What I ate in Greece

Before my trip to Greece, I thought that everything would be quite predictable with the local cuisine: Greek salad, moussaka, souvlaki and some seafood. As a result, it turned out that even familiar dishes are perceived quite differently here, especially when you eat them in a small tavern after a few hours of walking around the city.

Souvlaki with side dish

The first thing I ordered in Greece

I started with the classic Greek salad. Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta, oregano and plenty of olive oil. At first glance, nothing unusual, but it is the freshness of the products here that makes it completely different. The official travel portal of Greece also calls choriatiki one of the most famous dishes of the country.

Greek salad

Zajiki, a thick sauce made from Greek yogurt, cucumber and garlic, appeared almost immediately with the salad. I wanted to add it to literally everything, especially meat and fresh bread.

Souvlaki, which turned out to be better than expected

Souvlaki was next. I ordered the meat on a skewer, and then tried the pitta version with tomatoes, onions and zajiki. This is exactly the case when the dish looks as simple as possible, but after a whole day of walking it turns out to be exactly what you need.

Pita with filling

In general, meat in Greece is often cooked very simply - grilled, a little spices, oregano, lemon and olive oil. At the same time, the taste is saturated. Seafood, vegetables, legumes and various cheeses are also widely represented in traditional Greek cuisine.

Moussaka is a dish that I remember

Of course, I couldn't leave without trying moussaka. Layers of eggplant and potatoes, minced meat with tomato sauce and delicate bechamel sauce on top. The dish turned out to be much more satisfying than I expected, so after it I didn't want to walk anymore, but just sit quietly on the terrace with coffee.

What else have I tried?

In different places I came across dolmadakia, fried squid, grilled octopus and various Greek pies. I especially liked that the menu changed a lot depending on the location. There are more seafood on the islands, and in other regions you can find more meat dishes and local pies.

fried squid

I also realized one important thing: Greek cuisine is not just a few famous dishes for tourists. Each region has its own products and recipes, and many dishes are based on olive oil, herbs, vegetables, cheese, fish and meat.

As a result, I went to Greece with the idea of trying some classic dishes, and left with a long list of things I would like to try next time. Perhaps this is one of the best signs of good cuisine - when, after returning home, you begin to remember not only the places you saw, but also what you ate at every table during the trip.