The Best Local Food to Try while on Holiday in Crete

The one thing that everybody will tell you about Crete is that the food is astonishing. And you know what? It truly is!

Food in Crete is simple yet sophisticated. It draws on centuries of fresh produce production and on cooking that puts value on the freshness of the ingredients. The recipes are brimming with herbs that grow freely all around the island. What’s more, you get the perfect combination of fresh vegetables, meat, fish, and cheese to create meals packed with sunshine and flavors.

The experience of Crete goes hand in hand with eating and dining out. You will find everything, from unassuming tavernas that serve the freshest, most authentic dishes to fine dining that highlights the best the island has to offer. Crete will astound you with tasty snacks, fresh fruit, hearty meals, and delicious desserts. All the people who visit our beautiful island will tell you that eating and drinking are part of the magic that is Crete.

Fresh Produce Everywhere

To experience the true Crete, you must visit a farmers' market. You will find them in almost all towns and cities. Farmers' markets usually take place once a week, at a predetermined date, in every town or neighborhood. Ask the locals when the local farmers' market is, and drop by.

You will find fresh fruit and vegetables, picked in the morning of the market. If in season, try the small bananas produced on the island, packed with taste and aromas. You will find all types of fruit produced locally, including melons, watermelons, peaches, and cherries in summer, followed by grapes and figs in late summer. You will also find plenty of vegetables like zucchini and eggplants as well as wild greens. Don’t forget fresh eggs, which are most often free range.

You will also find herbs, cheeses, rusks, and other traditional products of Crete. The quality is spectacular, and you don’t need sophisticated recipes to make the most of the products. Prepare fresh salads at your private villa, fruit smoothies, and platters loaded with cheese and bread, and enjoy the quintessential cuisine of Crete: fresh produce in its absolute simplicity.

Olive Oil: The Liquid Gold of Crete

Crete's landscape is dominated by over 30 million olive trees, some dating back thousands of years. The island produces some of the world's finest extra virgin olive oil—thick, fragrant, and with a distinctive peppery finish. 

Cretans use their olive oil liberally on practically everything, and many locals still consume about a quarter liter per day. Picture yourself diving into a Greek salad and tasting the olive oil that drapes the tomatoes and cucumbers. It’s a delight of the senses!

Scattered around the island are olive tasting spaces, where you can try olive oil on freshly baked bread. You can also see how olive oil is produced, especially if you visit Crete in the fall when olives are usually picked. There are many olive groves open to visitors, and you can even arrange to visit an olive press to experience how olive oil is produced.

From Farm to Table: The Freshness Philosophy

What makes Cretan cuisine special is its reliance on what's seasonal and local. Village tavernas serve dishes made from vegetables picked that morning, cheese produced from local goats and sheep, and fish caught in nearby waters. You can’t go wrong with local dishes that are packed with the aromas of the land. Shop at a local Cretan grocery and fill your bag home with Cretan flavors you will savor!

Follow the Locals

Crete is a large island, and recipes depend on what’s available and in season, as well as what locals prepare for themselves. Villages located by the sea have a tradition in seafood and fish dishes because small boats bring a fresh catch every morning. Enjoy fresh fish, either grilled or fried, and taste the sea in every bite. If you want to live like the locals, get up early in the morning and go to the seafront. Most villages have fishing boats that catch fish during the night and come very early in the morning to sell their catch: buy fresh fish off the boats and cook it at your villa. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

Villages and towns located inland and on the mountains are more meat-focused. You get to enjoy tasty goat and sheep dishes as well as local pasta and herbs picked from the surrounding areas. You will find recipes centered on fresh produce and a mix of herbs that bring out the flavors of the meat itself. All the recipes are simple because the ingredients speak for themselves.

Must-Try Cretan Specialties

Dakos

This rustic meze features paximadi — Cretan barley rusks topped with grated tomato, creamy mizithra cheese, oregano, and plenty of olive oil. Many different approaches are taken to this dish; for example, some add capers and olives.

Kalitsounia

Delicate, mouth-watering cheese pies made with fresh herbs and local cheeses, either sweet or savory. They make excellent snacks and hors d’oeuvres, and many locals have them for breakfast.

Gamopilafo

A celebratory dish with deep cultural significance, this traditional wedding rice is slowly cooked in a rich meat broth. Alternatively, it can be made with the catch of the day. If you find a local taverna that makes it according to a traditional recipe, be sure to try it!

Snails (Chochlioi)

Don't be surprised to find snails on the menu. When in season, snails are a local delicacy prepared with rosemary and vinegar (boubouristi) or cooked with tomato sauce.

Cretan Cheeses

From soft, creamy mizithra to aged graviera, Crete's cheeses deserve their own spotlight. We suggest you visit a good cheese producer and pick a few types, from hard to softer. Load a platter at your villa with aromatic cheeses, some sourdough bread, and a good glass of Cretan wine. Life doesn’t get any better than that!

Cretan wines

Speaking of Cretan wine, Crete has some excellent local grape varieties that produce outstanding wines. Indigenous grape varieties like Vidiano and Liatiko have become mainstream, and wine producers make some excellent wines worth trying. Visit local vineyards to try their wares first-hand!

Raki

You will notice that almost everywhere you go to eat, you are served complementary raki, a potent spirit offered as a gesture of hospitality. After wine production, Raki is made from grape leftovers, including skins, seeds, stems, and pulp. These are fermented and distilled to produce raki. Locals love their raki, considering it a fine way to start or finish a meal. Amazingly enough, many locals have a small glass in the morning with breakfast when they’re not enjoying their local rakadiko. If you are not driving, it’s worth trying!

A Culture of Authentic Food and True Connections

What sets Cretan food apart isn't just its flavors but the culture surrounding meals. Food here is all about connection. Meals are long and leisurely, shared with family and friends, accompanied by music, stories, and laughter. People take their time to enjoy their meals, talk, and laugh. Food is meant to be celebrated rather than simply filling your hunger. 

Fine Dining alongside Authentic Cooking

Crete is an authentic place where food takes center stage. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get fine dining, though. In all main towns and cities, you will find fine dining restaurants where chefs take fresh local ingredients and turn them into sophisticated dishes with a twist. Accompanied by a cocktail, it’s the perfect way to enjoy Crete in an elegant way.

Arrange for a Cooking Class at Your Villa

If you want to discover what Crete has to offer, why not hire a Cretan chef who will cook for you or even organize a cooking class at your very own villa? Just tell us your expectations, and we will fulfill them! The chef can prepare specific dishes or show you how to cook them yourself. You will witness how fresh produce makes a world of difference and how the addition of a few fresh herbs boosts a meal and its aromas.

You can also take cooking classes or go on treks to discover and pick fresh herbs from the mountains and alongside the seashore.

Delicious Luxury

Let us help you create your own unique holiday experience!

Food is a celebration of life, joy, and community. When you visit Crete, it’s practically impossible to miss out on how fresh produce takes center stage. Join the locals and enjoy dishes and meals that will stay with you forever. Check out our special offers for Cretan villas, book your villa, and count the days to some of the best meals of your life!