40 Absolutely Delicious Things We Ate on Crete (Travel Food Guide)

Join us as we discover the rich culinary heritage of Crete!

Our first video in the Let’s Eat series highlights Crete’s olive oil industry and the 40 tasty treats we discovered on Greece’s southernmost inhabited island. From well-known items like gyros and moussaka to traditional meals like stifado, antikristo, and dakos, we’ll show you how delicious Cretan food is.
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Let’s Eat is a new series dedicated to documenting the fantastic food and culinary aspects of the locations we visit. As companions to our regular Travel Guides, these food-specific videos will help you plan a trip with your taste buds in mind!

Food is an excellent way to learn about a country’s customs, culture, and traditions. For example, you gain insight into people’s everyday lives by visiting local fresh markets. What grows here? What’s in season? What are people buying, and when? How are ingredients prepared and sold?

Dining out, you discover the staple foods and traditional dishes that are mainstays of a country’s culinary landscape. You see how these basic building blocks are utilized across the food spectrum, from Michelin-star restaurants to local taverns and street stalls.

By staying curious — and being open to some trial and error — you begin to discern authentic local fare from food that caters to tourists. Do locals eat this? How is it served, and when? What typically accompanies it? How do you eat it? How spicy is that anyway?

Eating is simply a fun, adventurous, and often delicious way to explore the world, and with that in mind, we hope you enjoy the Let’s Eat series as we begin to include our culinary discoveries alongside the beautiful footage and helpful planning material in our regular Travel Guides.

Thank you for being here. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe. We appreciate your support!
~ Elena and Mike

🎥 Video Content
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Olive Oil
03:50 Bread and Appetizers
05:08 Cheese
05:51 Salads and Vegetarian Dishes
06:26 Seafood
06:41 Meat and Traditional Dishes
08:00 Wine and Raki
08:58 Desserts
10:13 Restaurants and Tavernas
12:41 The Perfect Greek Meal
13:03 Wrap-up and Thanks!

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#crete #creteisland #cretanfood

