Greek Food Guide: What to Order From Souvlaki to Spanakopita
For a first Greek restaurant meal, decide whether you want a wrap, a plated main, or small dishes to share. Then check what is included before adding bread, dips or sides. A souvlaki wrap and a souvlaki grill item can be different orders even when they use the same meat.
This guide helps you narrow a menu to one workable order. Recipes, serving sizes and prices belong to the restaurant you choose; a dish name alone cannot settle them.
Choose the format first
Souvlaki or gyros wrap
Souvlaki refers to skewered pieces; gyros is sliced from a rotating spit. Both names can appear on wrap menus.
Ask: Is this a wrap or a plate? Which meat, sauce and sides come with it? A photo of a full platter may show extras.
Moussaka or pastitsio
Moussaka is an aubergine-based bake, often with meat and a creamy topping. Pastitsio is baked pasta with meat sauce and béchamel. Vegetable versions also exist.
Ask: Is this version meat-based or vegetarian, and is salad included? Choose one bake before adding another substantial main.
Spanakopita
A spinach pastry, commonly with feta. A menu may offer a slice, small parcels or a larger portion.
Ask: How many pieces come with the order? Is it intended as a starter or a main? Spinach in the name does not mean dairy-free.
Tzatziki and bread
Tzatziki is a yoghurt, cucumber and garlic dip. Bread can be a separate item.
Ask: Does the dip include bread, and would a dip selection duplicate what is already in your set meal?
Horiatiki, beans or vegetable dishes
Horiatiki is a tomato-and-cucumber salad typically served with feta and olives. Look for bean dishes and vegetables as well as salads.
Ask: Is there cheese, meat stock or another animal ingredient? For a vegan order, ask about the finished dish, toppings and preparation.
Fish or octopus
Check whether the listing is a fillet, whole fish or small plate. These formats are difficult to compare from the dish name alone.
Ask: Is the price per portion or by weight? If by weight, request the expected total before confirming. Ask which sides are included.
Baklava or another dessert
Baklava is a layered pastry with a sweet syrup and nut filling. Recipes vary; do not use the country name to identify the nuts.
Ask: Which nuts and other allergens are in this version? How large is the serving? You can decide about dessert after the main course.
For concrete examples, compare the separate grill, wrap and small-plate sections on The Real Greek's current menu. These examples describe one restaurant group, not every Greek restaurant. Yassas's first-visit guide also explains common dishes and sharing formats.
Build an order for your appetite and budget
| Your situation | Starting decision | Before adding extras |
|---|---|---|
| Eating alone | Choose a wrap or a plated main that suits your appetite. | Check included sides. You do not need a group or a multi-course meal to enjoy Greek food. |
| Two people want to share | Agree on one main direction: separate mains or a small-plate order. | Ask how large the plates are and which dishes overlap. A fixed number of plates does not reliably feed every pair. |
| Different diets at one table | Identify each person's suitable main before choosing shared dishes. | Ask about serving utensils and preparation if an allergy is involved. Removing a topping after cooking may not solve the problem. |
| A set menu looks cheaper | Compare the included food with what you actually want. | Check minimum diners, supplements, drinks and service charges on this menu. Unwanted extras do not make a better deal. |
Example arithmetic, not restaurant prices: if a wrap costs 9 and a side costs 4 in your menu's currency, that order totals 13. A plate priced at 16 with that side included costs 3 more; it is not automatically cheaper. Compare its portion and other contents. Add drinks and any applicable charges before comparing the final bill.
For a shared order, ask the server to read back the dishes, quantities and included sides. Start with what your table expects to finish; ask whether adding a dish later is practical for that kitchen. Sharing is an option, not a rule or a reason to order more than you want.
Check heat, ingredients and preparation
Greek food is not uniformly chilli-free. The Real Greek lists red chilli in its spicy feta and chilli flakes on its aubergine grill dish. For less heat, ask about the marinade, dip and garnish separately. A premade sauce or marinade may not be adjustable; request another dish when the kitchen cannot change it.
Vegetarian and vegan are different requests. Cheese, yoghurt, eggs, butter or stock may matter even in a vegetable dish. Tell the server which ingredients you avoid and ask about the specific recipe; do not infer suitability from a green vegetable or a familiar dish name.
For a food allergy, contact the restaurant ahead where possible, tell the staff when ordering, and request current allergen information. Discuss shared preparation and utensils too. GOV.UK's eating-out guidance recommends asking about kitchen handling and ingredient changes, then checking again at the restaurant. The descriptions above are not a complete allergen list for any kitchen.
Choose a drink without a health promise
Water or another non-alcoholic drink can accompany any of these meals. Wine and ouzo are optional alcoholic drinks, not necessary ingredients of a Greek meal or a health recommendation. The NHS explains that alcohol has no safe drinking level and that evidence for a heart-protective effect from moderate drinking is weaker than previously thought. A cuisine label also cannot establish the nutritional suitability of an individual meal.
Before ordering checklist
Use these prompts at the table. The ticks reset when you reload this page.
Planning another meal?
If you are deciding between cooking and takeout, put your own prices into the meal-cost calculator. If the question is simply which cuisine to explore next, try Food Roulette; it suggests ideas and does not check restaurant ingredients or allergies.
Prepared by the AllAboutWorld editorial team using the linked menus and official guidance, checked September 12, 2026. This is a menu-reading guide, not a report of a restaurant visit. For a specific venue, its current menu and staff are the source for ingredients, availability and prices.