Santorini isn’t just famous for its sunsets and whitewashed villages — it’s also a paradise for food lovers. Thanks to its volcanic soil and seaside location, the island has a unique cuisine that blends fresh vegetables, seafood, and traditional Greek flavours. If you’re visiting, here are 8 must-try foods in Santorini.
We stayed in Oia and I will add names of the restaurants and taverns where we enjoyed these Greek treats the most!
1. Fresh Grilled Fish & Seafood 🐟🐙
Santorini’s tavernas serve some of the freshest seafood in the Aegean. Think grilled sea bass, fried calamari, or octopus charred over coals. Simply dressed with olive oil, lemon, and oregano, it’s the perfect island meal.
Not only is the seafood really fresh, caught octopuses hang from ropes along the tavernas making them a very iconic image. To add to the experience, follow the path from Oia to the shore on a donkey’s back!
Our favourite: Dimitris Ammoudi Taverna
2. Santorini Salad (Greek Salad with a Twist) 🥗
Like a classic horiatiki, but often featuring Santorini’s famous cherry tomatoes (they are grown without giving them extra water which contributes to their stronger taste), caper leaves, and local cucumbers. Of course, it comes topped with a generous slab of kefalotiri cheese (a Santorini local hard cheese) and a drizzle of golden olive oil. Every restaurant has their own variety but I really loved if they added rusk (very crunchy double baked bread).
Our favourite: Black Rock Restaurant
3. Souvlaki & Gyros 🥙
An easy street food you’ll find everywhere. Soft pita stuffed with grilled meat, fries, tomato, onions, and a spoonful of tzatziki. Perfect to grab on your way to watch the sunset in Oia. It’s also a cheap option and as much as I would like to say it’s a fast option – the lines for the best gyros in Oia is usually pretty long – but totally worth it.
Our favourite: PitoGyros Traditional Grill House
4. Moussaka 🍆
A hearty favourite layered with eggplant, potatoes, minced meat, and creamy béchamel sauce. Baked golden and comforting — the ultimate Greek comfort food, also beloved in Santorini. I can’t visit Santorini without having moussaka at least twice. After visiting 3 times already I know exactly where I’ll order this Greek gem.
Our (my!) favourite: Skala Restaurant
5. Tzatziki 🥒🧄
Cool, creamy, and refreshing, this yogurt-based dip with cucumber, garlic, and olive oil is everywhere on the island. It’s the perfect pairing with grilled lamb, fresh bread, or as a side to souvlaki. Actually, we could have tzatziki every day – all day. We usually have it as an appetizer with classic pita bread. Sometimes we would order tzatziki only and have ice cream for dessert.
Our favourite: Flora Comfort Cuisine
6. Feta Cheese Pastry (Tiropita) 🥧🧀
Sold in local bakeries, this flaky filo pastry filled with feta is salty, buttery, and absolutely addictive. A perfect quick bite before heading off on a beach adventure. Actually I’m not really sure if tiropita is what I mean, but we had feta cheese pastry smothered in honey and balsamic glaze and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I sometimes still dream about it. Yum!
Our favoutite: Thalami
7. Fish Roe Dip (Taramosalata) 🐟🥄
A creamy, slightly tangy dip made from fish roe, olive oil, lemon juice, and bread or potatoes. It’s a meze staple you’ll find in seaside tavernas, perfect with fresh bread. Usually as part of ‘trio’ dip appetizer, I was a bit weary of it at first as I don’t like fish roe. But this is something very different, the roe just gives the dip special saltines without having a very fishy taste. Interesting!
Our favourite: Lotza
8. Grilled Lamb Chops (Paidakia) 🍖🔥
Marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano, then grilled until smoky and tender. A must-try if you want something hearty after a long day of exploring the island. Lamb is quite popular and you can find it in many dishes, either cooked to perfection so the meat falls of the bone, marinated in deep Santorini tomato sauce or as grilled baby lamb chops. These are addictively delicious and tender!
Our favourite: Flora Comfort Cuisine
Final Thoughts
Santorini’s food is all about freshness and simplicity — from sun-ripened cherry tomatoes to freshly caught seafood and traditional Greek favourites. Whether you’re enjoying meze by the sea or grabbing a quick gyro before sunset, every meal here is an experience.
✨ So when in Santorini, eat like the locals do: slowly, joyfully, and always with a view of the Aegean.
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