![Greek restaurant](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Greek_restaurant.jpg)
A Greek restaurant is a restaurant that specializes in
Greek cuisine
Greek cuisine (Greek: Ελληνική Κουζίνα) is the cuisine of Greece and the Greek diaspora. In common with many other cuisines of the Mediterranean, it is founded on the triad of wheat, olive oil, and wine. It uses vegetables, oli ...
.
In the United States they tend to be a different affair, varying in types of service, cuisine, menu offerings, table settings, and seating arrangements.
Their menu may also feature dishes from other cuisines.
By type
''Estiatório''
The ''estiatório'' (plural ''estiatória'') is a type of modest restaurant in Greece.
It has been described as "something of a vanishing breed."
This form of eatery was more active during the early 1900s. An ''estiatório'' serves dishes such as casseroles, meat and game stews, baked meat and fish, macaroni pie, and ''mayirefta'' in the form of
moussaka
Moussaka (, , ) is an eggplant- or potato-based dish, often including ground meat, which is common in the Balkans and the Middle East, with many local and regional variations.
The best-known version in Europe and the Americas is the Greek vari ...
.
''Estiatória'' serve dishes cooked in the oven called ''magerefta.'' In addition, they can have grilled-to-order foods called ''tis oras'', fish, appetizers (mezedes), and salads.
''Gyrádiko'' (''Souvlatzidiko'')
''Gyrádiko'' (plural ''girádika'') restaurants serve the popular Greek dish
gyros
Gyros—in some regions, chiefly North America, anglicized as a gyro (; el, γύρος, yíros/gyros, turn, )—is meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, then sliced and served wrapped or stuffed in pita bread, along with ingredients suc ...
. In Greece, gyros are typically prepared using spiced ground pork shoulder meat on a
pita
Pita ( or ) or pitta (British English), is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, als ...
with
tzatziki
Tzatziki ( el, τζατζίκι), also known as tarator or cacık (), is a dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeast Europe and the Middle East. It is made of salted strained yogurt or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic ...
sauce, while in the United States, they are commonly prepared with ground lamb sliced from a vertical
rotisserie
Rotisserie, also known as spit-roasting, is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit – a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This metho ...
spit.
''Souvlatzidiko'' restaurants serve ''
souvlaki
Souvlaki ( el, σουβλάκι, , ; plural: , ), is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It is usually eaten straight off the skewer while still hot. It can be served with ...
''.
Souvlaki is prepared using cubed pork or chicken meat that is cooked like a
kebab
Kebab (, ; ar, كباب, link=no, Latn, ar, kabāb, ; tr, kebap, link=no, ) or kabob (North American) is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East. Many variants of the category are popular around the wor ...
.
''Koutoukian''
Koutouki, or
Koutoukian, are an underground restaurant common in Greece.
''Mezedopoleío''
''
Meze
Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course me ...
'' restaurants are known as ''mezedopoleío'' (singular)
or ''mezedopoleía'' (plural) and serve
appetizers
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the m ...
known as ''meze'' or ''orektiko'' (plural ''mezedes/orektika'') to complement
beverage
A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies a ...
s. Some ''meze'' restaurants do not offer a menu and serve whatever has been prepared that day. Meze restaurants are common in Greece, especially
Psiri, Athens, and are regarded as the most expensive Greek Restaurant.
''Ouzerí''
Establishments known as ''
ouzerí'' are a type of
café
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...
that serve drinks such as
ouzo
Ouzo ( el, ούζο, ) is a dry anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece. It is made from rectified spirits that have undergone a process of distillation and flavoring. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors like pastis, s ...
or
tsipouro
Tsipouro ( el, τσίπουρο, tsípouro) is an un-aged brandy from Greece and in particular Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, and the island of Crete (where Cretans call it tsikoudia). Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing 40–45% alco ...
. They are similar to ''mezedopoleio'' restaurants and also provide similar food and service. A ''tsipourádiko'' is a "local variant of an ''ouzerí.''"
''Taverna''
''Tavernas'', originating in Greece, are typically medium-sized restaurants with affordable pricing
that serve a variety of Greek dishes, foods, and beverages. Locations with outdoor seating are popular during the summer season.
