Greece has one of the most recognisable food cultures in the world, but what most tourists eat bears very little resemblance to what Greeks actually cook at home or eat in good local restaurants. If you travel there with food as a priority, you’ll come back with a very different picture. Here’s what to focus on, starting with the thing this site is most interested in: yoghurt.
Greek Yoghurt Is Not What You Buy at Home
The yoghurt sold internationally as “Greek yoghurt” is loosely inspired by the real thing, but they’re not the same. In Greece, strained yoghurt (straggistó) is made from sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, or a blend, and the flavour is noticeably different from anything you’ll find in a supermarket at home. Sheep’s milk yoghurt in particular has a richness and slight gaminess that makes it genuinely special.
The most famous version comes from the island of Amfilohia and from Epirus in the northwest, where small producers still make yoghurt from local sheep herds. If you’re travelling through the Peloponnese or northern Greece, look for small roadside shops or local supermarkets that stock yoghurt from nearby producers. The difference in quality is immediately obvious once you try it.
Tzatziki: Ordering It Properly
Tzatziki in Greece is always made with strained yoghurt, which gives it a thick, scoopable texture. The cucumber is grated and squeezed dry, garlic is used generously, and fresh dill or mint is added along with good olive oil. If the tzatziki you’re served is watery or thin, it’s a sign the restaurant has used unstrained yoghurt and taken shortcuts.
The best tzatziki you’ll eat in Greece is usually in small, unpretentious tavernas rather than tourist-facing restaurants near major sites. It should be served at room temperature, not cold from a refrigerator, and eaten with bread rather than as a sauce over other food. As a stand-alone dish, it’s one of the great simple pleasures of Greek eating.
Feta, Yoghurt and the Breakfast Table
Greek breakfast often involves yoghurt served with local honey and, if you’re somewhere with good producers, a drizzle of thyme honey from the islands. In Crete, the local thyme honey is considered the best in the country and is worth buying to take home. Combined with full-fat sheep’s milk yoghurt, it’s one of the genuinely great breakfasts available anywhere.
Feta is eaten throughout the day, not just at lunch and dinner. Don’t think of it as a salad ingredient. Eat it with olive oil and dried oregano, crumbled over broad beans, or alongside yoghurt and bread for breakfast. The feta sold in Greece, made from sheep’s milk with a small percentage of goat’s milk, is protected by EU designation and is much saltier and more textured than the blocks sold elsewhere.
Where to Eat Well and Avoid Tourist Traps
The key is to walk away from the main tourist squares. In Athens, the Monastiraki flea market and the Varvakios Agora (central market) are worth visiting for produce and small food stalls. The Psiri and Koukaki neighbourhoods have good local restaurants that don’t cater primarily to tourists.
On the islands, Crete is generally considered to have the best food culture in Greece, with a cuisine built around olive oil, legumes, wild greens, and local dairy. Small villages in the interior of Crete, away from the coastal resort towns, are where you’ll eat best. Heraklion’s market street is worth an hour of your time for cheese, yoghurt, and local produce.
What to Bring Home
Thyme honey, dried herbs, and good Greek olive oil all travel well. Feta in brine can be brought home if packed carefully, but check customs requirements for your country. Yoghurt doesn’t travel, obviously, but the memory of a good bowl of sheep’s milk yoghurt with honey on a slow morning somewhere in the Peloponnese will stay with you longer than any souvenir.
