Greek Taverna Favourites | Kalliopi's Kitchen

The Greek year has a shape, and food follows it closely. The Orthodox calendar sets out long fasting periods and then breaks them with enormous feasts, and much of the repertoire exists because of that rhythm rather than in spite of it.

This page collects Mousakas, Tzatziki, Horiatiki salata, Spanakopita, Souvlaki and Melitzanosalata and others suited to the occasion.

Every recipe on Kalliopi's Kitchen carries the dish's Greek name and a pronunciation, its region where that is meaningful, ingredient quantities in both metric and imperial, and an honest note on what commonly goes wrong. Nutrition figures are calculated estimates and are labelled as such.

Greek Taverna Favourites

58 recipes on the site so far.

A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted out

Greek Main CoursesGreek Moussaka Μουσακάς · 1h 55m · serves 8

A bowl of thick white tzatziki with olive oil pooled on top and a sprig of dill

Greek Dips and SaucesGreek Tzatziki Τζατζίκι · 15m · serves 6

A Greek village salad with tomato wedges, cucumber, red onion and a whole slab of feta topped with oregano

Greek SaladsGreek Salad Χωριάτικη σαλάτα · 12m · serves 4

A tray of spanakopita cut into squares showing green spinach filling under crisp golden phyllo

Greek Breads and PiesGreek Spanakopita Σπανακόπιτα · 1h 30m · serves 8

Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oregano

Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Souvlaki Σουβλάκι · 32m · serves 4

Greek Dips and SaucesMelitzanosalata Μελιτζανοσαλάτα · 45m · serves 6

Greek Side DishesGreek Lemon Potatoes Πατάτες λεμονάτες · 1h 35m · serves 6

A bowl of golden loukoumades glossy with honey, dusted with cinnamon and chopped walnuts

Greek DessertsLoukoumades Λουκουμάδες · 45m · serves 6

A barley rusk topped with grated tomato, crumbled white cheese, olives and oregano

Greek SaladsCretan Dakos Ντάκος · 12m · serves 4

Thin strips of crisped pork gyros piled in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki

Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Gyros Γύρος · 2h · serves 6

A plate of golden brown Greek meatballs with lemon wedges and fresh mint

Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Keftedes Κεφτέδες · 45m · serves 6

A slice of golden fried Greek cheese in a small pan with a lemon wedge

Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Saganaki Σαγανάκι · 15m · serves 4

A square of Greek cheese pie with crisp layered phyllo and a pale creamy filling

Greek Breads and PiesTiropita Τυρόπιτα · 1h 15m · serves 8

Charred grilled octopus tentacles dressed with olive oil, vinegar and oregano

Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Grilled Octopus Χταπόδι στα κάρβουνα · 1h 30m · serves 4

Prawns baked in tomato sauce with melting feta and parsley in a small pan

Greek Main CoursesGarides Saganaki Γαρίδες σαγανάκι · 37m · serves 4

Golden grilled halloumi slices with lemon wedges and dried mint

Greek Meze and AppetisersGrilled Halloumi Χαλλούμι · 11m · serves 4

Golden Greek courgette fritters piled on a plate with tzatziki and lemon

Greek Meze and AppetisersKolokithokeftedes Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες · 55m · serves 6

Grilled Cypriot sheftalia sausages wrapped in caul fat with charred edges

Greek Main CoursesSheftalia Σεφταλιά · 45m · serves 6

Cypriot afelia pork in a dark red wine and coriander seed sauce

Greek Main CoursesAfelia Αφέλια · 1h 30m · serves 4

Greek DrinksBrandy Sour Μπράντι Σάουρ · 5m · serves 1

Charred Greek paidakia lamb chops on a grill with lemon and oregano

Greek Main CoursesPaidakia Παϊδάκια · 25m · serves 4

A Greek bifteki patty cut open showing melted feta inside

Greek Main CoursesBifteki Μπιφτέκι · 40m · serves 4

Greek Main CoursesKontosouvli Κοντοσούβλι · 3h 30m · serves 6

Cretan hochlioi boubouristi fried snails with rosemary and vinegar

Greek Meze and AppetisersHochlioi Boubouristi Χοχλιοί μπουμπουριστοί · 35m · serves 4

