Crete Food: The Best 10 Dishes to Try

"Askordoulaki" (Wild Onions)

One of the best parts of Cretan food is that ingredients are found in the hills of the countryside and around the villages. "Askordoulaki" (sometimes called "volvee" - the Greek word for "bulbs") refers to wild greens that look like onions and are turned into a fresh salad with oil and vinegar. The bulbs are usually picked by hand in Crete's countryside. Sometimes, they are boiled or pickled, or used in other dishes.

Raki (Tsikoudia)

Raki is an alcoholic beverage made in Crete in the villages, often with copper stills. It is called "Tsikoudia" locally. This brandy is made from grapes and is served in Cretan tavernas and kafeneia (coffee shops). Raki is similar to tsipouro, which is found on the mainland of Greece. Raki is not ouzo, which often has anise or other herbs added.

"Staka me Avga" (Eggs with Cream)

This is a simple and flavorful Cretan dish that features poached or fried eggs and a type of buttery cream mixed with flour that is unique to Crete. This dish is usually prepared with salt and pepper, and it is usually eaten warm for breakfast. Smoked pork, also called “apaki” in Crete, is another traditional product that can be added to the mix or served separately with bread.

Cretan Olive Oil

Few things are more Greek than olive oil. Homer called it “the golden liquid,” and Hippocrates, the famous doctor of ancient Greece, gave olive oil to his patients. Today, olive oil is still a large part of Cretan daily life, it is one of Greece’s largest exports, and it is always a part of a traditional taverna meal in Cretan island villages. In the country where people eat some of the most olive oil per capita, Crete is known to eat even more olive oil than the average Greek.

"Gamopilafo" (Rice of the Wedding)

The name of this dish means “rice of the wedding”. This dish is often served at weddings, but you can also find it in restaurants in Crete. It features meat boiled for hours and rice that gets cooked with butter and lemon. In Crete, it is made with goat or lamb. Gamopilafo is usually one of the more expensive dishes on the menu, but it’s worth it!

Cretan Cheese

It seems like every town in Crete has its signature cheese. One of the popular local favorites is graviera, a hard cheese that gets more flavorful with aging. Soft, creamy cheeses are also available, like myzithra, which is a young cheese that has a mild taste. Cretan cheeses are a welcome addition to any Cretan meze platter.

"Apaki" - Smoked Cretan Pork

This dish of smoked meat is very hard to create outside of Greece because it is a multi-day process. Strips of pork are marinated in vinegar for a few days, and then smoked above a fire along with herbs like sage and rosemary. The meat gets infused with the flavors and is later served cold, thinly sliced.

"Antikristo" - Traditional Cretan Barbeque

This traditional way of cooking meat includes a young lamb that is cut into four pieces, salted, and then arranged next to a fire in a circle. This tradition is unique to Crete, and you will likely not find it in the rest of Crete. The men who manage the meat need to take into account the wind and smoke, letting the meat cook in its own fat. The meat cooks slowly for hours, and the name “antikristo” means “face to face.”

Visiting Crete

With over 1000 km of coastline and 2900 hours of sunshine a year, Crete is the largest and most popular Greek island. It has a length of 260 km and a width varying from 12 to 60 km. High mountains and green hills, long sandy beaches and deserted bays, combined with an extremely pleasant Mediterranean climate and a friendly population, make Crete an ideal place to stay. Every visitor can enjoy themselves in his or her own way.

Crete is also an ideal place to be in the winter, especially in the south, where the temperature in winter is a few degrees higher. Due to the large number of flights from many European airports, it is also the most accessible Greek island. If you're looking for the best Cretan food, we recommend Merastri Taverna near Plakias in southern Crete - the Elxis team in Crete goes there often.