Focus on the immigrant lifestyle, focus on Greece investment immigration. Among the guides to Greece, a food guide is extremely important for those who have just arrived in Greece.
1. Choriatiki Salata (hoe-ree-ah-tee-key sa-lah-tah): Village salad, or what we call Greek salad in the United States. It is usually made primarily of tomatoes (tho-mah-tes), cucumbers (an-goo-ree), onions (crem-ee-thya), feta cheese, oil (la-thee), vinegar (ksee-dee), and olives (ill-yes). Sometimes they do not include feta cheese, and if you ask to add it, they may charge extra. If you do not want any of the above ingredients, just tell the waiter: "hoe-ris" (without) and the name of the ingredient.
2. Sadziki (sahd-zee-key): A sauce mixed with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and salt. It tastes great when eaten on Greek bread.
3. Melitzana Salata (mel-its-zan-na sal-ah-ta): Eggplant salad. Eaten on bread.
4. Olives (ill-yes): Over a hundred different varieties.
5. Keftedes (kef-teh-des): Fried meatballs. Santorini has Domatokeftedes (tho-mah-toh-kef-teh-des) made with tomatoes. There are also Tirokeftedes (tee-row-kef-teh-des) made with cheese, and psarokeftedes (psah-row-kef-teh-des) made with fish. They are all delicious.
6. Spanakopita (span-ah-koh-pee-tah): Spinach pie.
7. Lakanika (la-cah-nee-kah): Cabbage salad.
8. Horta (hoar-ta): Boiled green vegetables. This is very healthy and tastes excellent when eaten with lemon, oil, and vinegar (ksee-dee).
9. Vleeta (vlee-tah): Cooked and eaten similarly to horta, but using different green vegetables. Restaurants will always have one or the other available.
10. Yigendes (yee-gen-des): Beans similar to kidney beans, which can be served with olive oil and lemon or with tomato sauce.
11. Fava (fah-vah): Yellow split peas, served as a dip or stewed; they can be eaten with a spoon or are also good with bread.
12. Patates to Fourno (pa-tah-tes toh for-no): Oven-baked potatoes.
13. Briam (bree-am): Roasted vegetables. Usually includes potatoes, onions, zucchini, eggplant, garlic, and tomatoes.
14. Rivithia (reh-vee-thya): Chickpea stew. Araka (ah-rah-kah): Peas. Cooked with onions and tomatoes.
15. Macaronia (mak-ah-ron-ya): What we call spaghetti. Served with minced beef (meh kee-mah) or tomato sauce. If you do not want meat, say "ho-ris kray-ahs".
16. Mousaka (moo-sah-kah): A baked dish similar to eggplant parmesan without tomato sauce. Contains eggplant, potatoes, onions, minced beef, olive oil, cinnamon, and a topping of flour, milk, and cream.
17. Pastitsio (pah-sti-tsyo): Similar to lasagna but not as pretty. It has layers of pasta, meat, and tomato sauce; it looks as tall as mousaka but is denser.
18. Psito or To Fourno (toh four-no): Oven-roasted chicken or grilled meat served with potatoes.
19. Astako (as-tak-ko): Lobster. The Mediterranean style is prepared without claws.
20. Garides (ga-ree-des): Shrimp, usually large ones that are baked.
21. Marides (mar-ree-des): Small fish deep-fried in oil, eaten whole including the head, bones, and everything else.
22. Gopes (go-pes): Small fish that are delicious and inexpensive when fried or grilled. In English, they are called bogue.
23. Tsipoura (tsee-poo-ra): A type of sea bream, considered a fish with a very delicate and refined taste.
24. Synagrida (see-na-gree-da): Boiled or grilled sea bream fillet.
25. Kolios (kohi-yos): Mackerel that can be grilled or fried. Grilled is tastier.
26. Sfirida (sfee-ree-da): A type of grouper. Grilled as a fillet, or used in Plaki or fish soup.
27. Bakaliaro (bak-ah-lar-oh): Fried cod served with garlic sauce (skor-da-ya).
28. Rega (reh-ga): Smoked herring soaked in olive oil. Usually served as an appetizer.
29. Pestrofa (pes-tro-fa): Freshwater trout from northern Greece, prepared in many different ways.
30. Psarosoupa (psar-oh-soup-ah): Fish soup. The main ingredients are potatoes, lemon, and eggs.
Bread is psoh-me.
Eggs are av-ga.
Omelet is Om-eh-let-ah. Try it with feta cheese, or try the famous potato omelet, pa-ta-to om-eh-let-ah.
Watermelon is kar-poo-zee.
Melon is peh-pon-ee.
Apple is me-lo.
Rice pudding is ree-zo-gah-low.
Yogurt is ya-oar-ti.
Add fruit for me: me fruit-ta.
Ice cream is pa-go-tow.
Add honey: meh mel-lee.
Wine is Krah-see. Red wine is Koh-kee-no. White wine is as-pro. Kee-ma is homemade wine from a barrel.
Patsa (pat-sa): Tripe soup. Very good for a hangover.
Glass is po-tee-ree.
Carafe is ka-ra-fa-kee.
Bottle is boo-kal-ee.
Water is neh-ro.
Menu is cat-ah-lo-go.
Bill is lo-ga-ree-as-mo.
Thank you is ef-ka-ree-sto.
If the service is particularly attentive, it is customary to leave 5% or some coins on the table as a tip for the waiter. Most hotels in Athens do not accept credit cards and only take cash, mainly because hotel owners are reluctant to pay credit card commissions.