Eating at a Greek taverna is a central part of life in Greece. It often involves sitting down for hours with family and friends around a restaurant table. The food is always fresh and local, with minimal ingredients and flavors that are complemented by the beautiful Greek landscape. Here’s everything you need to know about eating at a taverna in Greece.
When to Eat
When Greeks eat out, lunch is usually late, at about 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon. Dinner is usually no earlier than 9:00 pm. It is not unusual to get to a restaurant at 11:00 pm, especially in the summer months. Even if you are used to eating earlier, you will have this option because most tavernas open around 6:00 pm.
Arriving 15 Minutes Late
It’s normal to not show up to the meal right on time. It is a good policy to show up 15-20 minutes late. Even then, you might be the first to arrive. It’s ok to order a drink at this point, but don’t order food until everybody else gets there.
Ordering
If you are visiting Greece and eating with Greeks, don’t order for yourself. Usually, Greeks order the food family-style, to be eaten together. There will be enough variety, even for vegetarians and vegans.
Ordering…Again
In Greece you can keep ordering. It helps to know the name of your waiter so you can get his attention. (Many restaurants will have one employee working many tables, or even a whole dining space, by themselves.) If you hold up an empty carafe of wine, they will know to fill it again.
What to eat
Greek cuisine is renowned for its rich flavours and diverse ingredients. Among the most iconic and typical Greek dishes are:
- Moussaka: A typical Greek dish consisting of eggplant, potato, minced meat, and béchamel sauce.
- Greek salad (Horiatiki): A fresh traditional Greek choice for salad, with tomato, cucumber, onion and Greek feta cheese with the addition of oil, salt, and oregano.
- Souvlaki or Gyros: If you’re looking for a quick meal or you are a fast-food type of person, you should try souvlaki (pieces of pork or chicken on a skewer) wrapped in pita bread with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki. You can also choose gyros, which is seasoned meat (chicken or pork) cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
Good food in Greece is always accompanied by good wine, tsipouro or ouzo, which are often local products found on the Greek islands. What is certain is that you can find excellent, affordable, and delicious food anywhere in Greece. For more insights into the renowned and tasty Greek cuisine, consider exploring these articles (here, here, and here).
Greek Waiters
Greek waiters are informal and might even sit down at your table if it’s not a busy evening. Greek waiters are usually overqualified because getting full time work in other industries is difficult in Greece. Ask the waiter about what they studied at school, and you might be surprised to hear they are a nurse or a mechanical engineer.
Come with an Appetite
Greeks order a lot of food when eating at a restaurant. Make sure to bring an appetite and comment and how delicious the food is. Greeks may be insulted if you say “this is too much food” or “I couldn’t finish the chocolate cake.” Even if you can’t eat another bite, do your best to show appreciation for the food and to your hosts at the table.
The “Treat”
Some restaurants will offer you a complimentary dessert or fruit plate after the meal. This goes by the name “kerasma”, which translates roughly to “treat.” If you go back to the same place twice, the host might ask you what they can treat you to. Don’t respond asking for a plate of sardines or a leg of lamb. Instead, ask for something to drink, or for a dessert after your meal.
Get Ready for Endless Discussions
Greeks will talk about anything and everything at the dinner table. This is part of the social culture in Greece. Get ready to share your opinions and to be asked very direct, personal questions. Greeks are naturally curious about visitors and will ask you about your political opinions, your marital status, your salary, and your religious beliefs.
Paying
Paying a bill in Greece is not usually shared, if there are visitors at the table. The host will usually insist on paying for the group, then somebody else will make an objection. There may be an argument about who has the right to pay, or someone might sneak away to the kitchen to pay before everyone else notices. This is part of the Greek sense of duty to show hospitality to foreigners. As a visitor, it is best to show thanks for this hospitality.
More Food Destinations in Greece
If you’re still hungry for more after reading about all the foods on Greece’s islands, check out our island-specific guides to see what foods are specialities on Santorini, Chios, Kalymnos, and Mykonos.