Hello and welcome! In this video, we’ll 
be discussing all the delicious food we encountered on the beautiful Greek island 
of Crete. Now, if you’re currently thinking, “Hey, wait a minute. Where’s Elena? Isn’t this 
her YouTube channel? Who’s this joker?” Well, I understand. She’s more beautiful and far more 
interesting. So, I’m Mike, and I’m the guy whose back or backpack you usually see walking around in 
Elena’s travel videos. As a former chef, however, I’m also the one who’s keenly focused on the 
culinary side of our travels. Elena will surely create a video on Crete and its exciting things 
to see and do, but the food we ate there was so good that I thought it deserved a separate video 
of its own. So, here goes. Crete is an island absolutely covered with olive trees, like 30 to 
40 million of them. They’re planted everywhere, even on steep mountain ridges. Some of the oldest 
olive trees in the world are here. Some estimated to be 2,000 to 4,000 years old. Creek produces 
some 200,000 metric tons of olive oil annually, which is roughly half of Greece’s annual 
output. It’s said the residents of Crete consume on average 25 to 30 liters of olive oil 
per person. On Crete, the olive is not only a way to make a living, it’s an integral part of 
life itself. So, when visiting Crete, you must try the olive oil! Some producers do olive oil 
tours and tastings, where they explain what makes a quality oil and how to taste it properly. 
It’s a fun and educational experience. This is from Early Harvest. Early harvest olives yield 
less oil but are more fruity, bitter, and spicy, resulting in a less acidic, higher quality oil 
best used as a finishing condiment. This is for salads, not cooking. It’s too strong, and it’s 
a pity to cook with a premium. Early harvest oil is also believed to have more health benefits. 
Later in the season, the larger ripened olives produce a more neutral oil, which is higher in 
acidity and better for cooking. This the one we prefer to use for cooking, but many people use 
it for both. It depends on your taste. Did you know there are Grand Cru olive oils? Grand Cru 
is 0.2, the minimum, so it’s the highest quality. So the acidity is how they grade the 
quality? Obviously also taste and things, but the acidity is a main… Acidity and the 
organoleptic profile because there are people who are olive oil experts. They taste it, they 
smell it. It’s very much like wine, huh? The whole complexity of it. Yeah. Like wine, olive oil 
tasting and testing is a big deal, with many oils from Crete winning awards from around the globe. 
This is in the top five in the world for the last seven years. On a tour or tasting, they’ll show 
you how to evaluate olive oil by covering the small vial with one hand and warming it up in the 
other. Then you check the aroma, then you sip and do the wine tasting kind of inhale. Have to warm 
it up. Warming it up. Are you ready for a smell? Uh-huh. You tell me what you smell. I didn’t know 
there was a tasting and aroma wheel for olive oil. It outlines the positive and negative attributes 
that can be associated with a given oil. Positives include avocado, green banana, and mint, and I had 
to laugh at some of the negatives, which include horse stable, moldy hay, and baby vomit. Compared 
to bland grocery store olive oil, the real deal from younger olives is definitely more bitter 
and spicy, as it should be. And once you come to appreciate its true flavors, it’s impossible 
to enjoy a meal without it. Which brings us to the delicious food of Crete. In restaurants, 
always get the bread. It’s usually a small charge per person, like one or one and a half 
euros. It might be grilled, it may include pita, but it’s always the best way to try more olive 
oil. Now let’s look at the appetizers. I think everyone knows the yogurt-based tzatziki. Here are 
dakos, which is kind of like bruschetta in Italy. It has tomatoes, cheese, and olive oil, but on 
a really hard bread known as a rusk. Because it’s so hard, it’s best to let the juices soak in 
and soften the bread before eating it. Here’s a yogurt appetizer infused with beetroot and topped 
with walnuts. This dish is flepsia and sikomagis. Now is probably a good time to mention that I 
don’t speak Greek, and I’m probably butchering, no pun intended, the pronunciations of some of 
these dishes. My apologies, but it’s all Greek to me. Anyway, this appetizer is a rolled pastry made 
of phyllo dough, filled with a katsohiri cheese, and then deep-fried and served with a side 
of fig marmalade. Here are vine leaves and zucchini flowers stuffed with herbs and groats 
and it’s served with a side of yogurt. This interesting dish is called kagianas. It has only 
two ingredients— eggs and tomatoes. Simple and delicious. And the cheese! We have to talk about 
the cheese. On Crete, you’ll find cheeses like graviera, mazithra, manouri, feta of course, and 
katsohiri. Try as many varieties as you can. Here we have deep-fried, phyllo-wrapped feta with 
a jam and pralined hazelnuts. Super warm and delicious. My favorite is probably the saganaki, 
which is a simple fried cheese. It’s usually made with graviera, and sometimes you’ll see it coated 
with sesame seeds. Another way to enjoy cheese is the kalitsounia. These are small hand pies, 
kind of like an empanada, stuffed with cheese, local greens, and or meat. Here’s a spinach salad 
with manouri cheese, a soft white cheese from goat or sheep. Speaking of salads, most restaurants 
have a large variety on the menu. Vegetarians will be delighted, but you should be aware 
that some salads include apaki, and that’s a kind of smoked pork. In general, vegetarians are 
well taken care of on Crete. Here we have some slow-roasted veggies with cheese. There are loads 
of eggplant dishes. This is known as gemitsa, which is tomatoes, peppers, or zucchini stuffed 
with rice and herbs. And there are many other delicious choices. Vegetarian or not, everyone 
should try the local bitter greens, including wild chicory, fennel, carrot, parsley, and many 
others. Since Crete is a Mediterranean island, with over 650 miles of coastline, it almost goes 
without saying that the seafood is a must-try. I love the fresh calamari, octopus, both grilled and 
in salads, and don’t forget to try the fish soup. When talking about Greek food, the gyro is usually 
