Greek Food

Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine and meat. Other important ingredients include olives, pasta, cheese, lemon juice, herbs, bread and yoghurt. The most commonly used grain is wheat; barley is also used. Common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits and filo pastries.

It is strongly influenced by Ottoman cuisine and, especially in the cuisine of Anatolian Greeks, shares foods such as baklava, tzatziki, gyros, moussaka, dolmades and keftedes with neighbouring countries. To an even greater extent, it is influenced by Italian cuisine and cuisines from other neighbouring southern European countries.

Santorini specialities that must be sampled are:

Fava me Koukia, mashed-up fava beans

Tomato Keftedes, tomato fritters

Saganaki, fried cheese in filo pastry covered in honey

Greek salad

Not forgetting the old favourites of moussaka, taramasalata, calamari, fresh fish, octopus and, of course, Greek salad, full of the flavours of summer.

Wine & Drinks

Santorini is an island with a long wine-making tradition. The volcanic soil and the special climate of Santorini give a unique taste to the local wine. The wine of Santorini was famous all over the Mediterranean basin in ancient times and, even today, it is exported to many countries around the world. Vinsanto, Nychteri and Mezzo are just some of the local varieties that can be found in many restaurants on the island and in various cellars around the world.

A very special thing to do on the island is to visit some of the many Santorini wineries, spread all over the countryside. Most wineries in Santorini are actually found in the central and southern part of the island, in the villages of Mesa and Exo Gonia, Megalochori and Messaria. Large vineyards surround the wineries, which can be visited individually or as part of an organised wine tour. The most famous Santorini wineries are Santo Wines and Volcan Wines.

However, on a hot day, it is much better to stick with a bottle of water, which can be bought from kiosks, mini markets or shops and is thirst-quenching and cheap.

A good alternative on a hot day is a fresh juice, with fruit picked from the tree there and then, or a nice cold Greek beer.