The best Greek islands to enjoy local cuisine are always those with a large variety of restaurants and many dishes to choose from.
A trip to Greece is never complete without a taste from the country’s rich and delicious cuisine. Like many Mediterranean countries, a triple assortment of grains, olive oil, and wine can be found almost everywhere.
Crete
As Greece’s largest island, Crete has its very own cuisine. There is a wide range of dishes that you must look for when traveling here, including Chaniotiko bureki, a pie with zucchini and potatoes from Chania, sarikopitakia, cheese-filled phyllo pastry and then fried in domestic olive oil; and Sfakianes pites, local pancakes made of raki and olive oil and filled with cheese. All these should always be on your list.
Sifnos
Best food to try in Sifnos are amigdalota, halvadopita, mastelo, and revithada. Sifnos is the home of the Cycladic Gastronomy Festival and famous for attracting Hollywood royalty! One of the first and most comprehensive books on Greek cuisine was written there by Nikolaos Tselementes.
Naxos
Naxos belongs to the Cyclades Islands and it is actually the largest one there. Thanks to its mountainous mainland, there are lots of hot and rich stews made of slow-cooked meat and potatoes. Arseniko, graviera, xynotiro, and xynomyzithra are the most popular local cheese varieties.
Santorini
Fava, ntomatokeftedes, and fine wines is the best food choice in Santorini. Santorini is one of the most popular destinations in the country, and there are some of the best Greek restaurants on the island. Although many international culinary options are available here, like sushi and pizza, we suggest that you try local much rewarding dishes.
Syros
Do you still want to taste more Cycladic food? Cycladic cuisine is unique and it has its own capital, Syros. This adds an extra layer of flavor to the dishes. Syros’ water is said to make some of the most flavorful sweets you’ll ever taste. Another popular delicacy is halvadopita, which is a little different from its Sifnos counterpart and of course loukoumi.
Corfu
Corfu has changed many rulers throughout history, which is evident in its cuisine. Despite the long French and British rule, the Venetians were those that left the most obvious mark. This is why many dishes have even Italian names! Some of the most popular dishes here include Sofrito, fried beef with potatoes, Stifado, beef stew, and Pastitsada. Meat is cooked in a mixture of herbs and wine before being served with pasta and cheese. What an exquisite dish!
Lemnos
The lack of mass tourism means that Lemnos in the Northern Aegean sea remains original in terms of its cuisine. The island’s trademark are the rich and salty olives that produce perfect oil. When there try a unique dish: flomaria pasta, made with flour, sheep’s milk, and fresh eggs. This product is unique and you won’t find it anywhere else. In its traditional version the pasta is covered in melted butter and cheese, or added in soups and accompanying meat and vegetable dishes.
