The 20 most famous dishes of Greece
Greek cooking is the heart of the Mediterranean diet — olive oil, vegetables, herbs, feta and yoghurt — with grilled meats and sweets of honey and nuts.
1Moussaka
Layers of fried aubergine and minced meat in tomato and cinnamon, topped with thick béchamel and baked golden.
2Souvlaki
Skewers of meat cubes marinated in lemon and oregano, grilled and served in pita with tzatziki.
3Gyros
Slices of spiced meat roasted on a vertical spit, wrapped in pita with tzatziki and fries — shawarma's cousin.
4Spanakopita
A crisp filo pie filled with spinach, feta and herbs.
5Tzatziki
A dip of thick Greek yoghurt with grated cucumber, garlic, dill and olive oil.
6Horiatiki (Greek Salad)
The Greek village salad of tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper, olives and a big slab of feta.
7Dolmades
Vine leaves rolled around rice with herbs, lemon and olive oil, served cold with yoghurt.
8Pastitsio
Greek "lasagne": tube pasta with cinnamon-spiced minced meat and a thick layer of béchamel.
9Avgolemono Soup
Chicken and rice soup thickened with an egg-lemon mixture into a silky, tangy broth.
10Gemista (Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers)
Tomatoes and peppers stuffed with herbed rice and olive oil, baked with potatoes until golden.
11Fasolada
White bean soup with tomato, carrot, celery and olive oil, often called Greece's national dish.
12Keftedes
Greek meatballs with mint, oregano and onion, fried golden and served with tzatziki.
13Tiropita
Filo triangles or a tray pie filled with a feta and egg mixture.
14Kleftiko
Lamb slow-baked in parcels with garlic, lemon, oregano and potatoes until it falls apart — the name means…
15Stifado
A beef stew with lots of pearl onions in a tomato sauce with cinnamon and cloves.
16Greek Baklava
Buttery filo layers with walnuts and cinnamon, drenched in honey-lemon syrup after baking.
17Galaktoboureko
Creamy semolina custard between crisp filo layers, soaked in lemon syrup.
18Loukoumades
Light fried dough balls drenched in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts — like Arab luqaimat.
19Taramasalata
A creamy pink dip of fish roe, bread, olive oil and lemon — a famous Greek meze.
20Spanakorizo
Rice with spinach, dill, lemon and olive oil — a simple vegetarian dish served with feta.