Greek cuisine in Mykonos is linked to the Mediterranean diet. It therefore presents culinary specialities ranging from meat (especially pork and lamb/sheep) to fish (fried or grilled), often seasoned and flavoured with olive oil, oregano, pomodo and basil.
It is unavoidable not to try feta, the cheese made from sheep's milk, often found on the table and it is easy to eat a gyros, the tasty Greek sandwich, even on the street.
But let's see together what are the 10 things to eat in Mykonos and where!
1 - Kleftiko
Photo by Lord Mountbatten. This is the typical lamb baked with lemon. The term kleftiko literally means stolen. This is because in the 18th and 19th century, during the Ottoman occupation, Greek brigands used to steal cattle to survive in the mountains and bake the animals inside a hole dug in the ground, then covered with earth, to prevent smoke and smells from attracting attention.
Today, the idea of cooking meat in foil, at a low temperature and for a long time, together with mixed vegetables, tomato, onion, potatoes and feta cheese is maintained.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €18.00
Main ingredients: leg of lamb, potatoes, feta, tomatoes, red onion, rosemary, lemon
2 - Moussaka
Photo by Vouliagmeni. Moussaka is another typical Greek dish.
It is aflan made with alternating layers of fried aubergines, minced meat, potatoes and grated cheese, baked in the oven and garnished on top with a thick layer of béchamel sauce.
The origin of the dish probably lies in the Turkish influence.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €13.00
Main ingredients: pork, aubergines, potatoes, cheese, béchamel, rosemary.
3 - Gyros
In a very simplistic way, the gyros can be called the Greek sandwich.
It is pork slowly roasted and stacked on a vertical spit, flavoured with many spices. Once the outside becomes crispy, it is cut and placed in the typical bread, the pita, together with a sauce made of Greek yoghurt (tzatziki), fresh vegetables, tomatoes and onion.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €3.00
Main ingredients: pork, pita, tomato, salad, yoghurt sauce
4 - Lhoriátiki salàta (Greek salad)
The traditional Greek salad can be eaten either as a side dish or as a single dish, light but at the same time very filling.
The traditional recipe consists ofusing feta, the famous Greek cheese made from sheep's milk with a very strong flavour and salty taste, together with kalamata olives, red onions, cucumbers, yellow peppers, tomatoes, oregano and extra virgin olive oil.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €9.00
Main ingredients: feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, onions, yellow peppers
5 - Spanakopitakia
Spanakopitakia are phyllo dough dumplings filled with feta and spinach.
Following the traditional recipe, the result is a rustic pie baked in a baking tin, but it is much easier to find the dumplings in Mykonos, which can also be eaten on the street.
Recommended: snack
Average cost: €5.00
Main ingredients: feta, spinach, phyllo dough
6 - Louza
This is again meat, in this case pork, roasted and seasoned with numerous spices, pepper and salt. Served in very thin slices, it could be called the ham of Greece.
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €15.00
Main ingredients: pork, pepper, salt, spices.
7 - Barbouni
In the cuisine of a Greek island, fish is a must. Barbouoni is a particularly tasty dish, consisting of fried mullet flavoured with oil and lemon, accompanied by steamed vegetables.
Recommended: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €28.00
Main ingredients: mullet, extra virgin olive oil, onion, lemon juice, thyme, celery, fennel, parsley.
8 - Amygdalota
As far as typical Mykonos sweets are concerned, the amygdalota certainly stands out. These are very soft almond-based biscuits, very good indeed.
They are very often accompanied by soumada, a liqueur also made with bitter almonds and with a high alcohol content.
Recommended for: breakfast, snack
Average cost: €6.00
Main ingredients: almonds, sugar, eggs
9 - Baklava
A typical sweet from the Balkan areas is baklava, the recipe for which varies from city to city. In Turkey, the recipe calls for pistachios, while in Greek tradition, the key ingredient is honey.
It is a pastry made of phyllo dough, filled with sugar, cinnamon, crumbled walnuts and butter, and topped with honey.
Recommended for: breakfast, snack
Average cost: €8.00
Main ingredients: honey, sugar, nuts.
10 - Ouzo
It's not really a dish, but going to Mykonos without trying a glass of the local liqueur would be a real shame.
Ouzo is a dry spirit made from grape must and aniseed and has a very high alcohol content (40-50 degrees).
Recommended for: lunch, dinner
Average cost: €3.00
Main ingredients: alcohol, raisins, aniseed
Where to eat: best restaurants, typical places and street food
In Mykonos you can find a really wide gastronomic offer, both in terms of typical Greek and international cuisine, as it is a place reached by tourists from all over the world.
Many restaurants are located on the harbour, or in any case close to the sea, so as to offer dinners and lunches with a view that is always suggestive.
It is also easy to find small places specialised in street food: for less than €5.00 one can enjoy a gyros while strolling through the narrow streets.
If, on the other hand, you are in the mood for more refined cuisine, just go to one of the island's most prestigious restaurants, where the chefs receive fresh, carefully selected fish from the island's trusted fishermen every day.
1 - Kiki's Tavern
Description: secluded restaurant with typical Greek cuisine and sea views
Speciality: grilled meat and fish
Average price: from €25.00 per person
Address: Agios Sostis Beach, Mykonos - Get directions
2 - Niko's Taverna
Description: restaurant near the harbour and typical of the island, specialised in fish dishes, open for lunch only
Speciality: fish
Average price: from €20.00 per person
Address: Porta, Mykonos Town - Get directions / tel. +30 22890 24320
3 - En Plo
Description: typical Greek and Mediterranean cuisine at affordable prices
Speciality: for vegetarians, gluten-free
Average price: from €15.00 per person
Address: P. Drakopoulou street 11, Mikonos - Get directions / tel. +30 2289 023011
4 - Salparo
Description: mainly fish cuisine, restaurant located on the harbour
Speciality: fresh fish
Average price: from €30.00 per person
Address: Paralia Mykonou, Kaminaki, Mykonos - Get directions / tel. +30 2289 078950
5 - Popolo
Description: street food, Greek and international
Speciality: pita, salads to order
Average price: from €5.00 per person
Address: Drakopoulou Street 18, Mykonos Town - Get directions / tel. +30 2289 022208
6 - Mykonos Winery
Description: a great place for street food
Specialities: pita, souvlaki, gyros
Average price: from €3.00 per person
Address: Nikos Asimomytis, Maou Doubakia, Mykonos - Get directions / tel. +30 2289 071883
7 - Myconian Ambassador
Description: luxury restaurant offering 0 km cuisine
Speciality: fish, meat
Average price: from €120.00 per person
Address: Platis Gialos, Mykonos - Get directions / tel. +30 22890 24166
