If you've never been to Greece, it needs to be the next place on your bucket list, once we are all out of quarantine. With the most magnificent Instagram worthy photo locations and delectable food, it should move to the top of your to be traveled list. The cheap options for food and travels also make it worth the trip, but when in Greece, don't exclusively stay in Santorini and Athens, but explore some more of the most incredible Greek food this country has to offer.
1. Trigano of Panorama
These glorious triangles are what you might imagine how a filo dough cannoli might taste. These small heaven-sent cream-filled pastries melt in your mouth with a thick cream filled sticky baklava-like outside. It is the perfect combination of the taste of home and Greece in one bite.
2. Bougatsa
Bougatsa is a traditional Greek pastry that can be found everywhere from the local pastry shop, hotel breakfast, or even the gas stations along the interstate. (Pro tip: no need to stop in a bakery. They are just as good and often cheaper at a rest stop.) They are usually filled with either cheese or thick cream and enjoyed as a quick, on the go breakfast or snack. My personal favorite is the cream-filled one with powdered sugar coating the top, but either way, bougatsa is a must-try dish. The crispy layers of dough crack while the cream fills in making the dish have both a satisfying crunch and smooth filling that coats your mouth.
3. Loukoumades
Loukoumades are Greek donuts. They are small, fried, heavy donut hole sized pieces of dough. They are usually covered in a delectable sauce, usually chocolate, sitting in honey with the option for nuts to be added. This dish can a little harder to find, but if you attend a flea market, local fair, or any smaller temporary event, these will be easy to find. They are also popular in coffee shops in Southern Greece, in the Peloponnese peninsula or in Athens. If you get these, plan to share with a friend, even the adventurous and hungry of patrons will not be able to finish an order by themselves. For a taste of these in the US, check out Saloniki in Boston who does the best US recreation of this delicious treat I have seen. They can be found at @salonikigreek on Instagram.
4. Domatokeftedes
Domatokeftedes are better known as the tomato fritters famous on the island of Santorini. If you adventure to this blue-domed island while on a Grecian escape, this typical appetizers must be ordered. It can be found at almost any restaurant on the island as they are famous for it, especially in Oia. These delicious bites pack a punch of tomato flavor. Usually flat, they have a soft texture, but they hold together on a fork. Dipped in tzatziki while overlooking a Santorini sunset, these are the perfect end to a Greek day of adventure.
5. (FRIED) Feta Cheese
THIS is something that is heaven sent! As someone who went to Greece without a love for Feta cheese, I promise that if you need an introduction to Feta this is the way to do it! Very easy to find anywhere in the nation, this has just the right bite from being fried with a perfect balance of salty and sweet & crunchy and creamy. When looking for this, it often is covered in honey as well, and may even been covered in sesame seeds as well. These staple ingredients add layers of flavors that only had to the creamy, crispy balance which will make you fall in love with one bite.
6. Tsoureki
Tsoureki is Greek Easter Bread. However, this can be found anytime during the year, it is most popular during the Greek Orthodox Easter Season. This delicious, sweet bread can be found plain or covered in something, like a chocolate or sweet cream sauce. This bread is most famous in Thessaloniki, but can be found anywhere across the country and is a Greek Easter staple everywhere. It is a brioche style bread with a sweetest reminiscent of Challah. The bread is usually flavored with something where that be cinnamon or mastic (found in one of Greece's most popular alcohols as well). It can be pulled apart - almost stringy - while maintaining a soft and fluffy consistency.
7. Koulorir
Koulorir is the Greek version of bagels. Especially popular in Thessaloniki, these are a less dense bread than a typical bagel. They are usually covered in sesame seeds and can be found from any number of street vendors. They usually charge you no more than 2 euros for a koulorir whose circle is larger than your head. If you find these, be sure to try one, especially if you are missing the taste of your morning bagel at home!
8. Gyro
Last but not least, the Greek gyro! This classic, of course, must be sampled while in Greece. If you are in Athens, it is known as "souvlaki" which is a stick with varied meats anywhere else in the country. Outside of Athens, when you ask for a gyro, you will recieve what Americans classicly understand as a gyro. When looking for a good gyro, there are some tips:
1. Get off the main street. The best gyros are often not found on the main, touristy boulevards, but in the stores where you find Greeks congregating and talking to the store owner. These can often be found even a block or two off of the main streets.
2. Find a place where the meat is on a spit. Look for a place where the meat is not precut, and they cut it off for you!
3. Say Parakalo - thank you!
Try as many of these as you can on your next Greek adventure, and be sure to send to leave a comment to tell us how they were when you went on your adventure. Make sure to add Greece and all its' wonderful delicasies to your post-quarantine bucket list!
But don't just trust my recommendations, be sure to check out more recommendations from study abroad students below who also came away from their time in Greece with some incredible recommendations:
1. 16 Authentic Greek Foods You Can't Not Try When You Visit
2. What I Learned About Real Greek Food On My Trip To Greece
3. 5 Differences Between Actual Greek Culture And American Version of It
4. 10 Foods That Made Me Gain Weight During My Summer in Greece