Greek cuisine is essentially part of the Mediterranean diet, known to be one of the healthiest in the world. The food in Santorini is no exception, featuring an abundance of olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, vegetables, fish, wines, and various meats.
Santorini offers a wide variety of food options, but when comparing Fira to Oia, the restaurants in Oia predominantly serve Mediterranean cuisine. Although these restaurants can come with a hefty price tag, they offer breathtaking sunset views from the caldera. For those looking to save money, it’s best to avoid beach-front locations and instead explore the side streets for more affordable dining options.
Note: People have reported that food in Fira is better than Oia, we only dined in Oia so couldn’t compare. However I must admit most restaurants in Oia with a view, the food were just okay. Below is a list of food in Santorini that can’t be missed, but of course the quality will vary between restaurants!
Further Reading: Best Place to Stay in Santorini: Oia
Santorini Greek Salad
One of the most ubiquitous dishes in Santorini is the Greek Salad, which can be found on nearly every restaurant menu. This salad is traditionally made with pieces of tomato, sliced cucumber, onion, olives, and feta cheese, seasoned with oregano and salt, and dressed with olive oil.
On the other hand, the “Santorini Salad” includes all of the main ingredients found in a Greek Salad, as well as capers. All of the ingredients used in the salad are locally grown on the island. Typically, restaurants will charge an additional €3-€5 for the “Santorini” version of the salad. After ordering the “Santorini Salad” a few times, we couldn’t discern much of a difference aside from the added capers. The produce used in Greece is usually quite fresh, so there’s no need to pay extra unless you’re a caper lover. However, some restaurants may have different recipes for the Santorini Salad, so it’s worth reading the menu closely.
Seafood in Santorini
Seafood is definitely a must-try cuisine in Santorini as the island boasts an abundance of fresh fish. But this statement is only true if you dine in one of the taverns near the port. We found that the rest of the restaurants we tried on the caldera were simply not as good.
Taverna Katina is one of the five taverns located at Ammoudi Port on the northwest tip of Oia. We selected this tavern specifically because it was considered the best seafood restaurant in Oia, and because the fish they had on display appeared to be the freshest of the day (you can inspect the fish prior to dining at the tavern).
Grilled Fish
Mediterranean grilled fish is one of the best dishes in the world. With the right seasoning, its flavors are well-retained and truly mouth-watering. Unfortunately, my parents were hesitant about the idea of grilled fish due to previous bad experiences in Japan where grilled fish often turned out dry. As a result, we asked the chef to turn our fish into a soup. Since the fish was measured in kilos and had to be served whole, our fish soup ended up costing €62.
Grilled Calamari
Don’t let the word “calamari” fool you when dining in Greece. Unlike in the Western world where it typically refers to squid rings, calamari in Greece refers to full squids that are lightly grilled and seasoned to perfection. The taste is amazing! At Taverna Katina, it’s probably the most bang-for-your-buck dish, costing only €12. Interestingly, Europeans and Americans often seem scared of the tentacles, which is why calamari in the Western world is usually served in ring shapes. Grilled calamari is also one of the most reliable and delicious dishes in Santorini restaurants.
Grilled Octopus
My personal favorite dish on the menu was the grilled octopus. The tentacles of the octopus were larger than those of the calamari, resulting in a chewy texture. At Taverna Katina, each tentacle cost €14and was served sliced into small pieces on a plate. Surprisingly, the octopus was quite filling.
One of the biggest drawbacks of dining at Taverna Katina is its location at Ammoudi Port. To get there at night, you will need to navigate about 220 steps, up and down, in the dark. During the day, donkeys are available to transport you back up, but they don’t operate at night. Additionally, there are no street lights, so you’ll need to bring a torch or use your phone to light the way and avoid donkey droppings. Another option is to take a cab, although we never chose this option. Despite the challenging climb, we enjoyed the high-quality food so much that we dined at Taverna Katina twice.
Greek Yoghurt
Greek yogurt is readily available in almost every supermarket and is often touted as a healthier alternative to regular yogurt. While it is lower in calories and sugar, it is still rich in live bacterial cultures and calcium. Greek yogurt is a type of strained yogurt that has a thick texture and a tangy taste. We were served Greek yogurt as a dessert after our meal at Taverna Katina, and it was delicious when paired with honey.
We were provided with packaged Greek yogurt for breakfast during our stay at “Zoe’s House“. it tasted no different from other supermarket yogurts we’ve had in Australia. We also tried Greek yogurt from ice cream stores, but it wasn’t markedly different either.
Gyros & Souvlaki
These two types of food are budget-friendly options for travelers. Gyros and Souvlaki are among the cheapest types of food in Santorini that can fill you up. Although they are made differently, they use very similar ingredients and have a similar appearance and taste, which can be confusing for tourists to differentiate between them.
In Greek cuisine, Gyro is a classic dish that involves adding roasted meat, tomatoes, onions, and sauces inside bread to create a sandwich. On the other hand, Souvlaki is a fast food dish that includes roasted meat pieces served on either pita bread or over a bowl of cooked rice with chips. The preparation for Souvlaki involves prepping the meats in advance on skewers and serving them to customers. Meanwhile, for gyros, the meat pieces are kept on an electric broiler and sliced as per the demand.
I find that shops in Santorini tend to use the terms “gyros” and “souvlaki” interchangeably on the menu, which can be a bit confusing. We ordered a “souvlaki” on a plate which cost €8, compared to a regular gyros which only costed €2.50 – €3.10.
I highly recommend that people visit “Pito Gyros” as it is definitely the best in Oia! We also tried another gyros place called “Nikos”, which was recommended by the owner of “Zoe’s House”, but it was a total failure as it tasted worse than what we have in Australia. Although “Pito Gyros” is slightly more expensive at €3.10 per gyros, it is definitely worth the wait! They also sell Greek beers, Greek salads, and all the other traditional Greek foods. In my opinion, it is the best food place ever!
Moussaka
One should not miss trying the layered Greek dish “Moussaka” while in Santorini, as the island is renowned for its white eggplant. The dish includes eggplant slices for the base layer, ground lamb cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices for the middle layer, and a white sauce for the top layer. The dish is baked until the top layer turns golden brown. In my opinion, Moussaka’s flavor is somewhat similar to that of lasagna.
Greek Desserts
Since Greece and Turkey are neighboring countries, their culinary styles have been influenced by each other. This is especially evident in their desserts, where the use of filo dough is prominent in both cuisines (e.g., baklava). If you’re interested in learning more about these desserts and other street foods, you can check out my previous blog post titled “What to Eat in Istanbul? (Desserts & Street Food).
Other Food in Santorini
Other speciality food in Santorini includes fried zucchini (courgette) and tomato keftedes (whole slices of tomatoes fried in batter and stuffed vine leaves).
This is because Santorini is famous for its cherry tomatoes, zucchini and eggplants. These ingredients weren’t really that special for me as they are quite common in Australia too but these dishes were quite nice in most restaurants.
Overall, much of the food in Oia, Santorini has become quite commercialized, but if you choose the right restaurant, you can still find delicious traditional Greek cuisine. It’s all about exploration!
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