Meze: small Greek dishes ideal for gourmets

Great food is not hard to find in Greece. However, have you ever thought about preparing a meal from delicious Greek meze or small plates with the perfect free Greek drink?

Meze, or mezedes in the plural, has many small dishes to offer so you can taste everything. Think of it like Greek style tapas!

Meze is found throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa, and while there are many similarities across cultures, there are many mezedes that are completely unique to Greece.

Let’s take a look at some great combo dishes that pay homage to the famous Greek cuisine.

Go to a tavern, mesedopoleio or uzeri on mezedes

Whether you dine in a tavern, mesedopoleio or uzeri, you can try a variety of flavors and regional dishes that are different from each other and full of Greek traditions.

The biggest difference here is that in mesedopolio, their specialty is Greek meze, so you have a large selection of carefully prepared dishes to choose from.

Uzeri is sure to offer you a wide selection of drinks that best complement your meals.

Essentially, this is Uzeri’s signature dish – a selection of drinks. So when you get there, be sure to ask for recommendations as to what drink is best with your meal.

Which Greek meze to order

Greek food is healthy Mediterranean food. You can order spicy, salty and even sweet dishes made with fresh ingredients, giving you a comprehensive sample of Greek cuisine.

While the list of Greek mezedes is endless, including meat, seafood, vegetables and more, there are a few dishes that stand out.

Stuffed Hemista Pepper

Typical summer dish, eaten all year round, of red or long green peppers stuffed with soft cheese or a mixture of rice, nuts and black currant.

Taramasalata puree

Taramasalata is made from salted cod roe and bread crumbs with the addition of a small amount of lemon juice and olive oil. If it is pink, it has food coloring, because the natural color of this dish is a pale yellow-gray. It is a typical dish that is eaten both during Easter and all year round.

Pleurotus oyster mushrooms

These unique grilled mushrooms are a great treat! Although completely vegetarian, these mushrooms are reminiscent of meat in taste and texture.

Tirokafteri, or spicy cheese sauce

Tirokafteri, made from cheese and hot chili powder or fresh green chili pieces, is a delicious, slightly spicy dish. Perfect with fresh bread!

Dolmada from grape or cabbage leaves

Made from cabbage or grape leaves, these delicious little buns are filled with either a meat mixture or stuffed with rice and herbs. They are eaten at room temperature with a little Greek yogurt.

Pits or pies

Pitas or pies in Greece can be eaten at any time of the day. You will see people enjoy cheesecake for breakfast, lunch or dinner as they are quite versatile and filling.

Made with phyllo or light bread, these pies can be filled with anything from spinach to chicken or cheese, depending on what regional style of pita you eat. These are just a few of the more popular options – there are even more.

Cheeses
Try the flaming saganaki, feta, graviera, cephalotiri or cephalograviera, to name just a few delicious Greek cheeses.

Usually cheese in Greece is eaten with meals, so why not include a sample in the meze?

desserts
Many Greek restaurants round off the meal with a complimentary plate of Greek yogurt with nuts and honey drizzled over the top, or a platter of seasonal fruit.

Don’t be surprised if only one bowl or plate is offered along with the many dishes, as Greeks often share a dessert at the end of a meal.

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