File:Maison de Gyros (3357591539).jpg, A gyro restaurant (''gyrádiko'') in Latin Quarter, Paris
The Latin Quarter of Paris (french: Quartier latin, ) is an area in the 5th and the 6th arrondissements of Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine, around the Sorbonne.
Known for its student life, lively atmosphere, and bistros ...
File:Greek gyros in Ledra street.JPG, A ''gyrádiko'' in Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
(left corner)
File:Kos ouzeri.jpg, A traditional ''ouzeri
An ouzeri (Greek ''ουζερί'' ) is a type of Greek tavern which serves ouzo (a Greek liquor) and mezedes (small finger food
Finger foods are small, individual portions of food that are eaten out of hand. They are often served at social ...
'' on the Greek island of Kos
Kos or Cos (; el, Κως ) is a Greek island, part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 36,986 (2021 census), ...
File:Flickr - ronsaunders47 - EMPTY TABLES AT THE TAVERNA. THASSOS GREECE..jpg, Taverna
A taverna (Greek: ταβέρνα) is a small Greek restaurant that serves Greek cuisine. The taverna is an integral part of Greek culture and has become familiar to people from other countries who visit Greece, as well as through the establishmen ...
in Thasos
Thasos or Thassos ( el, Θάσος, ''Thásos'') is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.
The island has an area of and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate re ...
File:Tavern Chora Naxos Greece DSCN1053.jpg, Mezedopoleio in Naxos
Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best abr ...
By country
Greece
In many Greek restaurants, it is not considered impolite for guests to enter the kitchen to see what is cooked before ordering; however, this is not typical in fine dining and hotel restaurants.
After visiting the kitchen, a waiter will be notified of guests' choices.
Table service is usually relaxed and laid-back and patrons may need to flag down or wait for staff to order and request items.
Wine is commonly consumed during lunch and dinner.
United States
In the U.S., Greek restaurants provide authentic Greek cuisine and dining customs.
[ They may also offer dishes from other cuisines. ]Immigrant
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
s from Greece have opened many Greek restaurants in the U.S., some of which began due to new health codes during the early 20th century that limited or restricted food carts
A food cart is a mobile kitchen set up on the street to prepare and sell street food to passers-by. Food carts are often found in cities worldwide selling food of every kind.
Food carts come in two basic styles. One allows the vendor to sit o ...
.[ Per the restrictions during this time, people opened Greek restaurants instead of operating food carts.][ Additionally, many Greek confectioneries and sweet shop businesses declined during this period due to an increase in manufactured candies and sweets.][ Many of these companies transformed their businesses into lunchrooms, and later, restaurants.][
]
During the early 1900s, some Greek immigrant restaurants expanded their operations into chain restaurants.[ At the time, Greek restaurant chains included (by location):][
* Chicago – The Katsivalis (Teddy) Family owned 15 Restaurants and 6 Hotels with Restaurants in them.
* New York – Foltis, Stavrakas, Litzotakis
* North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia: Lambropoulos
In 1913, there were "several hundred Greek-owned lunchrooms and restaurants in Chicago."]
It is estimated that approximately 7,000 Greek restaurants existed in the U.S. by the beginning of the Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
in 1929.[ However, many U.S. Greek restaurants went out of business due to the Great Depression.][ As a result, more patrons could not afford to eat out in restaurants during this time.][ In addition, competition rose due to an increase in affordably-priced lunch counters opening in various types of stores, such as drug stores and department stores.][
During the 1950s and 1960s, the number of Greek restaurants increased, and by the 1970s, they were considered a significant pillar in the U.S. restaurant landscape.][
]
Cuisine
Appetizers and light meals
A ''tavérna'' or ''estiatório'' may offer a meze
Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course me ...
as an ''orektikó''. Many restaurants offer their house ''pikilía'', a platter with a variety of various meze
Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course me ...
des that can be served immediately to customers looking for a quick or light meal. ''Krasomezédhes'' (literally "wine-meze") are mezedes that go well with wine; ''ouzomezédhes'' are mezedes that go with ouzo, a Greek beverage. ''Psomi oretiko'' is a bread appetizer that is common in Greek restaurants.
