Greek cuisine holds a special place in the international culture of flavours for its large variety of quality products, wise combinations and centuries-old know how.

The islands and mountainous mainland of Greece offers exceptional aromas and products to cook with; it is rather awesome to have aromatic herbs within reach in an everyday basis: oregano, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, lemons and olive oil enriches the flavour of Greek recipes. Nonetheless, fresh fish, seafood, meat, legumes and fruits, vegetables and dairy products, accompanied by the country’s sublime wines create the unique culinary flavours and aromas you’ll come across in Greece!

Either you find yourselves in a fish taverna by the seaside or a restaurant on the mainland, one thing is certain; you won’t know what to try out first. However, with the large variety of Greek recipes, there are always a couple of dishes that stand out, and might hold a special place in your heart.

Read ahead and discover the 10 most renown and beloved Greek dishes.

Open your appetite…

The all star of the Greek table is undoubtedly the Greek Salad; juicy red tomatoes, mouthwatering cucumber, spicy onion, feta cheese, salty olives, oregano and olive oil compose a dish you should try out. However, Greek salad has a hard opponent known as ntako which originates from the island of Crete; it consists of a large barley rusk topped with chopped tomatoes, grated myzithra cheese, olives, capers and oregano.

An all-time classic appetiser is the refreshing and spicy tzatziki sauce, which is eaten plain, smeared on a slice of bread or served as a dip for grilled meats.

Fava beans are what Minoans used to enjoy thousands of years ago and are still greatly appreciated in our days. Savour fava in different recipes, either freshly boiled with chopped tomatoes and onions or simply with a little olive oil.

In Greece everything can be transformed into a pie and that is the country’s specialty! Pies can be filled with cheese, pasta, greens (horta in greek), vegetables and really anything Greeks can put their mind to…

Main dish…

Ladera dishes are olive oil based recipes and one of the most renowned ones is ntolmadakia.

The stuffed vine leaves with rice, onions and aromatic herbs are boiled and then sprinkled with olive oil. As meat goes, the all year round souvlaki is probably a synonym to Greek cuisine but don’t be fooled there are much much more you need to taste during your stay.

Have a try at the aromatic and tender Keftedakia; these delicious fried meatballs will blow your mind away. Then again, if you prefer fish or seafood, taste the flavourful kalamari and the mouthwatering grilled octopus.

Don’t stop here… you can’t leave without tasting the famous Greek mousaka!

Sauteed eggplant and fried potatoes in slices are the layered in the base of a baking pan, covered with tomato-meat sauce and topped with bechamel sauce and grated cheese; these ingredients are baked and then served in order to tickle the most demanding taste buds.

Source: visitgreece.gr