Corfu bourdeto fish stew in a bright red paprika sauce

Greek Main CoursesBourdeto Μπουρδέτο · 55m · serves 4

Thessaloniki giaourtlou kebab with tomato sauce and garlic yogurt

Greek Main CoursesGiaourtlou Γιαουρτλού · 45m · serves 4

Greek soutzoukakia oval meatballs in a rich tomato sauce

Greek Main CoursesSoutzoukakia Σουτζουκάκια · 1h 10m · serves 6

A Pontic Greek peinirli boat-shaped cheese bread fresh from the oven

Greek Breads and PiesPeinirli Πεϊνιρλί · 2h · serves 4

Greek SaladsLachanosalata Λαχανοσαλάτα · 15m · serves 6

A pot of Greek rakomelo, warm spiced raki with honey

Greek DrinksRakomelo Ρακόμελο · 13m · serves 4

Grilled Greek sardines dressed in ladolemono olive oil and lemon

Greek Main CoursesSardeles Ladolemono Σαρδέλες λαδολέμονο · 25m · serves 4

Golden Greek fried baby squid rings with lemon

Greek Meze and AppetisersKalamarakia Tiganita Καλαμαράκια τηγανητά · 30m · serves 4

Greek Side DishesPatates Riganates Πατάτες ριγανάτες · 1h · serves 4

Grilled yogurt-marinated chicken souvlaki skewers with charred edges

Greek Main CoursesSouvlaki Kotopoulo me Giaourti Σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο με γιαούρτι · 37m · serves 4

A small jug of Greek ladolemono olive oil and lemon sauce

Greek Dips and SaucesLadolemono Λαδολέμονο · 5m · serves 6

A plate of golden Greek marides tiganites fried whitebait with lemon

Greek Meze and AppetisersMarides Tiganites Μαρίδες τηγανητές · 23m · serves 4

Golden fried Greek barbouni red mullet with lemon

Greek Main CoursesBarbouni Tiganito Μπαρμπούνι τηγανητό · 25m · serves 4

Greek Meze and AppetisersSaganaki Metsovone Σαγανάκι μετσοβόνε · 18m · serves 4

Greek Main CoursesApaki Kritis Απάκι Κρήτης · 40m · serves 8

Greek Meze and AppetisersSfela Saganaki Σαγανάκι σφέλα · 18m · serves 4

Sliced pastourma cured beef coated in red fenugreek and paprika paste

Greek Meze and AppetisersPastourma Παστουρμάς · 40m · serves 10

A chilled glass of Greek retsina resinated white wine

Greek DrinksRetsina Serving Guide Ρετσίνα · 5m · serves 4

Greek Meze and AppetisersSaganaki me Batzo Σαγανάκι με μπάτζο · 18m · serves 4

Greek astakomakaronada lobster pasta in rich tomato sauce

Greek Main CoursesAstakomakaronada Αστακομακαρονάδα · 1h 15m · serves 4

Greek DrinksTsipouro Serving Guide Τσίπουρο · 5m · serves 4

Greek DrinksOuzo Serving Guide Ούζο · 5m · serves 4

Greek Main CoursesGopes Tiganites Γόπες τηγανητές · 30m · serves 4

Greek loukaniko sausage braised in red wine sauce

Greek Main CoursesLoukaniko Krasato Λουκάνικο κρασάτο · 50m · serves 4

A glass of Greek Metaxa brandy served neat

Greek DrinksMetaxa Serving Guide Μεταξά · 5m · serves 4

A small chilled glass of Chios mastiha liqueur

Greek DrinksMastiha Liqueur Serving Guide Μαστίχα · 5m · serves 4

A bowl of Greek patsas tripe soup

Greek SoupsPatsas Πατσάς · 4h 40m · serves 6

Greek Main CoursesSpetzofai Σπετζοφάι · 50m · serves 4

Greek Meze and AppetisersMydia Saganaki Μύδια σαγανάκι · 40m · serves 4

Greek Meze and AppetisersGavros Tiganitos Γαύρος τηγανιτός · 30m · serves 4

Greek DrinksKitro Liker Serving Guide Κίτρο · 5m · serves 4

A whole baked Greek tsipoura sea bream with lemon and herbs

Greek Main CoursesTsipoura Psiti Τσιπούρα ψητή · 40m · serves 2

Greek Main CoursesXifias Souvlaki Ξιφίας σουβλάκι · 40m · serves 4

Greek Main CoursesHtapodi Makaronaki Χταπόδι μακαρονάκι · 1h 35m · serves 4

Browse other occasions

Greek Christmas Recipes Greek Easter Recipes Greek Lent and Nistisima Recipes Sunday Greek Family Meals Mezedes and Ouzo Recipes Summer Greek Recipes Greek Name Day and Celebration Recipes