Main courses
In Greece, the main courses may be ordered directly from the kitchen, a menu board or physical menus. In coastal Greek restaurants, fish dishes may be weighed and sold by the kilogram, which occurs before cooking. Frozen fish is sometimes used, which may be described on menus as ''katepsigmenos''. Seafood dishes that are staples include swordfish, octopus, squid, sardines, and prawns.
Beverages
Most Greek restaurants will have traditional water, sparkling water, soda, wine and beer. Some restaurants will also have specialty cocktails and wine. "Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world and among the first wine-producing territories in Europe." Some restaurants may also serve Ouzo
Ouzo ( el, ούζο, ) is a dry anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece. It is made from rectified spirits that have undergone a process of distillation and flavoring. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors like pastis, s ...
, a dry anise
Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia.
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...
-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
and Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
. It is made from rectified spirit
Rectified spirit, also known as neutral spirits, rectified alcohol or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, is highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation in a process called rectification. In some countr ...
s that have undergone a process of distillation
Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separation process, separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distilla ...
and flavoring. It is a tradition to have Ouzo in authentic Greek restaurants as an aperitif, served in a shot glass, and deeply chilled before the meal is started.
File:Ψητά λαχανικά (4462747487).jpg, Grilled vegetables at a Greek and Santorini
Santorini ( el, Σαντορίνη, ), officially Thira (Greek: Θήρα ) and classical Greek Thera (English pronunciation ), is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from the Greek mainland. It is the ...
an restaurant
File:Fried Squid (4824632582).jpg, Fried squid
True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
at a Greek restaurant
File:Μπακαλιάρος - Σκορδαλιά (4463505646).jpg, Salted cod
Dried and salted cod, sometimes referred to as salt cod or saltfish or salt dolly, is cod which has been preserved by drying after salting. Cod which has been dried without the addition of salt is stockfish. Salt cod was long a major export o ...
with garlic sauce, a traditional Greek dish for the day of the Annunciation
The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...
, served at a Greek restaurant
Gallery
File:Traffic Sign GR - KOK 2009 - P-37.svg, Depiction of a Greek road sign signifying dining in an area
File:Nafplion restaurants at lunchtime.jpg, Restaurants in Nafplio
Nafplio ( ell, Ναύπλιο) is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece and it is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important touristic destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the ...
File:Taverna "Select" in Kos, Greece (5653087857).jpg, Interior of a taverna in Kos
Kos or Cos (; el, Κως ) is a Greek island, part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 36,986 (2021 census), ...
File:20140412 lefkada354.JPG, A fast casual
A fast casual restaurant, found primarily in the United States and Canada, does not offer full table service, but advertises higher quality food than fast food restaurants, with fewer frozen or processed ingredients. It is an intermediate conc ...
Greek restaurant
File:Thessaloniki (5).JPG, Restaurants in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
See also
* Greek food products
Greece produces many food products.
Olive oil
Greece is the world's fifth ranked producer of olive oil, producing more than 1,079,000 tons of olive oil annually, more than 75% of that extra virgin. Greek olive oil is exported throughout the wor ...
* Greek pizza
In the cuisine of the United States, Greek pizza is a style of pizza crust and preparation where the pizza is proofed and cooked in a metal pan rather than stretched to order and baked on the floor of the pizza oven. A shallow pan is used, unlik ...
* List of Greek restaurants
Following is a list of notable Greek restaurants, which typically specialize in Greek cuisine:
* Alexis Restaurant – Portland, Oregon, U.S.
* Berbati's Pan – Portland, Oregon
* Daphne's Greek Cafe – United States
* Greek Cusina – P ...
* Mediterranean cuisine
Mediterranean cuisine is the food and methods of preparation used by the people of the Mediterranean Basin. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with the cookery writer Elizabeth David's book, ''A Book of Mediterranean Food'' (1950) ...
* Types of restaurant
Restaurants fall into several industry classifications, based upon menu style, preparation methods and pricing, as well as the means by which the food is served to the customer. This article mainly describes the situation in the USA, while catego ...
Notes
References
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Further reading
*
*
* Moskos & Moskos 2013
p. 39
* Moskos & Moskos 2013
p. 72
* Moskos & Moskos 2013
p. 172
*
*
{{Cuisine of Greece