When tourists visit the Greek island of Santorini, they are often surprised by the unique traditional Santorini dishes that are served by locals at tavernas and restaurants.
If you want to make sure you don’t miss a single sumptuous bite, check out the list below of five of the best traditional dishes on Santorini.
1. Chlorotyri
We start our food journey on Santorini by letting you in on a unique cheese that is only found on the island. Chlorotyri is hard to come by, as it is not made in large quantities.
The cheese is a little sour but the creamy local treat made from goat’s milk is a favorite for spreading on bread or adding to a Santorini salad, which is like a traditional Greek salad but uses Santorini cherry tomatoes.
2. Fava
You can eat fava all over Greece, but in Santorini, it is considered a traditional dish, and it is superb.
Probably the most famous dish on the island, this nutritious purée of yellow split pea is really tasty and velvety in texture.
It is served with Greek Olive Oil drizzled over it and topped with chopped onions or capers with lemon wedges on the side.
3. Ntomatokeftedes (Tomato Fritters), Santorini Classic Dish
This is a dish that Santorini is known for. Many people try ntomatokeftedes while visiting the island and then return to their own countries and try to make them for themselves (just do a Google search, you’ll find hundreds of recipes).
What makes this dish so worth it? It is all in the Santorini tomatoes that are about the size of cherries and super flavorful. They are fried up in a batter with peppers, onions, mint, and herbs.
4. Melitzanes Santorini (white Santorini eggplant) made into Melitzanosalata
The rich volcanic soil of the island is perfect for growing produce, and one thing that you will find on Santorini is the white eggplant. Locals make a wonderful melitzanosalata, or purée, from this tasty veggie. Be sure to try it out with some fresh pita bread.
5. Apochti
The traditional meat dish called Apochti, is prepared by salting a pork loin and soaking it in vinegar before leaving it out to air-dry.
Next, locals prepare this Santorini specialty by rubbing pepper and cinnamon into the meat and allowing it to harden. They then use it in other locally prepared dishes.
This meat is very unique to the island of Santorini, so be sure to try some during your visit.
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