Guest article by Carly Knapp
Greece has inundated the travelsphere with its picturesque white walls and blue waters. It is the traveler’s destination of choice these days. And the good news is, the Greece vegan dining scene is booming too! Being vegan in Greece has never been easier.
Vegan Food Athens
Vibrant Vegan pizza from Avocado Restaurant in Athens. With avocado, of course!
The capital is teeming with restaurants offering both traditional Greek cuisine and other worldly flavors like Japanese, Italian, Mexican and Middle Eastern. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Athens Greece, and health food stores are everywhere.
There’s even a 100% vegan store called Bamboo Vegan, which also offers a vegan online shop in Greece. Athens is the perfect place to get acquainted with Greek vegan food and indulge in some plant-based perfection.
Vegan Food in the Greek Islands
The islands of Greece are all unique, and each has its own vibe and story. I recently visited Crete, Santorini and Mykonos, all wildly different but having one common denominator: good vegan food.
Aside from the main staples of the Mediterranean diet, I knew very little about traditional Greek cuisine before spending a month in the country. I took several cooking classes while I was there to learn first-hand about the food I was indulging in.
Outside of Athens, there are not many restaurants specializing in vegan or vegetarian food in Greece, BUT they aren’t needed. You can easily avoid animal products while ordering off the main menu of any Greek restaurant.
Here are a few staples found on most Greek menus that happen to be vegan or easily veganizable. And by the way, many of these vegan dishes are also part of Cypriot cuisine in Cyprus.
Vegan Greek Appetizers
Big Beans
(a.k.a gigantes, broad beans)
These are giant beans in a tomato sauce or olive oil with herbs. They are usually served whole but may be mashed to create a spread or dip.
Boiled Greens
(a.k.a horta)
Local greens boiled and served wilted with olive oil and a lemon wedge. The greens may be dandelion greens, mustards greens, chicory or a mix.
Dakos
Rusks (a hard, dried bread that has been soaked in water to soften it) with olive oil, tomatoes, oregano and cheese on top. Make sure to ask for no cheese to get the vegan version. This is a traditional Crete Greece food.
Dolmades
(a.k.a. stuffed vine leaves, stuffed grape leaves, dolmadakia)
Dolmades are a rice and herb mixture rolled into a grape leaf. The rice mixture can vary but typically has grated tomatoes, fennel, parsley, mint, oregano and onion.
They are served with two different sauces, both of which are vegetarian but not vegan:
But don't worry! You can ask for no sauce and they are just as delicious, or drizzle with olive oil.
Eggplant Salad
(a.k.a melitzanosalata, eggplant dip, aubergine salad, aubergine dip)
Eggplant purée mixed with garlic, parsley, olive oil and, occasionally, peppers.
Some eggplant salads contain feta cheese, so ask before ordering. It is pre-made, so if it does have cheese, a vegan version ain’t happening.
Pro Tip
Santorini island is known for its white eggplant. They are a rare form and taste sweeter. Not all restaurants serve them so you will have to do some research by calling or message me for the places to go. The eggplant dip made with white eggplant was by far my favorite!
Fava
(a.k.a. bean spread, mashed split peas)
Fava is a traditional appetizer of Santorini but is eaten throughout the country. It is similar to hummus in texture but not in taste. Fava in Greece are not fava beans; they are tiny split peas that are cooked, mixed with puréed carrots and onions and then drizzled with olive oil.
Greek Salad
Homemade Greek salad with vegan feta cheese. Be sure to ask for no feta when in Greece.
Tomato, cucumber, onion, oregano, olives, feta cheese (not vegan) and, occasionally, capers, dressed with olive oil.
Some places serve the cheese in large wedges on top of the salad, so try asking for no cheese. Otherwise, the cheese will be mixed in and may be hard to separate.
Garlic Dip
(a.k.a. skordalia, garlic spread, garlic salad)
Skordalia garlic dip (left) with eggplant salad and veggies
Mashed potatoes, garlic and salt. Strong and delicious. Insider tip- make sure your company is getting down on it too 😉
Grilled Mushrooms
Often dressed with lemon, garlic and/or balsamic glaze.
Grilled Vegetables
Peppers, eggplant, zucchini and onion dressed in olive oil and/or balsamic glaze.
Olives
Obvious...
Peppers
Marinated sweet red peppers with salad and olives
Marinated sweet red peppers or spicy green peppers. If spicy, it usually says “spicy peppers.”
Tomato Fritters
(a.k.a. tomatokeftedes, tomato balls, tomato croquettes)
Tomato fritters. Ask for them without the tzatziki sauce pictured here.
