Food and drinks to try in Santorini
- Jess Touhig
- Nov 7
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Don't read this if you're hungry...
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Santorini may be picture-perfect, and a very “Instagrammable” destination, but it’s much more than that too. In terms of food and drink, you’ll notice a huge range of types of restaurant. From stunning, sunset-view restaurants, to quick fast food stops, and lively local bars, there’s something in every category.
There are lots of restaurants, bars and cafes in every resort, and you’ll find more spots aimed at tourists than aimed at locals. Santorini, as it’s such a beautiful island, is very much a tourist hotspot. But that doesn’t mean that the food at restaurants in Santorini is bad, whether you’re visiting a spot that’s really popular with tourists, or more of a local, hidden gem. In fact, it can be absolutely incredible.
There are some foods and drinks in Santorini that you simply cannot miss during your trip. Some are specialities of the island itself, and others are Greek classics that are just done incredibly well on this island.
If you’d like to read more about food and drink in Santorini - including where to try all of these recommended food and drinks, as well as all the must-see sightseeing spots, cultural norms, and an interactive map with all of our recommendations saved to it, download our Santorini Travel Toolkit.
Gyros: A Greek staple, available from most takeaways and Greek restaurants on the island for as little as 3 euros! It generally consists of meat, salad, fries and tzatziki, all served in a pitta. The typical meat you’ll receive in gyros is pork, but you’ll also see lamb and chicken. You may see options to get a gyros plate, which just means you’ll receive a larger quantity of all the food, usually including a portion of fries, all plated up rather than just what fits inside the pitta bread.
On an island known to sometimes be a little overpriced in some of the restaurants, this is a welcome affordable meal.
Assyrtiko wine: Assyrtiko is a type of wine, local to Santorini. It’s made from a grape grown on the island, in soil that is rich in volcanic ash. This means that the wine has a high minerality and acidity due to the richness of the soil. Definitely a must-try, you can get it in supermarkets and wine shops as well as restaurants and bars.
Freddo espresso/cappuccino or frappe: These are typical Greek iced coffees. A freddo espresso is a shorter drink, simply a strong, short, cold coffee. A freddo cappuccino is a longer iced coffee with frothy milk on top. And a frappe is cold coffee mixed with milk and sugar, and shaken to create a light, frothy texture. It’s so refreshing to enjoy outside in the sun, on a hot day. Check out our Santorini Travel Toolkit to find all the best coffee spots on the island.
Domatokeftedes: These are also sometimes referred to as “tomato balls”. Made with high-quality Santorini tomatoes, domatokeftedes are essentially fritters, usually lightly fried in local olive oil. Typically served as a starter with yogurt or tzatziki, these fritters are rich in tomato flavour, but also infused with herbs and onions in the batter.
Fava: Another Santorini speciality, this is a dip made from Fava beans (yellow split lentils), garlic and lemon. It’s a little bit similar in texture to hummus, if you’ve ever had that before.
Strapatsada: A Greek dish often served for brunch in Santorini made of scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes and other seasonal vegetables. The vegetables are cooked slowly, then the eggs are cooked in the juices to make them even tastier. They’re also often topped with feta cheese. Want to know where to get them? Read our Santorini Travel Toolkit for the best restaurants and bars to find all of these recommended dishes in.
Spanakopita: A traditional Greek pie. It’s made with filo pastry, filled with spinach and feta cheese. Another easy on-the-go snack to grab from a bakery, and usually an affordable option too.
Moussaka: One of the most popular and well-known Greek dishes - made of layers of thinly sliced aubergine and potato, bechamel sauce and ground lamb in tomato sauce. Offered in most restaurants across the island - check out our Santorini Travel Toolkit for our best recommendations.
Santorini is a stunning destination, and we know that it’s hard to have bad food anywhere in Greece. But Santorini is a tourist hotspot, and it’s a good idea to be aware of the cultural norms, common scams, and how to have authentic experiences on the island. That’s why we created a Santorini Travel Toolkit that covers everything you could possibly need to know for your trip, even including a digital, interactive map with all of our recommended points highlighted.
It includes content on sightseeing, bars and restaurants, culture, and practical information about the city. And best of all, it’s all saved to your phone in one, easy to navigate document.
Enjoy eating and drinking your way through this incredible island!
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