What to Eat in Crete: 12 Traditional Dishes You Must Try

Cretan cuisine is considered one of the healthiest and most authentic in the world. Rooted in simplicity, seasonal ingredients, and olive oil, food in Crete is more than nourishment — it’s culture, tradition, and hospitality.

Here are 12 traditional Cretan dishes you must try, plus tips on where to enjoy them like a local.

Dakos

A simple yet iconic dish made with barley rusk, ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and mizithra cheese.

Best enjoyed: seaside tavernas or village cafés

Kalitsounia

Small cheese or herb pies, baked or fried.

Where: bakeries and traditional villages

Gamopilafo

A rich rice dish traditionally served at weddings, made with goat or lamb broth.

Where: special occasions and local festivals

Lamb with Stamnagathi

Slow-cooked lamb with wild greens, deeply rooted in Cretan tradition.

Cretan Cheese Variety

Includes graviera, mizithra, anthotyro, and kefalotyri.

Tip: Visit local markets or dairies

Fresh Seafood

Grilled octopus, calamari, and fresh fish dominate coastal menus.

Best towns: Chania coast, South Crete villages

Boureki

A baked dish with potatoes, zucchini, herbs, and cheese.

Cretan Snails (Chochlioi)

Prepared with rosemary and vinegar — a true local delicacy.

Sfakian Pie

Thin cheese pie drizzled with honey.

Origin: Sfakia region

Traditional Bread & Rusks

Often handmade and baked in wood ovens.

Olive Oil Everywhere

Crete produces some of the world’s finest extra virgin olive oil.

Raki

Offered after meals as a symbol of hospitality.

Where to Eat Like a Local

• Village tavernas

• Weekly markets

• Family-run restaurants

• Olive mills and wineries

Eating in Crete is a journey through tradition, nature, and hospitality. Trying local dishes is one of the best ways to truly understand the island.

Eat like a local during your stay in Agios Nikolaos or in Elounda! Find your house to stay here below: