.
Souvlaki Σουβλάκι
Grilled pork or chicken skewers, often wrapped in pita with tzatziki.
How to have it: Order 'kalamaki' for a skewer or 'tylichto' for the pita wrap at a souvlatzidiko.
Gyros Γύρος
Meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, shaved into pita with tomato, onion and chips.
How to have it: The cheapest hot meal in Greece; pork is the default, chicken is common too.
Greek salad Χωριάτικη σαλάτα
Tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta with olive oil.
How to have it: Called horiatiki; ordered as a shared side at almost every meal in summer.
Avgolemono Αυγολέμονο
Chicken and rice soup thickened with egg and lemon.
How to have it: A home-style comfort soup, common in winter and after Easter.
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Questions
What food is Greece famous for?
Moussaka (baked layers of aubergine and spiced minced meat under a béchamel topping) comes first on our list, followed by Souvlaki, Gyros, Greek salad and Avgolemono.
What is the national dish of Greece?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Greece is Moussaka: baked layers of aubergine and spiced minced meat under a béchamel topping. Ordered at tavernas, usually baked at lunchtime and served warm rather than piping hot.
Which dishes in Greece are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Greek salad. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Greece?
Souvlaki (grilled pork or chicken skewers, often wrapped in pita with tzatziki) and Gyros (meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, shaved into pita with tomato, onion and chips).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Greece
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.