everyone’s first thought. I went upscale and very non-traditional at Abla in Chania and tried the 
duck pita with fesenjoon dressing and pickled loquat. The combo was interesting, but it was 
also delicious. The next Greek food on everyone’s list is moussaka. A delicious meat, potato, and 
eggplant combo crowned with silky béchamel. Almost always available, and always a winner, especially 
if you’re not feeling too adventurous with your menu choices. A more traditional Greek option is 
beef stifado, which is a beef and onion stew that is slow-roasted for hours. You’ll love its tender 
meat and rich, delicious sauce. Antikristo is a very old, traditional way of roasting meats, and I 
found it fascinating. It’s a long process, but the results are incredibly tasty. Basically, large 
cuts of meat are threaded onto giant skewers, which are then placed on a special rack that can 
rotate around an open fire based on where the chef wants to apply the heat. So, when I target 
something, I put fire there, you know… This type of indirect cooking takes hours and hours, 
but the results are spectacular. Super tender, flavorful lamb, beef, and pork antikristo can be 
found at certain restaurants around the island. Don’t miss it, and definitely call ahead to 
reserve. And let’s not forget Cretan wine! While it’s not going to beat out France or California, 
Greek wine is perfectly paired with the local food. A great way to sample the many indigenous 
varietals is a wine tasting tour. In restaurants, a half-liter of house wine is only 4 to 6 euros. 
So, it’s almost a crime not to have wine with your meal. And why not? You’re on vacation, right? 
Keep an eye out for Retsina wine. It’s a unique dry white wine made with pine resin. It’s harder 
to find, but if you happen to see it on the menu, order a glass and give it a try. And then there’s 
the ubiquitous raki, also known as tsikoudia locally. This is a strong spirit distilled from 
grape pomace. It’s not like the anise-flavored ouzo that everyone associates with Greece. You 
can’t avoid raki on Crete, so you may as well dive in and enjoy. We ate at one taverna that makes 
a cinnamon-infused raki, and they send everyone home with a small bottle. Desserts! Oh my gosh. 
Don’t even bother looking at the menu for desserts because the restaurants on Crete almost always 
give you a small, free dessert after the meal, and it’s always served with a bottle of raki. Here 
we have loukoumades. Little syrupy doughnut balls served, of course, with raki. Here’s a take on 
halva made with semolina, again served with raki. I’m not even sure what these were, but they were 
super yummy, and you guessed it, more raki. See what I mean? At this taverna, we were served a 
deep-fried, cheese-stuffed pita with cinnamon and honey. Especially when you’re traveling through 
the highlands, keep an eye out for goat milk ice cream. Different and delicious. This tasty treat 
is called galaktoboureko. I think I said that right. It’s basically a semolina custard with 
layers of phyllo dough that’s been drenched in a flavored syrup. Here’s another dessert your 
grandma would be proud of. A soft cake with honey and super fresh fruit of the season. You’ll 
find all sorts of homemade goodies at local cafés and family-run restaurants and shops. Here we 
tried the baklava and an orange cake that was absolutely outstanding. It’s no wonder the cake 
was delicious because the café owner had loads of fruit trees in his yard. You’ll see fruit trees 
all around Crete. Oranges, lemons, persimmons, pomegranates, and lots of figs. Take advantage. I 
think Greek food is so delicious because they cook with the seasons. If it’s not growing and ready 
to eat, it’s not on the menu. Everything is fresh, local, and you can taste the difference. You’ll 
find no shortage of super cute, casual restaurants in the narrow old town alleys of Chania and 
Heraklion. Most are highly rated, and it’s almost hard to have a bad dining experience. 
There are some fancier, high-end options, like Peskesi in Heraklion, where I had the best 
dish of the entire trip. Their kreokakavos is an outrageously succulent pork belly roasted with 
honey and thyme and served with a legume puree. I may not have pronounced it correctly, but 
it was definitely delicious. Be sure to make advanced reservations. Food is a great way to 
understand people, culture, and traditions. So I like to find everyday places where I can eat 
alongside the residents. This is where the local tavernas reign supreme. Friendly faces, great 
value, and homestyle meals from family recipes. One reward for venturing from the cities and into 
the rural highlands is unexpectedly stumbling upon a roadside taverna like this one. Locals were 
eating, drinking, and socializing as if it were the only thing on the schedule that day. We felt 
like we were crashing someone’s backyard Sunday barbecue. We were greeted with several mezze 
items, and I ordered some house wine. Then, rather than translate the all-Greek chalkboard 
menu, the owner simply brought us to his outdoor kitchen to show us what was on offer. Clay pots 
were balanced over burning sticks and coals, slowly braising the various meats and stews. The 
woodfired oven was roasting lamb and goat and vegetables, and the aroma was enticing. I opted 
for the pork shank with oven-roasted potatoes, which was huge and delicious, while Elena had an 
assortment of veggie options including stuffed cabbage rolls, gemitsa, and dolmades. The meal 
finished with a sweet cheese stuffed pita for dessert, and by now you can guess, a small bottle 
of raki. The bill was only €25, and we left happy, full, and grateful. So, when you’re driving around 
inland Crete and you see a cute scene like this, take the time to pull over and investigate. 
Have a coffee or lunch, peruse the shops, maybe pick up some Cretan thyme honey to bring 
home. For seafood, sunshine, and gorgeous views, be sure to dine at some of Crete’s many beach 
cafés and waterside restaurants. Nothing feels more relaxing or gives you that island vibe than 
my perfect Greek meal: grilled, fresh calamari, dressed lightly with only olive oil and lemon, a 
glass of crisp white wine, and a table overlooking the sea. Thanks for watching. I hope this video 
didn’t make you too hungry, and no one will blame you if your next click is searching for tickets 
to Crete. The food is worth the trip. [Music]