Diners can enjoy Cretan food and sample the many local drinks that accompany Greek dishes so well. It is normal for the locals to dine late and meals can last a long time because it is considered a very social affair. Visitors to Crete soon fall into this wonderfully relaxed routine and appreciate the fact that Tavernas around

the island will serve meals well into the night. The lovely thing about dining in Crete is that no one is in a hurry, so diners can sit and enjoy their meals for as long as the like in a very relaxed, friendly and entertaining environment.

In Crete hospitality and laughter are synonymous with being happy with life and visitors who discover a favourite Taverna will want to share their experience with friends and family because nobody leaves these establishments without having eaten well and enjoyed themselves so much that they want to come back and the wonderful experience all over again.

Tavernas in Crete are very typical of the culture that has evolved over the centuries and the food that is served, although simple, is deliciously prepared using only the most natural ingredients mixed with plenty of aromatic fresh herbs that are so popular in Greek cuisine.

Many tourists love the ‘meze’ which is always served in all the Tavernas. Meze consists of many starters all served at the same time and is one of the most delicious combinations of tastes that simply excites the palate. These starters are hand prepared, some wrapped in vine leaves ‘dolmades’, others fried to perfection,  ‘octopus’ and of course everything is prepared with the best olive oil that is so abundant in Crete. Main courses are mouth-wateringly good with menus always including well known dishes like ‘Moussaka’ or stuffed aubergines, ‘Imam Baldi’ which is probably less well known to the foreign visitor but just as good to eat.

The wine served in Tavernas in Crete is more like port and sherry to the foreign pallet but this does not mean that it isn’t some of the nicest home-brewed wine  a visitor will ever have the pleasure of tasting. It accompanies the Greek dishes to perfection. Every visitor who has experienced the wonderful atmosphere and liveliness when dining in a Cretan Taverna knows that it is unique to this delightful and peacefully tranquil Mediterranean island.

Exploring the coast or driving inland in a rented car is the best way of discovering ‘off the beaten track’ places that are so typical to Crete. Visitors will come across some mountain villages that appear to have been frozen in time giving the tourists the impression that the clock has been turned back a few centuries and it is here that they will discover some true treasures when it comes to dining in a traditional Cretan Taverna.

It is estimated that for every single inhabitant on the island there are 60 olive trees and when cooking in Crete, only the very best oil will do. There is a variety of delicious cheeses that are a speciality in Crete and locals are proud of the fact that visitors often buy the finest olive oil and best cheeses to take home with them after their holidays. It is their way of taking a little bit of Crete back with them which will remind them of all the wonderful memories they have of their visit to the island.

As soon as a tourist arrives in the island, they are greeted with the wonderful aromatic scent of all the herbs that grow in abundance all over the island. Herbs play an important role in all traditional dishes in Crete and are favoured with the locals as many have medicinal properties. This knowledge of herbs has been passed down to them over the ages by the many ancient civilisations that lived in Crete and who favoured herbs so much.

The production of honey in Crete has been an important industry for thousands of years and mixed with the herb, thyme, it is truly delicious.

You can understand why the Egyptians revered the honey that came from Crete so very long ago. Every visitor will appreciate the quality of meat on the island, particularly the lamb and goat. Animals reared on Crete are free of all intensive farming methods making the meat here as good as it was decades ago in Europe.

Tourists will really love the way meat is prepared in restaurants and they will never taste anything better anywhere else.

The popular drink with many locals is called ‘raki’ or ‘tsikoudia’ and is made out of the pulp of grapes that have been pressed. Many families in Crete have their own stills and make their own ‘raki’. When this has been distilled it is a time for celebration and families with their friends and neighbours get together for to honour this important event. It is very strong, 37% proof but visitors to Crete have come to love drinking real ‘raki’ produced by locals and always take some home with them when they can.

Wine in Crete is home-made and very potent, 13-14% proof. Unlike other wines in the world it is a golden brown colour and tastes rather like port or sherry. It can be an acquired taste and as with other home-made wines from around the world, there are some very good ones and some very bad ones too. Dining and drinking in Crete is a unique experience that blends well with the atmosphere of the island. It is easy and simple but truly delicious.

In case you visit Crete or generally Greece, there are some dishes you should definitely taste. So here is a small article about what you should order in a restaurant or a Greek traditional tavern (taverna).

Let’s start off with the appetizers, this first part will be all about them. The first thing to order should be the Horiatiki (Choriatiki) Salada, or Greek Salad, which has tomatoes, cucumber, olives, Feta cheese (the traditional cheese of Greece) and virgin olive oil. Don’t miss the “tzitziki” which is a top specialty for Greeks and basically is a cucumber dip.

Be sure to order “kalamarakia” which is chopped squid and a great appetizer. Don’t forget to order french fries and the famous saganaki, which is nothing but pan-fried cheese, with a bit of lemon added to make it taste better. These are the basic appetizers you should taste. But there are lots of delicious dishes you can try. Just look through the menu and order whatever looks nice and tasty.

In the second part, you will be given info about the main dish, and the top Cretan and Greek cuisine specialties.

This is an article about a top specialty in Crete, which are popular all over the rest of Greece as well. It is the traditional Greek Salad, also known as “Horiatiki” Salad (it means the salad of the village!). This salad contains tasty but also important ingredients for us. To make a bowl of this traditional salad, you will need -approximately for two people-2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, olive oil (try pure virgin Cretan olive oil for better taste), 1 onion and feta cheese.

Without that last ingredient, the salad will be a common one instead of being unique and traditional. Slice the cucumber, the tomatoes and the onion to pieces, add the feta cheese and the olive oil on top. Also add some salt and some oregano and you are ready to taste a salad that is not only tasty, but healthy as well. Enjoy.