Delightful nuggets of heaven. Herbs, onions, tomatoes and flour, fried in oil.
Zucchini Flowers
A mixed plate of stuffed zucchini flowers and dolmades. Again, ask for no tzatziki.
Stuffed with a rice and herb mixture, usually baked but may be fried.
Zucchini Fritters
See the two balls in front? Those are zucchini fritters.
(a.k.a zucchini balls, zucchini croquettes)
Cousins to the tomato fritters. Same concept. Different veggie.
Vegan Greek Main Dishes
Briám
Similar to a ratatouille, briám is mixed veggies including zucchini, potatoes, eggplant and optional others in a tomato base topped with herbs.
Gemista
Tomatoes or bell peppers stuffed with a rice and herb mixture traditionally served with baked potato wedges. Notice the pattern? They stuff A LOT of things with the same rice and herb mix which is rad for plant-based eaters!
Stifado
Aginares a la polita - a vegan stew of artichokes, carrots and potatoes
Stifado is a stew, so expect soft textures and deep flavors. There are many meat stifados, but I came across several vegan versions including a chestnut stifado that was so different and delightful.
Moussaka
Because you don’t go to Greece without sticking your face into a plate of this local dish 
lucky for me, they had a vegan version 
#veganwin
Moussaka, unfortunately, is not traditionally vegan. Moussaka is a noodle-less lasagna of potatoes, eggplant and zucchini. There are many restaurants that offer a vegetarian version but the top of the dish is a béchamel dairy sauce.
However, if you're headed to Crete, be sure to stop in at To Stachi in Chania. They do a vegan version!
Vegan Greek Desserts
A fully vegan dessert can be tricky in Greece as honey is the go-to sweetener.
Baklava
Baklava, the OG of Greek sweet, is made with nuts and filo dough BUT is almost always made with honey (unless it claims to be vegan).
Halva
Halva is a semolina pudding, mixed with orange, cinnamon, and/or raisins. When ordering halva, you will have to ask because sometimes it is sweetened with honey and other recipes rely on sugar.
Loukoumades
Loukoumades are basically fried donuts. Oh yeah! Again, always check to make sure they don’t drizzle with honey.
On a happier note, I managed to find dairy-free gelato all over the place so my sweet tooth was well taken care of!
Gluten Free Greece
The following dishes are NOT gluten-free:
Dakos
Tomato fritters
Zucchini fritters
Baklava
Halva
Everything else above is traditionally made gluten-free. If you have an allergy or intolerance, always check with the staff first as not all chefs follow the traditional recipes.
Final Tips for Greece Vegan Travel
Vegan Greece life is truly easy and enjoyable. After spending a month traveling across the country, I had the opportunity to experience different islands, different restaurants and different dishes.
One tip when ordering is to consider an array of appetizers. This was so much fun for me and my friends because we got to try tons of different dishes and, as you can see by the list above, the appetizer section is full of vegan options, so you won’t be limited. Safe travels and delicious dining to you my friend.
About the Author
Carly Knapp
Carly is a certified holistic health coach with a Master’s degree in health communications and a B.A. in Journalism. She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she was trained on over 100 dietary theories by the world’s top nutrition experts.
Originally from South Mississippi, Carly now lives out of a suitcase, traveling full-time and experiencing all the vegan treasures of the world. She loves to practice yoga, cook and help others navigate the journey to better health. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
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Your photos look amazing. I would love to go here after reading your post. Thanks for some great tips on where to go
I hope you do make it to Greece one day. It’s a beautiful part of the world!
I loved your post. What is the name of the restaurant with the white eggplant dish you discussed. We can’t wait to try it.
Hi Licia,
I’m glad you enjoyed the article! I will ask Carly, the author, to share the name of the restaurant here.
Dimitris in Oia. Tiny place directly on the water. Try the garlic dip too if your a fan….and Metaxy Mas Tavern for delicious vegan options.
Great article! If I may add one very nutritious and Vegan dish from Greece: Spinach rice. (Spanakorizo). Aromatized by fresh dill and lemon is an extraordinary tasty food! ?
Hi Ktrovas,
Thanks for that tip! I’ve heard of Spanakorizo but never tried it. I’ll have to look out for it the next time I’m in Greece!
Heading to Athens in a few months. Thanks for the good information on eating vegan there.
Have a wonderful time in Athens! The vegan scene there has changed a lot in the past few years, and there are actually several vegan restaurants now (you can find them on HappyCow). But you can also find delicious vegan dishes in just about any traditional Greek restaurant.