Greek Cuisine: 19 Greek Dishes You Need To Try

We’re here to give you the full breakdown of the best Greek dishes to try on your next holiday. To give you a true taste of the country, we’ve picked a mix of much-loved classics and regional specialities spanning meze, mains and desserts. Expect bright, fresh flavours from lemon, olive oil and herbs, rich slow-cooked meats infused with garlic and oregano, salty cheeses, plentiful salads, freshly grilled seafood and indulgent sweet treats drenched in honey. 

Greek meals almost always begin with a parade of small plates, hot and cold – a bit like Spanish tapas – with the idea of trying as many different flavours as possible together. This is called meze or a meze platter. Here are what we think are the best Greek dishes to try as part of the meze.

Tzatziki

Found on every table, in every region, Tzatziki is one of Greece’s most famous dips. This strained Greek yoghurt with grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil and mint (or dill) is the backbone of Greek cuisine. The perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, souvlaki and gyros. Or just a nice dipping sauce for flat breads or chips. Yep, there is barely a dish in Greece that doesn’t come with a bit of Tzatziki, and for good reason… It’s delicious.

Saganaki (Fried Cheese)

Named after the small, two-handed pan it’s cooked in, saganaki is a thick slice of firm Greek cheese, pan-fried until golden and crispy on the outside with a molten centre, then finished with lemon. Warm, crunchy and gooey in the middle. Delightful.

Found across all regions, it is usually made with graviera, kefalograviera or kasseri cheese but has regional variations – for example, formaela cheese is popularly used in Arachova. Each region claims to have the tastiest version – ‘the one you need to try above all others.’ But which one is the best is up for debate. You’ll just have to try them all to find out.

Spanakopita (Spinach & Feta Pie)

Perhaps Greece’s most versatile dish, spanakopita works well as a breakfast pastry, snack, starter or main course. Found nationwide but best known on Crete, this iconic flaky filo pastry pie, filled with spinach, feta and herbs, has a burst of flavour in every bite.  

Dolmades (Stuffed Vine Leaves)

Tender vine leaves wrapped around rice, herbs and sometimes minced meat, Dolmades are tender little parcels packed full of fragrant flavour. With each bite you get a mix of soft, tangy and earthy flavours. The perfect light bite to start any meal. You can find different versions depending on where you go in Greece. To the north, you’ll find more meat-filled versions, whereas on the islands vegetarian versions are more common.

Taramasalata

A staple of coastal tavernas across Greece, taramasalata is a real locals' favourite. A silky, pale-pink dip made from cured fish roe, olive oil, lemon and bread or potato gets its name from tarama – salted and cured cod or carp roe – and is best paired with warm pita or crusty bread.

Just like good sushi and Guinness, the real thing hits a little differently. The subtle and rich flavours are hard to beat. Taramasalata is a must-try and is one of the best Greek dishes.

Grilled Octopus (Chtapodi Sti Schara)

Beyond its rich history, whitewashed villages and turquoise seas, Greece is renowned for its fresh seafood. And at the top of the pile is grilled octopus.

Often seen hanging to dry outside waterfront tavernas, it’s usually chargrilled over coal until the tentacles are tender, then dressed with olive oil, lemon and oregano. The dish is part theatre, part meal and one of the great spectacles of Greek island dining. And don’t get me started on the flavour – without doubt one of the best Greek dishes to try.

Fava (Yellow Split Pea Purée)

A velvety puree made from yellow split peas, topped with onion, capers, and olive oil, Fava can be found across Greece but has been perfected in Santorini. The volcanic soil means that the peas that form the base of this dish are the finest and serve as the perfect canvas for the onions, capers and feta spread across the top. A bit like a more flavourful, creamier mashed potato, Flava works perfectly as a vegetarian main or a (very) generous starter that goes well with some pita.

Pitaroudia (Rhodes Chickpea Fritters)

If you like falafels, you’ll love pitaroudia – the herby little Greek cousin of falafels. Crispy golden fritters made from chickpeas, fresh herbs and tomato, typically served hot with lemon and accompanied by tzatziki, they have all the hallmarks of a falafel but with a more Mediterranean taste profile.

A Rhodian speciality, this dish is best sampled in Rhodes Old Town, surrounded by cobbled medieval streets that snake around a mix of Gothic, Byzantine and Ottoman buildings.

If you want to try Pitaroudia, then why not head to Levante Beach Club in Rhodes, where we run weekly trips to Rhodes Old Town. 

Unlike Greek meze, Greek mains are hearty, generous, deep and rich. We’re talking slow-cooked, braised, grilled, baked, plentiful and, most of all, absolutely delicious.

Here are eight of the best Greek dishes to have for your main course, the type that’ll have you taking your plate up for seconds and thirds rather than smashing it.

Moussaka

The undisputed heavyweight champion of Greek cuisine, moussaka, is an absolute must-try when visiting Greece. We’re talking layers of aubergine, spiced minced lamb or beef and a thick golden béchamel crust baked until bubbling and piping hot. Northern Greek variations often use potato instead of aubergine, giving the dish a creamy, layered texture reminiscent of dauphinoise potatoes.

Every family and taverna, dating back generations, has its own ‘secret recipe’, and this dish is found nationwide, all year round. But be warned. Go light on the starters, or at least wear trousers with an elasticated waist, because you are going to feel like you are going to burst after eating moussaka.  

