The traditional Greek cuisine is rich in very tasty and diverse specialties. There are differences in the preparation of certain dishes depending on the region where you are vacationing, and we will list what you should definitely try regardless of the region you are vacationing in.

The Best Traditional Greek Dishes

The most famous Greek, homemade, cooked dishes are:
Moussaka
Stifado
Pastitsio
Kleftiko

Moussaka

We can say that globally moussaka is the most famous Greek dish. The preparation of Greek moussaka is different from ours, so we recommend that you definitely try it. The ingredients also vary, as eggplant is an essential ingredient in Greek moussaka, as well as bechamel sauce. It is a bit more greasy and spicier than ours. You can try it anywhere, it is prepared in almost all taverns and restaurants, as well as in fast food restaurants. The most important thing is that it is fresh, so before you visit a restaurant intending to order moussaka, you can ask the owners of your accommodation to suggest where to go.

Stifado

Stifado is originally a dish with rabbit meat, but in restaurants it is usually served with veal. It is a dish that is prepared in a ceramic pot and cooked with very small shallots (shallots or pearl onions) and in a tomato sauce. All these cooked dishes have different variations and their taste largely depends on the preparation, so it is best that when you decide to try one of the local dishes, visit a tavern or restaurant recommended by the locals.

Pastitsio

Pastitsio is reminiscent of lasagna, it is pasta with minced meat, topped with bechamel sauce.

Kleftiko

Kleftiko is a very tasty dish. It is made with lamb, vegetables, and prepared in a ceramic pot. The best kleftiko they tried in northern Greece was prepared at the Piatsa Mihalis restaurant in Potos, but it is really worth it and we recommend that you definitely try it in that restaurant. It is also good at the Mesogios restaurant in Limenas in Thassos near the new port. In Sithonia and Kassandra, we did not come across well-prepared kleftiko even though we tried it in several restaurants. Maybe you will have better luck.

Lamb in Thassos, Sithonia, Kassandra

Greece is known for its delicious lamb. They say that Greek lamb does not have an intense smell that bothers some people, because the grass that the lambs consume in free range is full of salt and iodine. Be that as it may, the preparation of lamb is among the best Greek specialties. The best lamb in Thassos can be tasted in Theologos, at the Kleoniki restaurant (Iatrou-near Kostas’s mustache) and at the Stelios tavern. Here lamb is served from an electric grill. It is also excellent at George restaurant in Potos, because it is cooked on charcoal, not on an electric grill. This restaurant serves lamb only in the evening hours and is located near the main road in Potos. In the village of Panagia there are two taverns serving lamb, and you can choose the tavern in whose garden there is a large plane tree. Kazaviti is also known for lamb cooked under the bell, and most other traditional villages have lamb on their menus in their taverns. The best lamb (almost the only place where you can try lamb in Sithonia) is served in the village of Metagitsi (tavern Klimataria), and on Kassandra you can try it at the Mnemes restaurant in Pefkohori (lamb in the Cretan style). What equally impresses us in Greek cuisine are numerous hot appetizers. To be honest, we most often skip the main course in Greek taverns, because we always want to try as many different appetizers as possible.

The Most Famous Greek Appetizers and Dips

The most famous appetizers and dips are:
Bouyourdi - feta cheese\, tomatoes\, peppers\, and cheese baked in the oven (spicy and non-spicy versions)
Kolokithokeftedes - meatballs with zucchini
Halloumi - Cypriot cheese grilled
Tyrokafteri - crumbled feta with olive oil\, spices\, and chili peppers (spicy and non-spicy versions)
Fried zucchini or zucchini chips, served with tzatziki or skordalia
Tzatziki
Taramosalata - fish roe spread
We have listed some universal appetizers, but there are countless others that represent the specialties of specific restaurants.

Which fish and seafood to try in Greek taverns and restaurants

From seafood specialties, we recommend you to try:
Seafood risotto
Mussels in tomato or mustard sauce
Shrimps in all ways (boiled, grilled, fried, in sauce)
Calamari - fried or grilled

From fish:

Dentex
Sea bass
Dorado
Grilled sardines
Fried cod
Red mullet
For fish, it is essential that they are fresh. The best ones are from the open sea, but they are much more expensive compared to those from fish farms. You can see whether they are from the open sea or from fish farms by the price. For fish taverns, you need a proper recommendation. Check out our recommendations for fish and other taverns at popular Greek destinations at the end of the text.

The Best Greek Desserts

It is not easy to choose the best Greek desserts and sweets in general, but below we will list the most famous ones that you should try at least once:
Kadaifi - a dessert similar to baklava with a slightly different dough
Trigona - crispy pastry filled with vanilla cream
Baklava - with pistachios or walnuts
Portokalopita - orange pie
Sokolatopita - chocolate cake drizzled with syrup
Tsoureki - Greek sweet bread with various fillings
Milfei - crispy pastry with vanilla cream
Loukoumades - small donuts drizzled with honey and cinnamon
It is difficult to choose the best Greek desserts, as there are really many of them. Traditional ones are usually made from dough and drizzled with sugar syrup. A favorite Greek breakfast is sweet bougatsa. It is a pie made of thin crusts, filled with vanilla cream. For more information on this sweet breakfast and recommendations on where to try it, click HERE

Check out the complete list of restaurants you can visit during your vacation, which we have tried ourselves and recommended by local residents here:
Best restaurants in Thassos
Best restaurants in Sithonia
Best restaurants in Kassandra
Best restaurants in the Kavala region



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