Most delicious Greek island food!

Some of Greece's culinary gems can be found on the Greek islands. Thanks to millennia of history, diverse geography and local agricultural and livestock production, local cuisine in Greece can be very unique. Each city or island contributes its own traditions, recipes and oftentimes locally produced ingredients. Most tourists who visit the Greek islands fall in love not only with the Aegean shades of blue, but also with the mouthwatering local delicacies. The famous “Santorini fava”, a deliciously healthy yellow-pea appetizer and the sweet Naxos potatoes, that kids love when fried, are just a couple of foods you must absolutely try the next time you're in Greece. So, plan your next vacation there, get your cheap ferry tickets from Let's Ferry and set sail to the sunny Greek islands, where you can enjoy one of the world's healthiest and most indulgent cuisines! 

Kimolos

Greece's first version of pizza comes from the island of Kimolos and is called ladenia. It is a flatbread made with tomatoes, onions and olive oil and has no cheese! Nowadays, people have it primarily as breakfast, so you can find it at any local bakery on the island. It is also very popular in nearby islands, such as Milos. Variations of the ladenia include the tirenia, that has cheese and the elenia, which is the simplest version of this flatbread, made only with olive oil. During the Greek Orthodox Easter, the locals vary the recipe by adding amaranth and zucchini. When you visit Kimolos, make sure to try a variety of local cheeses, such as the xino, a local creamy cheese and the manoura, a semi-hard cheese made from sheep and goat milk. If you attend a wedding on the island, as per tradition, you'll be offered sweet wedding buns and pasteli.

Make sure to include Kimolos on your next island-hopping, but book your ferry tickets from Let's Ferry first!

Ladenia of Kimolos

Mykonos

The cosmopolitan island of Mykonos offers amazing local food products to its visitors. When you wake up in the morning, follow the smell of the freshly baked breads, like the kouloures, kouvarotes and protofournia, to the nearest bakery. When in the mood for charcuterie and cheese, we recommend you to try the island's spicy sausage, the louza and the nouboulo. An absolute must-try cheese is the kopanisti, a thick, peppery spreadable cheese, that is also used to prepare the famous “Mostra”, a local appetizer made with barley rusks and diced ripe tomatoes. Other cheeses that are downright delicious include the soft creamy white cheese called tyrovolia and the Mykonian xinotiri. If you prefer sweeter tastes, try the kremidopita (onion pie) and the melopita, a local sweet pie, made of cheese and honey. If you love seafood, the grilled skaros will sure please your palate, as a result of the way it is prepared.

When in Mykonos, look for its charcuterie

Naxos

You can experience some of Greece's best cheese and great tasting potatoes on the island of Naxos! When you visit the island try the Naxos Gruyere (Graviera Naxou), a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) sweet and buttery cheese, that is also very popular all over Greece. Also, try the arseniko cheese (the Greek word for “masculine”), a nod to its hard texture and strong, nutty flavor. The arseniko cheese has been produced on the island for thousands of years by local shepherds in order to cover the needs of the local population and it is not exported outside of the island. It was given its name, because the locals distinguish cheeses in male and female! The first ones are hard cheeses that do not necessarily require refrigeration, while the second ones are softer in texture that need to be kept in the fridge. A great example of a “female” cheese is the xinomyzithra, which you can enjoy plain or as part of a salad. You can also crumble some xinomyzithra on top of freshly fried potatoes for a true mouth melting experience! Naxos is also known for the zaboni, a dried cured ham similar to the prosciutto in look and texture, but spicier in taste. Naxos' traditional local dishes reflect the island's abundant food resources and are an absolute farm-to-table fare! The "patoudo" is a meat roll staffed with local cheeses, chard, fennel, garlic and local spices and makes for an exquisite dish. Another great plate to try is the "kalogeros", a beef stew cooked with local cheeses and fresh eggplants.

Tip: Try the local raki, the kitro liqueur, a local spirit made from the citron tree. The Naxian red wine, the local beer and the variety of soft drinks produced on the island, which include orange soda with turmeric and lemonade with honey and mint, are also worth enjoying on any given day you vacation on the island.

When in Naxos, look for its cheeses

One of the most interesting food events of the island is the Potato Festival, which takes place every year. Do not miss the next one! Check the itineraries to Naxos from Let's Ferry and book your tickets in time for this major event!

Santorini

Every year, tons of tourists flock to the romantic and bustling island of Santorini to experience the sheer beauty of watching the sun set in Oia and to hike up and tour the famous volcano. At the same time, Santorini has made a name for itself in the culinary world, so make sure you don't miss out on trying the island's local dishes and delicacies. If you like fish, try the flaked cod and the atherinopita, a pie of fried fish and onion. The list of local tapas and appetizers is long and yummy: The Santorini "sfougato" is a traditional savory dish with eggs, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and zucchini. The tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) and the Santorini fava are the ideal vegan appetizers. The local salad made of cherry tomatoes, rusks, capers and chlorotyri (a creamy and slightly sour local cheese) is a refreshing plate for those hot summer days on the island. Another absolute must-try is the apochti, a cured pork loin, made from the blade end of the loin, that has a strong taste of vinegar and spices. You should not leave the island without trying some of Santorini's sweet treats, such as the kopania, little bites made of sesame, honey and raisins, the meletinia, that are made with mizithra cheese and the Santorini pudding, a sweet with semolina and milk or chocolate.

Tip: A glass of the island's sweet wine is all you need to fully unwind and enjoy the island's beautiful scenery.

The famous fava of Santorini

Syros

The first word that comes to mind when you think of the Venetian-influenced aristocratic island of Syros, is the loukoumi. An integral part of the island's legacy, you can find it with or without almonds and it comes in many flavors such as rose, mastic and vanilla. You can get it in just about every local grocery store of the island and it is sure to bring a sweet delight to your palate! The village of San Michali, on the northern part of the island, is where the famous San Michali PDO cheese is made. It is salty, spicy and somewhat pricy!

The Loukoumi of Syros can be found in many flavors

Other local delicacies to try, include the garlic sausage (skordoloukaniko), the fennel pie (marathopita), a local recipe of honey glazed baked goat and octopus with vinegar. Syros is also producing its own version of louza, the popular Cycladic island "meze" made of the best cuts of pork and flavored with pepper, clove and cinnamon.

Travel safely and book your cheap ferry tickets online at Let's Ferry! Have them delivered at home (no extra cost) or pick them up at the port.