Souvlaki

The smell of grilled meat that has you stopping dead in your tracks as you walk around Greece? Yeah, that’s Souvlaki. Skewered chunks of pork or chicken, seasoned simply with olive oil, lemon and oregano, served in warm pita with tzatziki, tomatoes and onion, or on a plate with chips and salad. It's simple, tasty street food in the best possible way. Souvlaki is such a popular dish in Greece that it’s almost like there’s a taverna, stall or truck on every corner selling it, and do you know what? We’re not mad at it.

Kleftiko (Slow-Roasted Lamb)

The longest to make, the quickest to eat, kleftiko will leave you savouring it long after you’ve finished. Lamb shoulder or leg, slow roasted in parchment with potatoes, garlic, rosemary, lemon and feta.This is a big comfort hug of a dish.

Kleftiko is found across Greece but is originally associated with the Peloponnese, said to come from klephts (mountain bandits) who cooked this dish in sealed pits to hide the smoke.  

If you’re looking to try kleftiko, head to Messini Beach Club, situated in the Peloponnese, a region that takes slow-cooked lamb seriously.

Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta)

Pastitsio is Greece’s answer to lasagne. Just like its Italian counterpart, it’s a layer of baked pasta on top of a ragu sauce, topped with a white sauce but warmer in spice, bolder in flavour and with a golden béchamel top that comes out of the oven smelling like Sunday lunch and a Greek grandmother's kitchen rolled into one.

Pastitsada (Ionian Spiced Pasta) — Regional Gem

Pastitsada is a strong example of Italian culinary influence in Ionian cooking. A hearty pasta dish topped with slow-braised beef in a rich, spiced tomato sauce, it reflects the deep Venetian roots that still run through the food culture of the Ionian Islands — Corfu in particular. The Venetians ruled Corfu for over four centuries and that history lives on in the kitchen: the long, patient cooking, the warmth of cinnamon and cloves in the sauce, the comfort of pasta as a foundation. It's the kind of dish that tells you more about a place than any guidebook could — one that has stayed largely unchanged for generations because, quite simply, there's no reason to improve it.

Stifado (Slow-Cooked Stew)

Keeping with the theme of slow-cooked, hearty, aromatic stews, stifado is usually cooked with beef, rabbit, or hare, braised in baby onions, cinnamon, garlic cloves and allspice. It’s that perfect combination of tender melt-in-your-mouth meats with a thick, smooth sauce.

With sweet, warm, and deep flavour profiles, it is more common in the winter months but can be found on some taverna menus year-round, with different versions in different regions.

Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

The dish that launched a thousand holidays. Horiatiki, or Greek Salad to you and me, needs no introduction. But we’re going to give it one anyway.

Found on every taverna menu, this salad has been a foundation of Greek cuisine. With a name that loosely translates to "village salad," it is at its best when simple and shaped by the land. Fresh, ripe red tomatoes, cool cucumbers, sharp red onions, olives and a soft slab of feta dressed in nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. It’s low effort. No fuss. Relaxed. Almost like it’s a metaphor for a holiday in Greece. Which is why it’s hands-down one of the best dishes in Greece. 

Unapologetically sweet, honey-soaked and genuinely wonderful, Greek desserts are certainly unique and the perfect balance to the generous starters and mains.  

Here are the best desserts in Greece to try.

Baklava

With influence from the Middle East, Greece is no stranger to top-class baklava. Found in every patisserie and taverna, there’s one on almost every corner of the country. With layers of filo pastry packed with walnuts and drenched in honey, baklava is sticky, sweet and utterly indulgent.

It’s worth noting that the Greek versions favour walnuts over pistachios and tend to go a little heavier on the honey, but each region makes it slightly differently, so it’s worth asking whilst there.

Loukoumades (Greek Doughnuts)

One of Greece’s most popular street food dishes, loukoumades, is Greece’s answer to doughnuts. Extremely popular in Athens and larger resort towns, loukoumades are hot, pillowy balls of fried dough, drizzled with honey and dusted with cinnamon. Some variations are served with crushed walnuts; others with sesame seeds.

Loukoumades were one of the original awards given to champions of the Olympic Games and have been served for over 2,000 years. So you’re in good company as you eat these tasty little mouthfuls.

Galaktoboureko (Custard Filo Pie)

CUSTARD FILO PIE. Yep, you read that right. Galaktoboureko is a crispy filo pastry that is filled with a rich semolina custard and drenched in a citrusy syrup. It’s best served slightly warm to enjoy the contrast between the crispy pastry and the cool, creamy filling and is a staple of Greek celebrations and family gatherings.

Warm, fragrant and completely irresistible, galaktoboureko doesn’t get the recognition its sister dish, baklava, does but some argue it is just as tasty, if not tastier.

Melekouni (Rhodes Sesame & Honey Bar)

A Rhodes speciality, melekouni is a dense, chewy bar made from sesame seeds, honey, orange zest and spices. Traditionally given as a wedding gift, this dish has been made on the island since ancient times and is naturally sweet, nutty and very satisfying.

Fancy a trip to Rhodes? Check out Levante Beach Club. 

From meze platters, including saganaki and fava, to world-beating mains like pastitsio and stifado and desserts that leave you craving more, there is a whole world of cooking waiting to be explored.

Thankfully, traditional Greek cuisine is found across all our Greek Beach Clubs – Messini, Buca, Vounaki, Cosmos and Levante. With an array of choices for all eaters, we have dedicated our Beach Clubs to showcasing as many of these wonderful traditional dishes as possible. So, if you’re up for trying them, come and join us.

Oh, and since food is also important for refuelling, Greek cuisine makes the perfect post-family paddle board session or post-tennis-match meal – the ideal balanced diet for recovery and replenishment.