Get ready for a “delicious” adventure! We’re diving into the Greek islands from a culinary perspective, exploring their rich gastronomic traditions. How many of you meticulously plan your holidays in Greece, seeking the perfect blend of relaxation and discovery during the enchanting Greek summer?
Any seasoned traveler knows that truly experiencing a destination means savoring its unique flavors and dishes.
Six Superb Greek Islands for Foodies
The Greek islands are renowned for their exceptional local delicacies, making this guide perfect for those eager to indulge in both stunning scenery and exquisite cuisine. Here, we’ll highlight six islands celebrated for their culinary offerings, showcasing popular dishes and must-visit spots to satisfy your cravings.
Important note: It was a challenge to narrow it down to just six islands, but here we are!
Let’s embark on a gastronomic journey through the Greek Isles!
Crete
The most oversized island of Greece is, of course, the first on the list. So many delicious local specialties!
What to taste:
-Dakos salad, made of hard bread (paximadi or rusks, lightly soaked in water so that they are softened), accompanied with tomato pieces, mizithra cheese and olive oil.
*Cretan Dakos
-Gamopilafo is the famous Cretan wedding rice. ‘Gamos’ in Greek means wedding; this kind of rice is served at Cretan weddings and at traditional taverns around the island.
-Kaltsounia, the sweet mini pies, served with honey or mini pies filled with cheese. They may seem similar to other cheese pies you could find around Greece, but taste them, and you’ll see that these are unique!
-Also, Sfakianes pites, pies from Sfakia, a mountainous area in the southwestern part of the island. They may seem like the common pancakes, but they are not. The main ingredients are flour, cheese, honey and raki (the traditional Cretan spirit).
-Bougatsa, pastry filled with cream and dusted with powdered sugar.
-Hohlioi boubouristoi (fried snails).
-Kserotigana, the honey-dipped spiral or butterfly-shaped pastries sprinkled with crushed almonds.
*Gamopilafo
-Cretan Cheeses. I have been to many parts of Crete (Chania, Rethymnon, Sitia, Hersonissos), and it seems every part has its own cheese. The most famous, though, are graviera (a hard cheese made of sheep’s milk), anthotiro from Sfakia (white and soft cheese made of goat’s or sheep’s milk), ksigalo from Sitia (creamy textured cheese with rich and slightly sharp taste).
There are many others, as well, that can be found in many places throughout Greece. Still, even these were primarily produced in Crete, such as mizithra, kefalotiri, staka, and pichtogalo of Chania.
*Bougatsa
Lamb with stamnagathi. Cretan people have their own lamb, and they serve it with stamnagathi, a wild leafy green. It’s a Cretan variety that has become famous internationally as a food ingredient.
Apaki (smoked pork) is a dish of pork made in a traditional Cretan way, and it is not easy to recreate outside Greece, at least not as the Cretans do it!
- Last but not least, tsikoudia or raki, the famous Cretan spirit.
Please remember that when Cretan people offer you raki, you don’t have any other option, than to drink it!
*Raki
Where to eat
Important notice: There are so many restaurants and tavernas worth mentioning, but unfortunately, I cannot include them all!
Elounda
For the best taramosalata and slow-cooked lamb, visit the Ferryman Taverna in Elounda. It has been operating since 1974.
Approximately an hour by boat from Elounda, you reach the village of Mochlos. There it would help if you ate at Kohilia Taverna. It serves the best mezedes (bites) ever! Try the dakos salad, the mizithra cheese, marinated sardines and saganaki.
Taverna Vatalos in Fragkokastelo serves all possible local Cretan food: cheeses, lamb cooked in many ways, apaki, kalitsounia, and the bonus is the galaktoboureko at the end of the meal.
*Image by Mulberry & Pomegranate
Naxos, Cyclades
Naxos is located at the South Aegean and it’s the largest of the Cyclades complex. When I hear the name ‘Naxos’ one thing that comes to my mind concerning the food is - Potatoes! They are very famous and consumed throughout Greece. However, there is more.
*Graviera
What to taste
Kitron liqueur, made of citron tree leaves, which is widely consumed.
Pig, pork and goat are used in various Naxian dishes. Among the most known is the ‘pig rosto’, which is pork leg stuffed with garlic and braised in wine and wild rabbit.
Also, ‘batoudo’ is a dish served during Easter and it consists of lamb stuffed with fennel and aromatic herbs. All dishes are accompanied with local vegetables, such as the Naxian sweet tomato.
Various local cheeses. ‘Arseniko’ is a hard goat cheese with an intense flavour. ‘Graviera’ of Naxos is also widely known, whilst ‘ximomizithra’ and ‘kopanisti’ are a must try.
In Naxos, locals combine potatoes with onions. Give it a try.
Moving on with desserts, ‘melachrino’ is something like a ‘karidopita’ (walnut cake).
*Flisvos
Where to eat
In Oasis you will have the best potatoes and stuffed peppers.
Elliniko offers tasty baked eggplant, cheese pies and lamb.
The island of famous chef Nicholaos Tselementes couldn’t be off this list! Sifnos owes its reputation to this local chef, who wrote the first Greek Recipe Book in 1910.
Ever since, his name is considered to be a synonym with Greek cooking and recipe books. It’s also important to mention that locals cook in traditional casseroles, something that makes the taste of their dishes unique and authentic!
