There are many food specialties to try out in Greece, so I’ve made you a list of the most famous and tasty ones !
If you are coming to Greece, you cannot miss the food culture there.
Whether it is their famous gyros, Tzatziki or their delicious baklavas, I’ll list here what specialties you can find and where to try them.
The savoury food you’ll find on every menu in Greece is the tzatziki. This refreshing dip made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and herbs, is often served as a condiment with various dishes like souvlaki or as a dip with bread or pita.
In Greece, you will find many other dips such as :
- Tirokafteri : A spicy dip made from feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and a blend of spices, often including garlic and chili flakes
- Melitzanosalata : A smoky eggplant dip made with roasted eggplant, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and sometimes yogurt or tahini
- Fava : A dip made from yellow split peas, cooked down and pureed into a smooth consistency, then topped with olive oil.
All dips will be served with pita bread, which is a delicious flatbread.
Also very famous there : the souvlakis, which are skewered marinated grilled chicken (or sometimes pork). They are often served with pita, fresh vegetables, and a side of tzatziki sauce.
Another typical dish in you’ll find on every menu in Corfu is the moussaka : it’s a layered casserole made with eggplant, minced meat (often lamb or beef), and béchamel sauce, baked until golden brown.
Other specialties include :
- Gyro: Thinly sliced, marinated meat, cooked on a vertical rotisserie and served in pita with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki, and sometimes fries, all wrapped in pita bread. Easy to eat on the go and quite cheap as well (see picture 2 and 4).
- Greek Salad : The famous greek salad consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, and feta cheese, dressed with olive oil and oregano (see picture one).
- Spanakopita: A savory pie made of phyllo dough filled with spinach, feta cheese, onions, and herbs.
- Dakos : This Greek-style bruschetta is typically made with crusty bread topped with a mixture of ripe tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and herbs like oregano or basil (as shown on picture 3 below).
- Saganaki: A dish made of fried cheese, typically Kefalotyri or Graviera, often flambéed with a splash of brandy and lemon juice.
- Dolmades: Grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, herbs, and sometimes meat, typically served with lemon (I personally find those to be a bit bitter).
- Kleftiko: Slow-cooked lamb that has been marinated in garlic and lemon, often cooked with vegetables in a sealed parchment or clay pot.
Similar to Mediterranean countries, you’ll find a lot of baklava (layered phyllo pastry with chopped walnuts and (lots of) honey).
You’ll also find :
- Loukoumades: Small, round doughnuts that are deep-fried and then soaked in honey syrup, often sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts.
- Melomakarona: Honey-soaked cookies flavored with orange zest and spices, often topped with crushed walnuts.
- Galaktoboureko: A dessert made with layers of phyllo dough filled with custard and soaked in syrup after baking.
- Karidopita: A walnut cake soaked in spiced syrup, typically flavored with cinnamon and cloves.
But usually, you will be served either fruits or baklava for dessert.
Prices in Greece and especially Corfu restaurants are quite affordable, for example gyros were around 6€, and meals are usually 15€ per person.
I will list three of the best restaurants we tried on our stay and that I would recommend :
- Marineris : Located in Liapades, it’s a traditional restaurant close to Rovinia beach and Limni beach. Absolutely recommend the greek bruschetta here, it was the best we had during our stay (see second picture below).
- Afionas the grill restaurant : Located in Anions, it’s perfect for a pit stop after Porto Timoni beach’s walk back up. Their gyros are delicious and cost only 6€. The decor is also quite nice, as shown on the last picture below.
- Panorama restaurant Limni : Located in Limni, this restaurant has a wonderful panoramic view of the sea. It’s a perfect place for sunset, plus, their dips and pita are really good ! (see first picture below).
That’s it for my recommendations on the food specialties to try out in Corfu. We had a wonderful time trying all the best food specialties in Greece, and I’m sure you will too !
If you plan on visiting Corfu any time soon, check out my article about the Top five beaches in Corfu, or the Top five viewpoints in Corfu.
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