*Mastela
What to taste
Mastela- a slow cooked lamb with red wine and vine.
Revithokeftedes or revithada. These are chickpeas fritters or chickpeas soup.
You will find many places to taste revithada in Exambela village, where Nicholas Tselementes grew up.
You should definitely have a drink at the famous local bar Kavos Sunrise. It’s run by a distinctive man known as ‘Che’, who is obsessed with Cuba.
For the best sweet delicacies, visit Theodorou Sweet Shop. Try the amygdalota and the bourekia.
*Fava
4. Santorini
There is no doubt that the ‘star’ of the Cyclades is one of the most romantic destinations throughout Greece, offering breathtaking views. Into this scenery add the vast array of delicious food and there- you have it all!
*Cherry tomatoes
What to taste
Fava (split peas)
White aubergines
Cherry tomatoes that only grow here.
Chloro cheese (coming from goat’s milk). It’s something like feta cheese, but the taste is milder.
Domatokeftedes, tomato fried balls, very popular in the island of Santorini.
Caper
Roasted lamb
Spinach pie
Brusco, Nichteri and Vissando are the best varieties.
A type of sweet pie made with mizithra cheese, sugar and mastiha powder.
*Domatokeftedes
Where to eat
There is chloro cheese in Psaraki, fish (try the octopus with caper), and the local beer, Red Donkey.
Taverna Roza prepares the best local food. Try domatokeftedes, tomatoes and aubergines and don’t miss the rabbit dish.
Tasty Greek food with a gourmet twist at the fantastic Laokasti.
In Melitini, you will enjoy a cold beer with meze platters. There is a wide variety, starting from cheese and fava to desserts. Bonus: The rooftop. Make sure you go there and enjoy the sunset.
Kyra makes superb domatokeftedes, fava and aubergines.
1800 is a must option for discovering all kinds of local flavours accompanied by local Santorinian wine.
Selene and Koukoumavlos are two of the best restaurants on the island, offering local food with gourmet twists.
*Wine in Santorini
5. Folegandros
Folegandros lies on the Southern Cyclades. A small, charming island, with a wild beauty.
*Matsata
What to taste
Matsata is the best known local food. It’s a fresh pasta dish made with red sauce and served with chicken or rabbit.
Tarama spread
Souroto cheese, a salty soft white cheese.
A delicious cheese pie made with ‘souroto’.
Karpouzenia, a local dessert made of watermelon.
Honey and pasteli
*Karpouzenia
Where to eat
Kritikos is one of the oldest tavernas in Folegandros, famous for its meat.
Sinantisi in Ano Meria has everything you need! Unbeatable matsata, cheese pies with souroto, local meat and at the end the owners bring you desserts.
Eva’s Garden is the one for you to taste gourmet Mediterranean flavours.
Goupi has the best mezedes.
To enjoy a relaxed evening or night with rakomelo, wine or homemade desserts and mezedes, go to Kafenion Lotzia. Yannis and his mother become your best friends and create a cozy atmosphere.
Don’t miss the local pies and bougatsa from Artos &bGefsi bakery.
*Eva's Garden
6. Lemnos
Lemnos is a large island in the North Aegean that is still undiscovered. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it maintains its pure beauty. Lemnos offers a wide variety of things to do, namely beaches, cultural and historical sightseeing, and, of course, food. This is a story in itself!
*Kalathaki cheese
What to taste
Can I start with the local wine? Lemnia Gi is one the most famous and widely produced wines in Greece. Of course, there are other varieties, and you can perfectly explore them through a wine-tasting evening. A perfect place to do that is Ktima Chatzigeorgiou. Polina Chatzigeorgiou will show you all about wine, from production to consumption.
Melichloro cheese, made of sheep and goat milk, is a hard cheese with a rich flavour.
Kalathaki is a white, soft, medium-medium cheese. Its flavour may remind you of feta, but you will taste the difference.
Virgin olive oil. ‘Ktima Olon’ is the perfect place to experience the production of pure oil. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Laskaridis, will guide you through the production stages of the above cheese.
Fish mezedes (bites). Sardines and anchovies marinated with vinegar and salt.
Where to eat
Visit the Kotsina village and there you will find the Muragio tavern. Try everything!
Peri Anemwn is again a tavern worth visiting for its Lemnian delicacies.
Flomari is a traditional yet new-age place close to Amothines.
Enia (meaning ‘sense’ in Greek). This is modern kafeneion, which serves simple dishes with gourmet variations and is always based on local produce. Don’t miss the octopus and lamb dishes.
Last but not least, don’t miss visiting the Pezoula- Home of Taste in Moudros. You can try a brunch menu featuring local dishes, such as an omelette with melicloro, palates, Mediterranean crab with tomato and eggs, and local cheese pie with kalathaki and peppermint. It also offers coffee and drinks, as it’s an all-day place!
*Taverna Mantella
OK! Who else is hungry? Kali Orexi!
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Maria Petropoulou
Maria Petropoulou is a Greek journalist currently working in a leading Greek news site. She loves culture, travelling and writing and she has combined all these in order to create her own key to happiness. She was born in Athens, studied there and continued with a Master’s degree in UK. London. She also owns the travel blog My Landing Runway, where you can find all her travel stories and wanderings. Now she begins her trip with GCT as our European cultural correspondent; she would like to welcome you all on board.